surferdog Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Huge thanks to the person who posted the tip about adding water to layers pellets to make a kind of porridge. Can't find the thread now but you know who you are! Mine have persistently refused to eat their pellets and we've had a run of soft eggs (they have grit, eggshells, free-range, etc, etc). I've always mixed them with garlic powder and bokashi bran but they'd just take a couple of pecks and then run around complaining like guests at a dodgy B&B. This morning I mixed it exactly the same way but just added some warm water from a partially boiled kettle. They've scoffed the lot and I managed to get out of the run without being surrounded by a mob of outraged hens! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Well done.. I'm glad you've got them eating their pellets. Do they like the bokashi bran on it's own? If they do, maybe you'd be better off giving up with the pellets and trying layers mash. Mine make a mess with the pellets, scattering them all over the run floor but they always wolf down bokashi bran if I give it to them on it's own. I'm beginning to wonder if mash would be a better choice as it can't be much messier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted April 29, 2008 Author Share Posted April 29, 2008 Yes they love the bran and the eggshells. I've been thinking about switching to mash but have a huge bag of Omlet pellets to get through first so I'm delighted with the water trick. Just hope they don't get wise to it too quickly.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajm200 Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Isn't that always the way. You buy a big bag of something only to find that whoever you bought it for has gone off it.. If you keep adding new flavours to the porridge they won't work it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2hec Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 After seeing the same thread on making the porridge I thought I'd make some for my 3 girls as a treat - even though they happily scoff their pellets. They took one look and walked away. I left it there for a while and they looked at it a few times but still ignored it and I ended up throwing it away!! I suppose I should be grateful that they like their boring old pellets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucking mad Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 well done. it always makes you smile when you finally work out what they have wanted the whole time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinkybijou Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Mine point blank refuse to eat layers pellets, even when I offer them nothing else. I once made porridge with it which they turned their beaks up at. They've been having mixed corn until, after advice on here, I tried them on layers mash which they liked twice, then decided not to eat . Today I made the layers mash up into a porridge with cold water and they couldn't get it down their necks quick enough!! Fickle creatures chooks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbie26pet Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 ive had mine on pellets but i noticed they wasnt eating them very well. so i got the mash and they love it i now have on offer a tub of mash and a tub of pellets, and they are eating the pellets great as well as mash, only doing this to use my pellets up . but they like it this way a choice. so may stick to that way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FruitandNutCake Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 My son didn't eat his oatabix this morning, so tried giving it to the chickens - they didn't touch it! Rabbits had a sniff and walked away! But the chickens love their layers mash. And they don't make a mess either . It is hanging up quite high though, as I thought the rabbits might try to eat it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Huge thanks to the person who posted the tip about adding water to layers pellets to make a kind of porridge. Can't find the thread now but you know who you are! I think it was me surferdog! I posted because I was worried they were waiting for the porridge every day in the afternoon, instead of eating their pellets during the day!! But now I've just given up and I just make them a bowl everyday, they adore it and wolf it down, I give it a special topping of grapes, couple of raisins, shredded lettuce etc., I may try adding bokashi bran to the porridge this aft actually, when I add it to the pellets they don't even touch a single pellet 'cos they are fussy little madams. Hopefully in the porridge they won't notice it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surferdog Posted April 30, 2008 Author Share Posted April 30, 2008 Thanks Moomin! Worked again today but I'm going to try poultry spice tomorrow instead of the garlic powder just to keep them on their toes. Honestly reminds me of when I was weaning my children! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moomin Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Honestly reminds me of when I was weaning my children! I so know that feeling, surferdog!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
