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

[tracyann]

Hi all

 

I have a nice savoy cabbage for my chooks, can anyone offer any advice as to how to hang it in my run?

[Henslaved]

I personally wouldn't hang the whole thing in there, I usually pull off a few leaves, pierce a hole through the stemmy bits, thread through some string and just hang it from a hook I have in the roof .

[chickenNutter]

I just throw them in on the floor! Leads to an entertaing feeding/football game.

[Cinnamon]

I have a walk in run,with a hanger from the roof.

Its a length of thin chain with a screw eye on the end....I just screw it into the thick bit of whatever I am hanging & they play Swingball with it!

 

As an alternative, you can get those plastic coated square bird feeders,pull off some leaves & stuff them in there,then hang it from the side...they have a hanging hook on them already. the hens will peck away at it through the holes.

[tracyann]

Thanks guys, have thrown in a couple of leaves to see what they make of it, lots of pecking and running around with it going on.... I hope to take the camera out over the weekend and get some new photos.

[Cinnamon]

It is easier for them if they can peck out of something - also less danger of them chomping a big bit in their greed,& blcking their crop.

Those square feeders are brilliant,you can stuff loads of leaves in them & they can only peck out small bits.

Available at Tesco & the like

[Sam]

I bought a cabbage yesterday for the chooks - but I'm not sure if I have to cook it or not?

[Cinnamon]

No, they will peck away at it raw,quite happily

[Sam]

Ahh thats good - didn't want to waste a cabbage Thank you

[eve]

i will try a feeder as a just tthrough mine to the floor. they love raw brocilli to. my other friends give them bread is this ok ???

[Cinnamon]

No, bread is not a good idea,as it can swell in the crop & cause blockages.

You can soak it in water first,but its probably best avoided.

[TheFeatheredFiend]

you can get those plastic coated square bird feeders,pull off some leaves & stuff them in there,then hang it from the side...they have a hanging hook on them already. the hens will peck away at it through the holes.

Got a couple of those fron 'The Range' today. They look ideal and at only two quid each they're a total bargain.

I'll try them with our girls later and report back.

[Lavenders_Blue]

I thwack a wooden bbq skewer through the root/stem bit of the cabbage, tie a length of string to both ends then tie from the roof of the run. I prefer to hang my cabbage as I found that when I chucked it on the floor of the run, it would get kicked out into the mud then get stamped into the ground

[Sam]

I thwack a wooden bbq skewer through the root/stem bit of the cabbage, tie a length of string to both ends then tie from the roof of the run. I prefer to hang my cabbage as I found that when I chucked it on the floor of the run, it would get kicked out into the mud then get stamped into the ground

 

I stuck a nail through mine and tied string to the top - I think that was a mistake leaving them a whole cabbage They demolished it, the WIR is covered in shredded cabbage and theres just a hanging stem! They were going crazy for it!!

[Roobaloo]

I have a walk in run,with a hanger from the roof.

Its a length of thin chain with a screw eye on the end....I just screw it into the thick bit of whatever I am hanging & they play Swingball with it!

 

As an alternative, you can get those plastic coated square bird feeders,pull off some leaves & stuff them in there,then hang it from the side...they have a hanging hook on them already. the hens will peck away at it through the holes.

 

I do these...the leaves in the square feeder really slows them down but more often then not I just spear it with a piece of bamboo cane and thread it into the run wire (like a cabbage kebab!) or hang it from a chain and they play swingball with it (big tomatoes are especially funny for this!!!)

 

I agree that it's better to hang or put it in a container as it gives them something to pull against and then they get beak sized pieces...when it just sits on the ground, someone always tears off half a leaf and tries to swallow it whole.

[lougarbard]

I have a 'super large' drill bit for my hubbys cordless drill. Which i then drill right through the cntre of cabbage and hand from various places within the run ( I usually do 2 at a time).

Then i have some washing line rope (the plastic coated type) and tie this through the drilled hole, and hang up! I have placed cup hooks at various places in the run for this.

They love it and usually last for 2 to 3 days.

They have a couple every couple of weeks.

[soapdragon]

Good heavens, I must have very picky bantams! I make a mash each week from veg peelings and a bit of bread cooked down in a bit of water. The girls love this but won't touch their mash if it contains any trace of brassicas (we have experimented with sprouts - understandable, I guess - cabbage and broccoli) any trace of these and its a complete nono! They would'nt touch spinach or salad leaves either! Maybe I should try smoked salmon and caviar!

 

However, they love falafel and kiwi fruit (I have a very fussy 3 year old eater who therefore provides them with a few new tastes each week!!) I never give them meat or dairy but they do like to pick over a mango stone and go mad for bread but, having read earlier posts, perhaps I should'nt be giving them bread (even though its all home made!)

 

I suppose they must all have their own preferances just like us (I HATE raw tomato and any form of beetroot!!! )

Casserole

Korma

Kiev

[lillybettybabs]

I have one of those hay balls for rabbits, I can fill it up with greens and they can't pig out.