Warm boot recommendations please

[Kathy C]

Could somebody advise me on how much to give each day? Our girls love grapes, sweetcorn, and raisins. We have noticed the poo being really watery after a few grapes.

 

Also how much greenery should we give them? They seem to love sprouts.

[rachel19]

Our 6 get through a good 3Kg of sweetcorn every week but thats because i mix it with their mash every day to encourage them to eat it. They also have a whole lettuce, pack of greens or cabbage every day and some mixed corn or seed

[Egluntyne]

I divide a tin of sweetcorn between eight of the every evening to get them into their runs. Works like a charm.

 

They sometimes get a few grapes or sultanas, or cherry tomatoes...usually when a friends children come to see them.

 

They have broccoli or cabbage to peck at ad lib.

 

I try to confine treats to the afternoon so that they tank up on layers pellets.

 

It does make a difference to their laying if they eat too much "other" stuff.

[Kathy C]

Thank you both very much. You have been very helpful and given me a good guide.

[Hen Watch]

Hi Kathy,

 

My first chickens arrived the same day as yours last Thursday. I have 4 chickens and 2 of them have really runny poop. I am hoping that they are still settling in and that this is the cause of it. I do hope they are not ill.

 

So far I've only given them a 5 or 6 raisins each, a teeny bit of pasta and a few worms that my children dug up (I hope that's not too mean). I wanted to limit treats just in case it is causing the runny poop but I've really no idea. I'm sure it will be fine and in time we will get more experienced. But I have to say this forum seems great for friendly advice from those that know.

[Christian]

Hi Kathy and Hen Watch, and welcome!

 

Whatever you do, don't do a search on here for POO. It will come back with 1000's of results! We are all obsessed with it.

I'm sure your girls will be fine. Mine took a few days to settle and every now and then they 'lay' a sloppy one! I wouldn't worry unless in goes on for a while. As long as they are drinking i'm sure they will be fine.

[chelsea]

mine dont get treats until just before bedtime, otherwise they will not eat their pellets! Even though they know this rule - they will flaunt the rules and stand outside the kitchen door earlier in the day thinking they will get them at other times

 

Just lately, since its got sunny and we are dining in the garden they are coming up to the patio table and begging for treats/food....so now we have the dog AND chickens sat by our feet

 

1 hour before bed mine get an assortment of diced cucumber, diced cherry tomato, a sprinkle of raisins, sprinkle of sweetcorn and a toss of porridge oats..all freshly prepared to my chickens specifications !!

Edited April 16, 2007 by Guest

[snaps]

Our last two chickens had lots of treats - I felt I had to give them something extra every day and used to cook up vegetable s"Ooops, word censored!"s, pasta, popcorn on a regular basis. They also had sweetcorn, raisins, crumbs, grapes etc etc. They also had quite runny cand opious amounts of poo.

 

Our current two don't get much in the way of treats mainly because of rats. I give them pellets in the morning and mash once or twice in the afternoon on the ground as much as they can clear up at a sitting. If I give too much or put it in the feeder we find we're feeding the local rats and wild bird population as well and they have their own bird table - well, not the rats.

I know you'll be dying to hear about their poo which is delightfully firm and easy to pick up. They do still get treats but not so frequently. Also they're lucky to have a decent sized patch to wander in and I put this down to their lack of interest in greens. They won't eat them however I give them, cooked or uncooked.

 

Without meaning to be a wet blanket can they have too many treats especially if they're kept in the run a lot so can't exercise so much? I read somewhere on this site about hens getting overweight and prolapses and things.

[chelsea]

good point Snaps about exercise and treats.

 

Our girls were rescue "meat birds" so we know they can put on weight easily, we are very lucky that most days in the summer ours get 10-12 hours of free-ranging in the garden to stretch their legs and burn calories.

 

Of course chickens are perfectly fine in the run also, but like snaps said - dont over-do the treats.

[Olly]

well I feel rather mean mine don't get treats very often! They have to stay in the run most of the time, due to working hours/urban fox issues, and I've taken advice from posts on here that said don't feed treats in the morning. In the evenings I let them out if I can, and they free-range for an hour or two, and then I bribe them shamelessly with mealworms to get them back in the run. If I can't let them out, I give them some greens in a little wire cage, they scoff them down before I've turned my back.

And that's it ... they help themselves to pellets from the Grub, and seem very happy and healthy on it!

[Snowy]

I think I've spoiled mine

they are out of the run most of the time gorging on grass and bugs, then they get a big dish of s"Ooops, word censored!"s to tempt them back in the run at teatime. Fizz appears to have stopped laying completely and Pom is only laying about 4 a week. Just realised that I haven't had to refill the grub for a week! Kept them shut in today - they haven't touched their pellets and have been glaring at me all day for starving them