kaylis1980 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 how does everyone offer treats?? do they take it? do you put it in feeder? seperate bowl?? im a bit puzzled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*mummy_hen* Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 They have two little treat bowls that i always put them in and when i get to the door and see the bowls they know what's coming. I sometimes take some out and keep it in my hands though as this was how we initially tried coaxing them to us when they first arrived. Is so lovely to see their faces when they know they've got something yummy - sweetcorn sends then mental and they literally throw themselves into the bowl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ange1 Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Hi Sarah, even though I don't have my girls yet I have been reading advise from others! I've bought a large cheap plastic dog bowl (even lilac to match my cube!) I think it's nice that the hens associate the bowl with 'treat time' (wonder whether hens see in B&W or colour?) Anyway, i think I will need a 'bargaining tool' So I liked the bowl idea. Another benefit is to be able to lift to treats off and out of the run once they've finished to keep any potential rat problem to a minium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Slats Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 sometimes we make up a porridge out of mash and water and then stick treats in it.... in which case they go in a couple of bowls. Otherwise we scatter it in the run... takes them much longer to find it all and ensures the timid chicken gets her share. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Hi Sarah, It's not a stupid question at all. I had two distinctive blue and white bowls which had been used for my dog's food and water that I use as treat bowls. When I'm going to let the hens free range (which I try to do every day in the early afternoon and early evening), I pile their treats into the bowl. When they see me coming with the treat bowl, they know they will be let out to forage. When I let them out I toss them a few titbits from the bowl which they dive after. From time to time when I see them close together I bang three times on the side of the bowl with the rod that secures the run door and they all come running hell for leather. I reserve most of the titbits (bean sprouts are especially popular) for when I want to get them back into their run. I wait until they are all close together and clang! clang! clang! goes the rod on the bowl. They know that I'm now going to put the bowl into the run so they all barge in together. Door shut and secured, hens happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutrix Farmers Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Wet things (pellet porridge, soup mix with oats etc) goes in a terracotta bowl, pasta and rice are usually put on a terracota plant pot saucer (but don't satty on it for very long ), but grapes are just thrown around the garden so they have to look for them (quite funny watching them run side to side trying to make up their minds which grape to go for ). I sometimes scatter mealworms on their patch of soil then lightly cover them up so they have to scratch for them (they see me do it so there are never any left) Is it just me or does anyone else think mealworms are disgusting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Is it just me or does anyone else think mealworms are disgusting? Yes - completely disgusting. I cant touch them and have to hold my breathe when I open the box - they smell as bad as they look. I throw some down and then bury them under a patch of gravel - the girls always go straight to it and start digging when I let them out of the run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 We scatter things in the run so everyone gets a chance to have some and they can be occupied foraging for them. Apples, cabbages etc also get thrown in whole so they can play chicken football. Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meezers Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I tried putting their treats in a plastic bowl but discarded that idea as they would all launch themselves at it and try to get in it I have a paving slab just inside the run by the door, that now serves as their table. They have their treats when I shut them back in the run after free ranging.I collect their treats in an old margarine tub on the kitchen windowsill, when they see me coming with it, they all come running - getting under foot , jumping and trying to trip me up on the way to the run !. I tip most in a pile on the slab and scatter the small stuff ( grapes, peas etc ) around the run for them to find. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye&Ant Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Hi - I dont think its a stupid question! My girls line up at the back door at 3pm and they know as soon as I open the door its treat time No bowls used as they dont have time to touch a bowl before they are gone Mealworms are def an occasional treat, they may love them but they freak me out a little, the dried ones are worse as they seem to move as if they are alive eughhhhhh..... Faye x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyber Chook Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 My teenage daughters just think I'm weird and embarrassing - I don't mind mealworms at all, and have been hand-feeding a robin with worms for the last 2 years at nesting time. I've got a multi-mail order on the go and 500g of the squiggling lovelies arrives every Friday, and now I've got chickens some of the worms go to them, but most go to the nesting sparrows, blue tits, blackbirds and robins. I'm experimenting by freezing some in a bag, as there are quite often some left over when the next lot arrives. I know someone's just found them in the freezer when I hear a small scream coming from the kitchen. But the chooks just go mad for them don't they Caroline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylis1980 Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Is it just me or does anyone else think mealworms are disgusting? mealworms i can just about handle as long as theyre dried- not fresh maggots on the other hand dont even go there ******** thankyou for everyones input i like the plastic dog bowl / slab table idea i might do both of these - i thought it was stupid i was thinking oh god theyre going to think im so dumb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frenchlayer Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I use an old casserole dish, which I fill up during the day from kitchen and they get it last thing at night when I want to get them locked in. It works a 'treat' (sorry). They get other stuff pushed through the wire or we open the door and hand feed them. When I was making my larger run, I ran out of chicken wire and needed to use a larger gauge on the top half of the door, and I had it in my mind to replace this at some stage. But it has been wonderful because I can pop large snails (french hens ) that I find in the garden through this without having to open the three catches to the door. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 I do the same as frenchlayer - keep a bowl in the kitchen that gets filled with apple cores, brocolli stems, carrot peelings, etc. during the day, then they get given it in the afternoon/evening. They also have a hanging cage thingie that is intended for feeding wild birds, which I stuff with dandelion leaves and weeds. Whole cabbages, corn cobs, cauli or brocolli get a cuphook screwed into the stem and hung from a chain for them to peck at. Mixed corn just gets chucked on the floor of the run, but they only have a little and they are very thorough, so none left for any vermin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 As I work in a nursery with kids, we have a small ice cream type tub which is for the chickens we put all suitable s"Ooops, word censored!"s for them in there each day and they get them that late afternoon when my kids feed them. In addition to this I save up all bits and pieces like corn on the cobs the kids have had for lunch etc, salad pieces, grapes OMG they love grapes, dried meal worms etc etc... I have two identical bowls so they are working on a rotation system, one is always clean and ready to go... well thats the theory.. doesn't always work.. The chickens know their bowl believe me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 It doesn't matter what container I use. If I'm carrying anything, our chooks jump up at me like excited puppies!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaylis1980 Posted May 28, 2008 Author Share Posted May 28, 2008 well i have a shallow glass bowl i used yesterday and put in marrowfat peas that were leftover from the kids dinner and thought that would be nice. i put the bowl on the run floor, while one cowered away in the nest box and the other 2 eyed me suspiciously!! about 5 minutes later one of the girls took one, broke i in half, pecked again and...... wouldnt stop shaking her head for another 3 minutes. like yeeeeuchhhhhh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
