Chooks Aloud Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Am I the only one with chooks that do not like slugs & snails? Mine just turn their noses up. I was hoping for a slug & snail free garden. Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 Take heart Karen My hens didn't eat slugs and snails when they were young. It took them quite a while to develop a taste for them. I suppose it's like humans and olives. They love them now. Gerty in particular is brilliant at getting snails out of their shells. Have I told you what she does with frogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted September 5, 2006 Author Share Posted September 5, 2006 No, what does she do with frogs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted September 5, 2006 Share Posted September 5, 2006 If I said she swallows them whole, slowly, head first with the toes dissapearing last, gulping it down in jerks, just like a python with all her neck feather standing on end. Would it make you shudder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Katy struggled with worms (bless ) when she first saw them, maybe they need time to work out how to actually eat them-generally just pecking slowly at the poor creature. Maybe they're hoovering them up like spaghetti when you're not there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted September 6, 2006 Author Share Posted September 6, 2006 Hi L-J All I can say is 'yuk' Karen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I'm picking loads of caterpillars off my broccili at the moment and trying to feed them to my young cockerals. The stand there looking puzzled at them as they make their escape. My grown up bantams will only eat them if I marinate them in bio-yoghurt for them so they can't see them properly. Yet they would all peck me to death for a worm ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley-Jean Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 Some caterpillars, particularly colourful ones, taste really nasty Or so I am told , I haven't tried them myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted September 6, 2006 Share Posted September 6, 2006 I'll stop force feeding them then!! And I'll stop growing brassicas!! It really isn't worth the aggro of pest picking every day, particularly as I don't like broccili!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tara.F Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 brassicas are awfully good for the chooks tho jools.....we're growing some just for them. suspended from the top of the run (ours won't eat them from the floor) cabbages etc make good excercise, entertainment and make beautifully dark yellow eggyolks. our chooks love slugs, so much so that we're hard pushed to find any for them in our garden now! 'luckily' there are still plenty at the allotment they aren't keen on snails tho, unless my endlessly doting (on the chooks, at least) husband winkles them out of their shells first! bleurghhhh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel (& Paul) Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 I KNEW we led glamerous lives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak29 Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 a couple of pecks and they're gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CannyCat Posted September 9, 2006 Share Posted September 9, 2006 brassicas are awfully good for the chooks tho jools.....we're growing some just for them.suspended from the top of the run (ours won't eat them from the floor) cabbages etc make good excercise, entertainment and make beautifully dark yellow eggyolks. our chooks love slugs, so much so that we're hard pushed to find any for them in our garden now! 'luckily' there are still plenty at the allotment they aren't keen on snails tho, unless my endlessly doting (on the chooks, at least) husband winkles them out of their shells first! bleurghhhh! My two love love love slugs and caterpillers, but won't even attempt brocolli Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
