Unsecure chicken perches

[scarlettohara]

My new ex-batts aren't eating the ex-batt crumb, I have persevered for 2 days but obvsiouly don't want them to go hungry. I have given them some wiggly mash today and they love it - Mrs Summers hasn't left the grub for 10 mins I know the ex-batt crumbs have additional things added for them so shall I try and introduce that back slowly but let them eat the wiggly mash for now ?

[Falkor]

My advice: if they like it just carry on

 

You could mix the crumb in with it maybe if you want to use it up.....or make tea time wet mash for them?

 

Confession time: I don`t use the A&P exbatt stuff at all Garvo for my lot

[scarlettohara]

Thanks EM, they don't seem to like it at all so will just order some more wiggly stuff. I bought a big bag of crumb but I got £3 off - I'm sure it will get eaten eventually. They are both pretty much purple all over now as they peck each other quite a bit - hopefully now they are eating this will stop

[dancing cloud]

Mine weren't thrilled by the ex-batt crumb and did go for the ex-batt pellets once they'd realised they were food (cunningly incorporated them in the crumb to get them used to the idea, and then gave them less crumb and more pellets). All of them still like their pellet porridge best though and only go for dry pellets when the bowls are empty. It's only the same pellets mixed with water, but it's definitely their favourite

 

I'd go with Falkor and say give your girlies what they are happy with for now to build them up a bit and take their minds off pecking each other. Once they have a bit of confidence you can introduce them to new things to eat and then spend the rest of their lives trying to stop them viewing everything as food !

[scarlettohara]

However everything seems to end up knocked over - grub, tin bowl so now I have had to steal the dogs water bowl as it's heavier

[Trougher]

I can't seem to get mine interested in anything green - is that unusual? I have tried cabbage, broccoli, apple, on its own or blitzed in a mash. They don't seem that keen on mash either - they are mad about crumbs, ok about pellets, quite like corn, and absolutely adore dried mealworms or fresh worms and slugs.

 

Mine are also constantly knocking over the cheap feeders and drinkers I bought from Pets at Home - I've realised that my efforts at saving money have not worked, and I will have to fork out for heavier feeders.

[Donna C]

best thing to give any ex-batts is patience . Everything is so new to them. From rain to grass to birds flying over head. In time they'll eat u out of house and home

[Falkor]

Yep, patience is key.......the time will come when they mug you as everything is deemed to be food!

[scarlettohara]

Mine like cooked cauliflower and I will own up to giving them a tiny bit of pasta (one penne each) which they loved They have got the hang of the nest now but give egg announcements during and after

[Lydia]

Patience is definitely the key. They may not recognise vegetables as food at first. I find most of them instinctively know that grass is edible and then one day the penny drops and ones makes the connection between that green grassy stuff and that funny green stuff she keeps cluttering up our run with, so maybe that's edible too. Once one gets it they'll all copy.

 

Re feeding ex-bat crumb, they'll be absolutely fine on another type of food if that's what they prefer. Our first few ex-batt hens ate the usual stuff for ages before the ex-bat crumb came out and lived to a ripe old age (well, old for an ex-batt that is ).

[Bexibex]

Mine took a while to adapt to brocolli and are not interested in cabbage but took a real shine to my green nail varnish and peck my feet like crazy when they see it.

 

Mine loved their exbat crumb from day 1 but I have contemplated trying the Garvo as I have read such amazing things about it.

 

I keep trying my girls with new things as I have realised that some of the things they turned their noses up at initially they now really like so I think it is just realising what is food and what isn't and getting used to their new happy life.

[Trougher]

Tried mine this morning with a bowl of chopped up bits and pieces - tomato, sweetcorn and cabbage. I noticed watching them from the kitchen window that they were pecking at it, but when I went out, I found that the tomato had gone but the cabbage and sweetcorn was still sitting there! I seem to remember reading somewhere else on another thread that someone had chickens who loved tomato. It is ok to give them tomato isn't it?

[Egluntyne]

It is.

[mostin]

Sorry for being late to this thread Scarlett, congrats on the new ex-batts .

 

I can echo everyone elses comments, it took some of my girls 3 months to figure out what was going on, and what was food, but once they figure it out........Whooooaaa, there's nothing like an ex-batt for stealing anything that's not nailed down .

 

Mine also, were not too keen on the ex-batt food. I think it may have been a bit too rich for them at first, and it certainly gave them the squits.

 

I tried them then on the A&P chick crumbs, as that too is higher protein and I wanted them to stop laying for a while and feather up, and they luuuurved that.

 

End of the day, what ever they liked, they got, bless there hearts xxxx

[the bradley bunch]

hens are pretty clever at eating what's good for them - i'm assuming the wiggly mash is the one with bokashi in? if so then this is meant to be great for feather growth - we've just ordered a big bag from wigglys for our girls because they've been on A&P for 5 months now and their feather growth hasn't been as brilliant as expected now we're trying wigglys bokashi mash mixed with D&H pellets (which they love) to see if that improves the growth ...i'm worried they'll all have cold bottoms over the winter! they also eat a variation of fruit & veg in the afternoon and some mixed corn now the weathers turned colder - like everyone else says they may look at a vegetable like it's an alien intruder but eventually one of them will have a go at eating it and the others will immediately follow

 

Tried mine this morning with a bowl of chopped up bits and pieces - tomato, sweetcorn and cabbage. I noticed watching them from the kitchen window that they were pecking at it, but when I went out, I found that the tomato had gone but the cabbage and sweetcorn was still sitting there! I seem to remember reading somewhere else on another thread that someone had chickens who loved tomato. It is ok to give them tomato isn't it?

trougher -

everyday my naughtiest girl lulu manages to climb up & over a mesh fence just to get to our tomato plants! all of them are ruined because even the ones she can't reach she takes a flying jump and pecks at! so as far as she goes tomatos are the best for them!

[scarlettohara]

They are happy on the wiggly wigglers mash and are only laying every other day now and smaller eggs They come running when I come out now and look for treats which they love