Will hoey

[psapie]

Hello all,

 

Does anyone have any brilliant ideas about some sort of method/gadget for holding bits of vegetable (brocolli, cabbage, various leaves etc), such that the chickens can peck bits off. I find they will happily take chucks out of leaves when they are on the bush or when they are held-up, but can’t really eat when they fall to the ground.

 

At the simplest level, I was thinking about a suspended string bag. While at the other end, I was thinking about some sort of box with broad wire mesh sides, with holes big enough for them to get their heads in to have a good peck, but not so big as will let all the stuff fall out.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[cluckbok]

Hi ya,

 

We've got a treat ball which works quite well. It's a metal one that you just clip onto their run. You could put springs of broccoli in there without them falling out. I'm sure the Omlet shop sell them, would be worth having a look.

[Egluntyne]

How about one of **these**?

[DW]

I made a suitable container by wrapping a spare bit of wire chicken netting (mine was covered in green plastic, but I'm sure the ordinary galvanised stuff would be fine) round a four-pack of tuna tins. I squashed one end closed (i.e. onto the round bit of the end tin) and then laced the whole thing together with a bit of garden wire (again, mine was plastic covered). On removing the tins, I had a cyclindrical basket which was open at one end.

 

I attached one of those clips that you use for hanging up teatowels (bought very cheaply from Tesco) to the open end - again with garden wire.

 

I simply stuff the basket with leaves (lettuce, kale, chard, beetroot tops, cabbage etc.), squash the open end together (flat) and hang it up onto the eglu run by the clip. Works a treat!

 

D.

[DW]

.....another (easier) option would be to buy a suet block feeder like this: http://www.food4wildbirds.co.uk/bird-feeders-accessories/suet-block-feeder-c-569_590.html ....which can be bought for about 99p in Wilkinsons!

 

D.

[ali-s]

This is a fat ball feeder which I stuff which fruit and veg for my chickens. I pack it really tight and it takes them ages to eat the lot, which keeps the chickens entertained.

 

 

 

 

I have seen the feeder in Pets At Home, Tesco, Poundstrecher and garden centres.

[psapie]

Thanks for the speedy replies - they all sound like good ideas.

 

 

Dave

[TAJ]

I have one of the ones Eglutine linked to on the Omlet website - it is very good - it looks small but you would be amazed how much you can get in it.

 

Tracy

[surferdog]

I use the one Egluntine linked to as well. If you line it with lettuce or cabbage leaves you can stuff it with smaller stuff as well such as sweetcorn, peas or rice.

[muzzie]

I use a suet holder looks like a plastic coated wire basket keeps the veggies of the ground and they can peck at them. I hang it on the run door for them.

[Egg Lou]

I have a bird fat ball holder but different more oval shape than above, 2.99 from most garden centres.. I also stuff with veges, dandelion leaves, etc.. they love it!

[hilda-and-evadne]

Hello all,

 

Does anyone have any brilliant ideas about some sort of method/gadget for holding bits of vegetable (brocolli, cabbage, various leaves etc), such that the chickens can peck bits off

 

I use a chrome square basket type thingy with two hooks at the back which I rescued from my neighbour's recycling bin after I saw her throw it out. It looks as if it is belongs to some sort of kitchen or bathroom storage "scheme" for storing jars of spices etc.

[lisa33]

I use a wild bird suet block holder and hang it from the roof of the run.

[Helly Welly]

We have a couple of dog balls that are holey and easy to stuf with leaves. The chooks love chasing these around the run

[Ange1]

Is this just for leafy things like dandilions etc? As I bought a plastic dog bowll for the treats, are we saying that the hens wont eat bits of broc or cabbage out of this very well, unless it's hung up, so what do I put in the dog bowl? Maybe it's for the pasta etc, hmm confused now!

[Olly]

Don't worry Ange1, mine eat leaves from the ground - hanging them up makes it easier as they can pull on them, and it keeps them occupied, but it's not essential.

 

I had a suet block type of thing, but it's gone missing (somewhere in the garage, no doubt! ) so I just poke the spinach, lettuce leaves etc through the bars and they still eat them.

 

You can put chopped up cucumber, grapes, etc in the treat bowl, and pasta, sweetcorn, rice, porridge .... but leaves will be fine in there too!

[Ange1]

Thanks olly I understand now, it's to keep them occupied for longer. Will keep an eye out for a cheap one somewhere!