4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[RyefordPaul]

For the first time since our new chickens arrived last week, my daughter & I gave them some spaghetti. Well it was mayhem! They went absolutely mental for it, trying to out do each other to get some more! We almost had to run for our lives making sure we still had all our fingers!

 

It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. They just soooooo love it.

 

With you experienced guys/gals out there, how much would you recommend giving them as a "treat" on a daily or weekly basis, & if I over feed them on it, can it do them any harm?

 

I am off to cook some more spaghetti!!!

[CluckyBucks]

Hello there

 

I would probably give it them as a weekly thing and only one strang each

 

They can get fat, but im not sure if pasta will make them that way

 

We need pictures of the so called italianos

 

xx xx

[Eggquisite]

it is one of the funniest things to watch, ours do the same

 

We only feed them a few stands on a weekly or bi-weekly basis & late on in the afternoon so their little bellies are full up when they go the sleep

 

Our Frizzles get so excited they jump up in the air trying to grab the strands out of our hands

[Plum]

It's even more fun if you hang it from bushes first.

[sandyhas3chucks]

It's even more fun if you hang it from bushes first.

[JanTheDiver]

I give mine pasta about twice a week and they love it. It is the funniest thing!

 

I do small shapes like Penne and I think they think it is slugs but the run around the whole play pen trying to keep their piece from the other.

 

I laugh soooo much

[henriette]

Ours love it too

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Ours play spaghetti tag too - it's hilarious . They're so busy trying to keep their piece away from the others, they hardly get round to eating it .

[BiBiBi]

I think it's cos they think the spaghetti are worms! My 3 chickens go crazy for garden worms like that.....I've been spending hours digging them up for them from the veg beds this last week ....and they've rewarded me with 13 eggs between them in 6 days! Good girls!

 

But tomorrow they can have spaghetti instead.....I am worn out

[annieblue]

After reading this thread I made some spaghetti on Friday and gave them a few strands chopped into bite sized pieces. It was really funny watching them dash around

I don't think that the dogs were too impressed as they usually have a bit of wholewheat pasta once a week in their food. I'll make theirs tonight!

 

Perhaps the chooks do think they're worms and the smaller peices of pasta, slugs. Had'nt

thought of that

 

On the subject of slugs and snails, is there a limit to how many they should eat?

I get loads of the slimy devils on the patio at night and have collected them up and stuck them in an old tin ready to throw into the run the next morning (that sounds evil doesnt it), only about a half dozen or so between them. I've not done it every day as sometimes I forget to go out in the cold and rain Is that okay or should I let them find their own in the garden?

[Plum]

Great Annieblue, mine won't eat slugs I'll post you them. The slugs get on their grub and they won't go near it

[henriette]

Mine wont eat slugs either, but the ducks just love them!

[Ms Tilytinkle]

No no, really, cough cough, IMHO cough

there's only one way to give spaghetti . .. trust me . .

 

Firstly its our monthly " Sports Day " (any more regular & it would probably wear them out he he ). So we have our rugs & cuppas all ready with fellow friends if we have company - forced guests - gathered to enjoy the show.

 

1) Sprinkle thin line of corn along the boundary of garden at one end.... lines chooks up nicely in a row.

 

2) Whilst chickens are greedily devouring corn with almost quiet sneaky generosity give 1st, middle or last chicken, quietly as to not disturb the others, an extra long string of spaghetti . . just one string

.

3) Stand back & watch in great amusement as Sports Day commences. It doesnt take long , almost simultaneously, as the recipient chickens thinks Brill, got this great big long work to myself, i'll whizz over there where there are no other chickens to eat it all to myself

So chicken with spaghetti legs it in full speed to clearing across other end of garden. Chooks either side notice out the corner of their eye what appears to be a magnificent specimen of their favourite lunch . . . mmmmm worms!! In unison they then all, at the speed of light, tear after the chook running for its life to go devour the long worm.

 

4) Then the others notice the action then run too . . . then the chook with the worm changes her plan & alters her route. The diversion takes her towards the other chooks who are frantically running because the others are. Now this is when these 'other' chooks realise/notice the l o n g untouched worm . .. . so they then change direction to target the chook with the spaghetti running now frantically towards anywhere she can see in the hope of saving her worm to devour. But, being greedy, she's so frightened to put this one piece of spaghetti down she wont stop running, nor will the others give up chase.

 

This is when the 'Sports Day' ups its professionalism & games: the hurdles, long jump, 100m sprint, 400m cross country - all in simultaneous flow even a little rugga seems to merge in tactics .

 

The fore runner is now tiring & cant hardly catch her breath so she has to pop down her spaghetti to draw breath. At this point it becomes the 200m relay race, the spaghetti becoming the baton, when all passionate enthusiasm to take the baton is paramount to running in the race becomes overwhelming, all discipline lost and a major free for all commences towards the home run. As they're all participating in the Tug of War . . the pulling, tugging & running distracts them from the tactics of the first chook, who now has regained her normal pulse rate. Its now time for the 100m sprint, for the finishing line & with all the energy she has left the initial chook flies in wings spread & snatches the only one remaining piece from a started chook & legs it for the finish.

She triumphantly crosses the line & devours the spaghetti before the final scrum all arrive breathless looking curiously around wondering but where's the worms.

 

This is when the next race commences, a solitary long piece of spaghetti is flung onto the lawn at furthest point away from chooks,

 

Cuppas are refilled, guests now love chooks & sports day, haven't laughed soo much in ages, rugs are straightened, mascara stained faces wiped & bets are placed ha ha

 

Then its refreshments all round as we take a break, much water is consumed by chooks & we decide a £1.00 on Pandora to win the rely & 50p on Cordelia to win the 100m sprint.

As the chooks still don't appreciate just where the worm comes from they don't come to us looking for food, The element of surprise really confuses their usual association & greed.

Their greed makes them so enthusiastic when they see the next one solitary long piece.

 

Once they start to just stop & eat the spaghetti . .sports day is over!!

 

 

Ms Tillyreallyoughttogetalifeandnotenjoysuchsillymomentslikechooks

sportsdayquitesomuch. Gotmecoatheadingforthehills -withchooksintow ha ha

[BiBiBi]

Your sports day sounds like great fun I will have to give it a try!

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Ms T, I have tears streaming down my face at your descriptions

 

Sha x