4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[h&schickens]

Just need a bit of advice please!!

 

My chickens go mad for dandelion leaves, grass, dot leaves, cabbage, mixed corn etc!

But when they get these treats, they go mad for them as though they have not eaten in days. Is this a problem ie. they are not eating enough pellets or are they just greedy?

[Tiggy]

greedy as long as they get their pellets first, keep the treats for later in the day to make sure, but chickens will eat all day long given the chance

[h&schickens]

They only have access to pellets apart from about 5 o'clock! This is treat time! I am just worried cause they all go absolutely barmy at this time as though they are starving. Never seen anything like it, its funny to watch, but can't stop thinking they are not eating enough!!

[chelsea]

Are they laying yet?

 

When they are not laying it doesnt appear they eat much.

 

once they start laying its a different story altogether and they eat everything in sight!

[h&schickens]

They are not laying yet, we have had them just over 2 weeks now and they are about 21 wks old!! They seem ok though in health. If they eat more when they start laying, god knows how much they will eat!!

[BarbaraJ]

They are not laying yet, we have had them just over 2 weeks now and they are about 21 wks old!! They seem ok though in health. If they eat more when they start laying, god knows how much they will eat!!

 

ALOT!! lol mine have gone from fussy littl devils to, will eat anything other than raw brocolli!

[Leicester_H]

I am just worried cause they all go absolutely barmy at this time as though they are starving.

Thats just chickens for you!!

Mine sometimes fling themselves at the bars when they see/smell a treat coming - anyone would think they hadn't eaten for weeks.

 

H

[ajm200]

If they are like mine, they are just greedy for treats Our 5 barely ate anything when they first arrived and had us really worried that they were going hungry.

 

Now that 3 of them are laying they get through a ridiculous amount of food and any treats that they are offered. A full grub of pellets lasts 48 hours.

 

They've also polished off a whole white cabbage in the past 24 hours, a large scoopful of bokashi bran and a couple of scoops of corn that my husband gave them to celebrate violet's first egg.

 

When OH is back at work tomorrow, they'll be restricted to pellets for 24 hours

[clucking mad]

when they do go mad for treats is their food tray empty?

they may just prefer other types of pellets or something

most chickens are greedy anyway

[Helly Welly]

Mine eat plenty of pellets and still go mad for any treats on offer.

 

They're just born greedy

 

It does come in useful for getting them back in the run though

[h&schickens]

Their food tray is never empty, I check regularly and they have fresh water twice a day too! Does anyone know if giving them organic layers pellets is much different to normal ones , eg. better quality eggs or is it not worth spending the extra money (just something I was considering!)

[Hen Watch]

My lot fall on treats like it's their last meal ever and devour them in minutes. I only give treats late afternoon (apart from the odd few grains of corn if I need them back in their run).

 

Does anyone know if giving them organic layers pellets is much different to normal ones , eg. better quality eggs or is it not worth spending the extra money (just something I was considering!)

 

That's really a personal decision and I suppose it comes down to whether you shop totally organic for yourself or a bit of a mix. If I could afford it I would always buy organic as I think it is better. But then to balance that, according to the government Food Standards Agency, they aparantly do not consider that there is a significant difference between organic and non-organic foods. But that's a whole other debate I suppose.

 

My chooks now eat GM-free pellets. After I had used up the organic pellets delivered by Omlet when the chooks arrived, I tried to buy more but the organic ones were very often out of stock. I bought a bag of standard ones (a lot cheaper) and from habit have now just stuck with them.

 

I have to say that organic pellets or not, the taste of your own eggs from chooks munching their way through your garden is unsurpassed. Everyone I have given eggs to has comented on just how good they taste and come back for more.

[chelsea]

Does anyone know if giving them organic layers pellets is much different to normal ones , eg. better quality eggs or is it not worth spending the extra money (just something I was considering!)

 

We changed over from non organic to organic pellets just before Christmas. We have noticed a big difference on our girls eating the pellets - they absolutely love them and even our fussy chook Ella always seems to have her head stuck in the grub these days! Also after not laying since September last year Ella has now just started to lay again and we think the change in pellets is one of the contributing factors.

[moomin]

I give mine organic. I just want them to have the best I suppose and the cost is not that much more.

 

Mind you when they go round my garden pecking up every bit of dirt/bug/nasty creature they can get their beaks into it's kind of ironic that I want to give them the best