Take part in study on PFAS 'forever chemicals' in eggs

[bryandenton]

My chickens are around 20 weeks old and are at the point of lay. I am trying to give them a mixture of food but the turn their nose up at anything but the pellets and water I give them daily. They are kept in an Eglu through the day (weekday) then let out for a few hours around a large garden to do what chickens do best. Should I be concerned about this and if so what can I do to get them to eat other types of food?

[Chucky Mama]

Pellets are the best thing for them in the main, they contain everything they need to produce eggs. You can hang greens for them in the are in the eglu for the day so that they have something to pick at. Mine are very fussy and turn their beaks up at all things green, tomatoes etc and in terms of veg, will only eat sweetcorn. They like a bit of boiled rice and pasta but I keep treats to a minimum as they are prone to laying less or producing soft shelled eggs if they have too many. They free range all day and so eat a lot of green bits and bobs and insects around the garden I think it prevents them being interested in veg that they are given (of course it is a different matter if it is planted and they are not allowed to eat it )

[bryandenton]

Thanks for your advice, I still have a lot to learn, just wish they would start giving me some eggs now. One of the girls sleeps in the nest most of the night i think, there is always a lot of poo in there each day I clean them out. I thought they use the bars in the eglu to sleep on not in the nest box? I think my 3 girls think they can have me round their 3rd toe saying he is a bit thick don't you think!!

[Henergy]

Thanks for your advice, I still have a lot to learn, just wish they would start giving me some eggs now. One of the girls sleeps in the nest most of the night i think, there is always a lot of poo in there each day I clean them out. I thought they use the bars in the eglu to sleep on not in the nest box? I think my 3 girls think they can have me round their 3rd toe saying he is a bit thick don't you think!!

 

Mine were both nest box sleepers - someone here advised me to put a flower pot in the nest box at night & now they are perch converts !!

[Pearls007]

We use a football/flower pot combo - we put it in when we shut them in the run in the late afternoon and take it out as soon as we open the eglu door in the morning before they lay. hopefully they will have learned and we can stop doing it soon!