Eglu Cube, auto door, walk in run for sale South West London

[docsquid]

Over the winter my chooks have been spoilt. They have had mash every morning. However if we are ever to get away on holiday, even for a long weekend, then they'll have to go back to pellets and learn to be grateful as I can't see our neighbours getting up at 6.45 to mix up nutritious porridge for the dear little girls.

 

I opened the door this morning, with the usual kerfuffle going on in the cube behind the door, and they burst out, only to stop. Where has the food gone?!

 

There is, of course, a perfectly good Grub full of Smallholders pellets, and I put few pellets on the floor where I normally put their bowl. Blodwyn got the hang of it quickly, and Megan did when I put a few mealworms mixed into the pellets.

 

I was worried about Gwennie, but a sneaky look showed her tucking into pellets too. However she does seem to get nudged out by the other two. I think I will have to put up the other spare Grub so they each have a peck hole to use. I know Gwennie is bottom of the pecking order, but she doesn't assert herself as much with the pellets as she does with grapes LOL!

 

They haven't eaten as much as normal today, but they will, no doubt, get used to it very quickly. It shows that I don't need to spoil them quite as much as I have been doing. Am planning just pellets for the first few days, then re-introduce treats but they will all be placed in the Grub, so they get to associate the Grub with nice food. Have also decided to do this a week before I dig out the Hemcore and replace it, so if there are some spillages as they get used to things, it will all be cleaned out soon.

 

Now, I just need to book that weekend away

[Carol U]

I used to worry about going away and not wanting to put my neighbour to too much trouble.

However, the girls were absolutely fine for a fortnight without all the extras, although they slipped straight back into the bad old spoilt ways when I got home! I sometimes wonder whether I'm safisfying a need in me or a need in the chickens!

[The Dogmother]

Sounds like you've got it all planned out just right

 

Try a gravity feeder if they mess around with the grub.

 

Mine are just going back onto pellets after a brief move over to mash; it's that or nowt, so they're now digging in with gusto.

[chelsea]

You could always go in between the two and get the Allen & Page Layers crumb..that's what we feed our lot on.

[Toots]

Mine get spoilt more while I am away that when I am home!

 

My in-laws live close by (blessing and a curse!) and they love the girls! There is always an extra few sweet corn husks in the run after we have been away, and I noticed a lot of grapes disappear over 2 days.

 

They did however tie up a sweet corn too high for the girls to reach, and we got a worried call one night saying that they had put this cob in and they hadn’t touched it ‘ They must be ill should we take them to the vet?’

 

I can just see them staring at the it all day!

[docsquid]

 

I used the usual bribe of mealworms to get them back into the run just now, to give them some time to preen and dry off before bedtime. But I put the mealworms into the Grub, and this triggered a feeding frenzy - much more pecking than can have possibly been needed to eat the mealworms, so I assume they have also eaten a good number of pellets.

 

I have mixed some bokashi bran and poultry spice into the pellets, and I'll use this mix to top-up. DH was very good and didn't give them treats today. I was going to check to see if their crops were full, but it was freezing, raining and I don't feel very well. I think they'll be OK though.

 

I have some crumb left and will use this up mixed into the pellets, then switch over to pellets completely.

 

Shows just how much we spoil the chooks and just how much they don't actually need it.