Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[honorandkit]

So far, I have tried them with:

 

cabbage - raw, whole, cooked, shredded.

apple - hung whole on a string...and then with a bite out of it to give them the idea

sweetcorn on the cob

cornflakes - crushed

welsh cake -crumbled

sultanas

toast

super mix corn

 

They won't try any of it. The only thing they go bonkers for is mealworms.

 

Any idea what I can try next?

I'm trying to get them used to hand feeding and coming when called.

[squidsin]

Mine aren't really interested in any treats other than bits of bread (which they adore but I limit) and meal worms. Oh and tuna!

[Mollie333]

Well to be fair my girls dont eat much ''treats'' they have mealworms and corn, but adore meat!

if we have sunday dinner, like lamb, pork or beef we feed them the s"Ooops, word censored!" meat cuttings, they love em!

[Tutti Frutti]

try tomatoes and grapes (cut into small bits so they don't get stuck in the crop)! Mine go NUTS for tomatoes - proper Benny Hill chases all round the garden

[Lavenders_Blue]

I would say don't worry about it! Less treats = more pellets eaten = more eggs

 

Well, that's the theory anyway

[Plum]

I was going to say have you tried chicken food It's fun to give them treats sometimes and I found mine developed a wider taste as they got older.

[jennydavies]

I chop our girls treats up very small and they love apple, tomato, cucumber, tinned sweetcorn, peas, banana, cherries, strawberries. I tie lettuce hearts to the fence for them to peck at and they enjoy cuttings from the tomato plants when we thin them out. Short grass clippings are a favourite too. I think they would eat any fruit or veg if it was chopped up small. I make my own peck blocks with mixed grains, flour and honey and bake them slowly. You can drill a hole and hang them up on string.

[Nicho]

Our didn't like treats to start with. I don't think they realised what they are.

 

They now go mad for most things that are put in the run. Mealworms are definitely the favourite although grapes also go down really well.

 

We tend to put left over pasta and stuff out aswell which gets demolished pretty quickly - especially if it has sweetcorn, tuna and cheese in with it.

 

but hey, Maybe some chickens are just fussier than most.

[Chucky Mama]

Mine are very fussy. They don't like cabbage, tomatoes or any green veg. They love pears, sweetcorn, melon and mealworm though. I bet if I planted a cabbage they'd eat it though

[Guest]

My girls eat everything.

 

Cucumber is their favourite

Mixed Corn

Tomatoes

Carrots

Strawberries

Mealworms

 

And stuff mum gives them. But not potatoes BAD and they hate lettuce and stuff like that.

[scarlettohara]

Try mashed potato or spaghetti

[lillybettybabs]

My girls only like mealworms, corn on the cob and nettles , but i'm happy as long as they eat their layer crumbs.

[miss_spent]

Ours didn't eat corn on the cob, until we took it off the cob for them to start with, now they go MAD for it. We use a cheese knife to get it off easily (or you could take the scary approach I saw a woman on Come Dine with Me take the other day!).

 

Ours also love:

Grapes - cut into 4

Cucumber

Cherry Tomatoes - cut into 4

Spinach - 70p a bag in Tesco at the moment!

[dannablue]

Mine will eat many things but I have found that they each have their favourites...Blotto love grapes, Maude loves mealworms but is not bothered if she doesnt get grapes, sybil loves tomatoes and Clara is a worm fiend! Lettuce is their least favourite, they adore spinach and corn on the cob, but strawberries are a bit hit and miss - Blotto will eat one or two pieces but isnt bothered by them too much. They are like people and have their own preferences I suppose.

 

I have tried them on apples....no takers for them at all!!!

 

I usually chop something up and add Bokashi Bran for them thinking it will "con" them into eating the bran...that was until one day when I had the bran out ready to add to their treat and the lid was off the tub - turned round and they were in there helping themselves to it straight from the tub!

[miss_spent]

I have tried them on apples....no takers for them at all!!!

 

Yep big thumbs down to apples in our house too! Lettuce just gets chucked out to see if there is something better underneath it, and then I have to collect it back up again!!!

 

I agree with dannablue, my 2 like different things just like we do! Trial and error is the only way!

[shoura]

Mine love apples---I just squash them with my foot and leave them in the run (only when I've got lots of windfalls in the garden)

In fact they seem to like most fruit and veg----except red cabbage, wouldn't even try it!

[lillybettybabs]

Lilly loves springs greens, It's funny to watch Betty look at Lilly as if to say "eeuuwww!"

[debsygooch]

Mine go bonkers for pasta, rice and mashed potatoes but totally ignore anything anywhere nearing healthy, veg, fruit etc - apart from soft bedding plants in the border!!! They are obviously carb girls at heart! I also now have the tricky issue of not eating thier new chicken food - any suggestions?

[miss_spent]

They are obviously carb girls at heart!

 

Aren't we all?!?!?

[hunkydoory]

Mine don't tend to go for anything green (a bit kie the kids ) unless its out of the salad garden - fresh from the field as it were!

[tokenwelshman]

Apples.

Corn on the cob.

Mealworms.

Dead mice.

[JulesL]

Mine love:

 

Weetabix (usually what is left from the childrens' breakfast bowls in the morning!)

Porridge (same as above)

Spring greens hanging up from the run

Grapes

Plain yoghurt mixed with Cheerios/porridge oats

 

I usually give them a little treat in the afternoon. I also give mixed corn which they don't seem too keen on.

[sezra]

Mine are the same..they haven't eaten anythings other than meal worms and corn as treats. I have tried lettuce, apple and radish. I just end up taking them out of the run! A friend of mine who has chickens hardly puts amything in the food recycling as her chickens eat pretty much everything! Maybe ours haven't developed a taste for these things yet as they are quite young?

 

BTW have you had many eggs yet? One of ours has just started laying!

[honorandkit]

No eggs yet...but they are still only 15 and 10 weeks old. However, their "cheek bits" (not sure what you';d call them) have got a lot darker this week, which someone told me was what happens when they get towards POL.

 

Had a heart attack moment yesterday.

I let the girls out first thing in the morning when I got up. The children went out to say hello...but left the front door open and the baby gates open, so our labrador shot out into the garden and chased the girls. Poor Gretel bore the brunt and the only way she could escape was to throw herself between the bars of the front gate.

 

By the time we'd grabbed the dog and rounded up Mimi, Katya and Isolde safely, there was no sign of Gretel.

 

We spent the next 90 minutes or so, trawling the hedges on the other side of our road for her ( we live in a cul-d'sac, thank god), much to the amusement of all our neighbours. Eventually I spotted her...but it took a chase through several gardens to be able to corner her.

Thankfully, she's absolutely fine and unmarked - but it has taught the children an important lesson.

 

I can't imagine not having the chickens now, but I'm sure I've got a few extra grey hairs this week!lol.

[sezra]

Oh my goodness! What a drama! I am glad it was all ok in the end, poor Gretal!

 

The only slightly worrying moments we have had is with our curious cat. He looks like he is stalking them and then kind of lies on the floor and stares. I dont think he can work them out. On one hand I dont think he can believe his luck but on the other I think they are too big for him! Here's hoping! I am not ready to leave them all unattended yet though!

 

I forgot that your chooks were younger. Only one of ours is laying, Jenny wont be far behind but the other two I think will be much longer. Its very exciting though!

 

Hope all is going well.

 

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