FlyingRamses Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I am getting a little obsessed with my 3 hens diet. I am sure they are not eating enough layers pellets. They seem to be constantly hungry and woolf down any grapes, mealworm or corn given late afternoon but they hardly ever eat their pellets out of the Grub. They clear a corn on the cob in about 20 mins!! Is this a problem do you think? They come out in the morning and generally take a drink but rarely eat the pellets. They look healthy, pic of one attached and vents seem clean, droppings OK apart from occasional brown ones with no white part. They are always desperate to stroll around the garden which we let them do as much as poss whilst one of us fox watches!! We have had the girls for 2 weeks now and I am probably over worrying but any advice would be appreciated. Are there any signs I should look out for if they are really not eating enough and if they have such a wild appetite for treats will they not, if hungry enough, eat the pellets!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 What a gorgeous Pepperpot--looks very much like my Truffle! The last thing to worry about is otherwise healthy chickens not eating! You are doing the right thing by withholding treats until later in the day. My guess is that they are POL but not yet laying. Once they do, their appetites for pellets will rocket. At the moment, they are simply not that motivated. Thanks for posting the pic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choppish Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 i have one that has started laying and can;t get enough of food in all shapes and forms. the other one is completely disinterested in food. but she hasn;lt started laying that. i assume that will change. the laying one will spend hours rummaging around lookinng for things. the other one as i said will watch with amused facination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Chooks are like children-they would much rather eat treats which arent as good for them! Provided you dont over do the treats and only offer them late afternoon-they're fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Yup, what they said . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 stupid question.. if you give them corn on the cob, do you cook it first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 stupid question.. if you give them corn on the cob, do you cook it first? I bought a few when i first got them and they were baked,but sadly my chooks turned their beaks up at them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 stupid question.. No such thing if you give them corn on the cob, do you cook it first? You don't need to, no . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingRamses Posted July 5, 2008 Author Share Posted July 5, 2008 Thanks all for the positive feedback. Sounds like I should just relax and let them get on with their hen thing!!! I think Poppy in the picture will lay first, she is at bottom of pecking order poor thing, runs up behind the boss when she is not looking then when she turns around to see what the commotion is, Poppy veers away looking around as it to say "wasn't me", if she could whistle innocently she would!!! I give the corn on the cob raw, they love it, I sometimes hang it from the run but it swings dangerously like a punch bag and they get covered in bits of corn, amusing to watch though. It isn't cheap, about £1.50 for two from Tesco, couldn't find it in my local market but did buy some cheap tinned corn to try them on!! Thanks again to all, feeling a lot happier now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hen Watch Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I sometimes hang it from the run but it swings dangerously like a punch bag and they get covered in bits of corn, amusing to watch though. It isn't cheap, about £1.50 for two from Tesco, couldn't find it in my local market but did buy some cheap tinned corn to try them on!! I buy a 20Kg bag of dried Mixed Corn, lasts for absolutely ages. I give my 4 an egg cup full late each day (or use a bit to get them back in their run). Don't worry about the feeding issue. Any treat for a chicken is like sweets to children so not surprising they will eat treats over pellets. Like children they would eat sweets all day....... but don't let them. I give treats only late afternoon and don't go overboard as too many treats mean less eggs. When they start to lay their appetite for pellets will go through the roof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Just withhold the treats and free ranging till the afternoon, they will have to eat their pellets then. I found that mine didn't like the Omlet pellets. When I changed to a different brand, they ate them much more eagerly. Their appetites will increase massively once they start laying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingRamses Posted July 7, 2008 Author Share Posted July 7, 2008 Look what my poor starving malnourished hen, Poppy produced at about 11am this morning!!! We are delighted, seems wrong to eat it somehow, I assume you can eat the first egg!!? Thanks to all for positive support!! We have decided to buy a Cube now and get three battery rescue hens, will flog the Eglu in August, looks like a hobby for life, just a shame it took me 42 years to find it!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 What a gorgeous egg. These little miracles are laid in their gazillions every day. How lovely to appreciate them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted July 7, 2008 Share Posted July 7, 2008 I assume you can eat the first egg!!? /quote] Indeed you can. However, the white of the egg will be runny and resist cooking if you cook it straightaway. Eggs are better when fresh but not too fresh. From my own experience, I would give eggs 24 hours or more before you poach, boil or fry. Using them for baking, you only need to give them the float test (if they float in a jug of water, don't use them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Wow! Did you weigh it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 What a lovely egg! Well done Poppy. Bet it's a double yolker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Don't sell the Eglu when you buy a Cube. You will be so glad of it later when you move on to the next phase of hen-keeping. You never stop wanting more, I promise you. If you don't give hens treats, they eat a lot of pellets. Yours are saving their appetite for the goodies. Pellets are worse than dry All-Bran: and wouldn't you push that aside if you knew there were cream cakes (or whatever your favourite treat is) coming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Don't sell the Eglu when you buy a Cube. You will be so glad of it later when you move on to the next phase of hen-keeping. You never stop wanting more, I promise you. I agree....with the advice, and the fact that you are likely to want more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingRamses Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 Egg was 2.25 Oz! Two small ones laid today but not sure if one hen can lay two in one sitting! Others who have not laid yet were not in Eglu apart from one who popped in for about 5 mins but not in egg laying area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlo Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 That egg looks just like the one that our Miss P first produced. It was a double yoker and she has given us three more since. (DD is telling me off for saying that she is "our" Miss P! ) The girls don't like the Omlet pellets but I got them some Bokashi Mash from WigglyWigglers and they seem to like that much better. That was following my asking similar questions about three weeks ago and getting lots of advice back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 None of ours seem to eat much of the pellets - unless I make pellet porridge for them. The level in the grub never seems to go down much, but two of our girls are laying well so they must be eating them! Maybe they do it when I'm not looking! I bought one of the upturned bucket type feeders in case it was the grub they didn't like - but it made no difference (all that happened was that the food in the tray got covered with Aubiose and soil as they dug around the run!). The trouble is that I've got most of a sack of Omlet pellets left before I change to another type! Once they are let out at lunchtime, the two layers eat for Britain while the youngster looks on in bemusement! Do chickens over-eat? They seem quite frantic at times, and they have very round crops at bedtime! Daphne caught a frog today - then Winnie chased her around trying to get a share (with Bunty watched). I didn't realise they ate frogs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
