Battylady Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 Hiya, I was wondering if anyone with experience of ex-batts could give me some advice on getting them to eat something other than what they are used to. I've only had my girls a few days and although they are happily tucking in to their familiar food (layers mash) they do seem somewhat reluctant to expand their culinary horizons! They seem to sort of peck at other stuff a bit, but I'm not sure they realise that they can actually eat it! Obviously I was intending to vary their diet gradually, but now I'm wondering whether it's going to be a longer job than I thought to watch them get excited about other types of food? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 give them time they have soooo much of life to learn, the sky the grass the noise of life the birds in the trees. yes the sky is still there today! We can stretch our wings move our legs. they need to get to know you too. They will peck at things firts and as their confidence grows they will turn into veloceraptors & you will laugh at your worries. Mine liked dried mealworms best 1st. then cucumber, then #I readabot grapes, I had to cut them open for them(at 1st) and hold things for them, they still like it now 6months on. they can peck at it then, they didn't seem to realise at first that they could eat it off the ground. I put their mash into a cat litter tray as got fed up ewith the mess. lovely to see one having her 1st dust bath in it ah the memories ENJOY oh & a little grated cheese... not too many treats and in the afteroon after they have eaten (chicken food 1st) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweety Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I am having trouble persuading my ex batts to eat pellets rather than mash. I have had them since the middle of July and have been adding a handful of pellets to their mash for weeks, but they steadfastly refuse to eat them! Now that they have joined my other hens, I have found that the mash is very popular with all the girls, so it will probably be easier to put them all onto mash - even though it is so messy and smelly. They will eat treats, although they don't go crazy for mixed corn like the others do - they do seem to love greens though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I did it gradually, over a month or so. I just mixed a handful of pellets with their mash, and then increased the amounts of pellets, and decreased the mash over a couple of weeks. Once they were free ranging with the others, they were eating their pellets anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
