Single hen

[sparkysmum]

Being good, responsible ex batt owners, we bought Smallholders ex batt crumbs for our ladies. No more mixing up porrige I thought, no more food all over the run. They'll eat it all up from their feeders like the good little hens everyone else has. Ha ha, no chance, won't touch it. Well I'm afraid I'm going to take the view that if they're hungry they have to eat it since I've got no mash left Anyone else had picky hens

Ax

[smanners]

Me too! Thought I was doing the proper thing and despite the cost (£14 .85/20kgs) I decided to treat all my girls to the top quality ex batt pellets.

Not keen at all but will just about tolerate it as porridge.

 

In fact mine prefer the standard 'Pets at Home' above all the other expensive ones

Well at least a donation went to BHWT so not all was lost

[eggmayo]

My ex-batts happily munch away on the ex-batt crumb. Maybe you've just got fussy girls?

[Redwing]

I gained an extra hen a while back and she came with a sack of feed from her lovely last owner, it was expensive stuff but my ladies wouldn't touch it. I was not about to throw itout so we all had a sit-in they broke before I did luckily

 

I would persevere with it, maybe sprinkle some on the floor so they see it as a treat?

[Swanage]

So glad to have read that I am not the only one with fussy eaters - or should I say eater. Have had my 2 girls for just over a fortnight - an adult Welsummer (1-2 yrs old? - breeder a bit cagey on age as would only say "I think some of them are last year's"....) and POL hybrid (breeder couldn't remember what cross they were so I won't be buying any more chickens from them!) - although they were on the Omlet recommended list......

 

POL eats anything, but Welsummer not interested in pellets although they were on pellets before I got them. However (mistake no 1!) I forgot to ask what make pellets they were on before buying (mistake No 2.....) a 20kg bag from Countrywide. Strange thing is that Welsummer loves the pellets if i soak them into a mash and it almost brought tears to my eyes to see her tucking in for the first time....

 

I don't want the hassle of making porridge every morning so if i only give them pellets I presume my Welsummer won't starve to death......? Reassurance required please for a novice chicken keeper!!

[mostin]

So glad to have read that I am not the only one with fussy eaters - or should I say eater. Have had my 2 girls for just over a fortnight - an adult Welsummer (1-2 yrs old? - breeder a bit cagey on age as would only say "I think some of them are last year's"....) and POL hybrid (breeder couldn't remember what cross they were so I won't be buying any more chickens from them!) - although they were on the Omlet recommended list......

 

POL eats anything, but Welsummer not interested in pellets although they were on pellets before I got them. However (mistake no 1!) I forgot to ask what make pellets they were on before buying (mistake No 2.....) a 20kg bag from Countrywide. Strange thing is that Welsummer loves the pellets if i soak them into a mash and it almost brought tears to my eyes to see her tucking in for the first time....

 

I don't want the hassle of making porridge every morning so if i only give them pellets I presume my Welsummer won't starve to death......? Reassurance required please for a novice chicken keeper!!

 

It can be a battle of wills but hang in there. If you offer them nothing else they will eat the pellets . They are very good at making us feel guilty though aren't they?

[Swanage]

So glad to have read that I am not the only one with fussy eaters - or should I say eater. Have had my 2 girls for just over a fortnight - an adult Welsummer (1-2 yrs old? - breeder a bit cagey on age as would only say "I think some of them are last year's"....) and POL hybrid (breeder couldn't remember what cross they were so I won't be buying any more chickens from them!) - although they were on the Omlet recommended list......

 

POL eats anything, but Welsummer not interested in pellets although they were on pellets before I got them. However (mistake no 1!) I forgot to ask what make pellets they were on before buying (mistake No 2.....) a 20kg bag from Countrywide. Strange thing is that Welsummer loves the pellets if i soak them into a mash and it almost brought tears to my eyes to see her tucking in for the first time....

 

I don't want the hassle of making porridge every morning so if i only give them pellets I presume my Welsummer won't starve to death......? Reassurance required please for a novice chicken keeper!!

 

It can be a battle of wills but hang in there. If you offer them nothing else they will eat the pellets . They are very good at making us feel guilty though aren't they?

 

Thanks for that. So it's out with the porridge and in with the guilt!

[HENthusiastic]

Mine quite like the ex-batt pellets. In fact I don't think they even noticed the difference!