Bannon Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 We suffer from sparrows pinching our chicks feed. A few were OK but it has now got out of hand and the only cure we've found is to give them just laying pellets. Is this a bad thing? We've seen those treadle feeder wotsits but they seem a bit expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chicken bark Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Do you mean chicks or chickens? If chicks then they need chick crumb and then growers. You will do better covering your run so the chicks don't get taken by buzzards etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyChickenLover- Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 Sorry, do you mean that you're giving your chicks layers pellets? I don't quite know what you mean in your original post And it's not good for chicks to be eating layers pellets. It probably has too much calcium in it for chicks. How old are they? Chicks can begin to have layers pellets once they reach about 16 weeks old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerryegg Posted July 26, 2011 Share Posted July 26, 2011 We bought a treadle feeder to to the number of sparrows and other birds pinching the food. Cost about £35 and has helped. Unfortunately my 4 girls tend to throw the food out to eat so not foolproof but much better than the grub. You also don't need to remove it at night to stop rats and obviously you could leave enough food for a few days if you were away. Never tried this as lovely neighbours chicken sit. They have 13 themselves and also changed to a treadle feeder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon Posted July 27, 2011 Author Share Posted July 27, 2011 Sorry, chickens Chicks was just a term of endearment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Mrs Chicken Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Get a cat birds wont come near your garden then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Neither will the cat... we have a small terrier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted July 28, 2011 Share Posted July 28, 2011 I have two cats, but still get birds in the garden and around the run. Back to the original question ... is it ok to give your hens just layers pellets? Absolutely fine, that's what they are designed for. If your hens don't get out of the run to free range at all, then I'd give them some greens (cabbage leaves, bolted lettuce, and the like), but the pellets will give them all they need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bannon Posted July 28, 2011 Author Share Posted July 28, 2011 Thanks Olly. We still get the odd sparrow but nowhere near as many. Lets just home the sparrows don't start laying more eggs as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
