Banus Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 We usually make our 3 girls a dish of porridge made from warm water and their Garvo pellets which they love as its easier to eat / digest first thing on a cold autumn morning - and warmer too. However, I slowly got carried away and started adding half a banana, a few sultanas, a single weetabix and a splash of warm milk. I have to say that it looked and smelt delicious and everytime I handed it over they nearly mugged me! Woofed it down in no time. After only 2/3 days we started to notice that one egg was produced without a shell and the next day same again but the shell was detached and thin like a rubber glove. After a little research (on here) it seems that too many treats were possibly to blame. We're going back to normal Garvo porridge now and I'm pretty confident that normal egg production will resume shortly. I would mention that the girls are lively, alert and appear to be really healthy and happy as they should be being fed on that lot! At the time I didn't really think that any harm was being done as all the ingredients were healthy and foods that are recommended to give to chickens - probably just a little too much? We'll see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Thanks for sharing. I'm a bit mean and don't give much treats or 'something nice' but I suppose I'm doing the right thing. Mine get layers pellets (as they come), a handful of corn in the afternoon and sometimes a little fruit or veg. I wish I could be so strict with myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calmbreeze Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 mine get porridge too! - but tesco's i am afraid the same as my husbands (but dont tell him!) i find it the only way to get wormer (verm-x) in (chooks not my husband!). i also mix it occasionally with poultry spice. they love it - its their fav treat after pasta! but i do try to limit it when i am not worming them. its hard not to treat them when they are so lovely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banus Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 CB - nice one! How can you not treat them? Pasta - now there's a thought. just plain or do you serve it up with a inice bolognese sauce and a bottle of Chianti? I'm on my way over! Seriously - how do you serve it up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammy72 Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Mine haven't had the joy of 'porridge' yet but maybe if it gets colder. They like their pellets but probably 'cos they have bokashi bran & poultry spice mixed in, corn in the afternoon and a handful of greens most days from herbs/veg patch/ leftovers. We had one soft egg but I think that was because Snowflake laid 2 in a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banus Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 Just checked the nesting box and we've had a perfect full size egg with a granite shell! I wonder if it was the recent fireworks that just caused a fright and it wasn't the treats after all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennym Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I wonder if it was the recent fireworks that just caused a fright and it wasn't the treats after all? There's an easy way to check. Keep them on a pellets-only diet and wait for this weekend - there's bound to be just as many fireworks! Personally I suspect the food - our ladies are well tucked up in bed by fireworks time and nothing rouses them after that! The only time mine have had eggshell problems I gave them some oyster shell and the shells improved almost immediately. They now have a bowl of oyster shell available all the time, and they do eat them. They occasionally get a small handful of treats in the afternoon, but I'm fairly strict. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Banus, re the pasta, i give mine spaghetti occasionally, just plain boiled nothing added. But it is the funniest thing on earth to see them pick up a length of spaghetti and run full pelt with the spaghetti flying out behind them and the others chasing after them, you have to try it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Diet is often the cause - they need an absolute minimum of any carbs as they have little role in a chicken's diet. If you're worried about their shells then add a little splosh of cod liver oil to the pellets and then mix in some (baked and ground) eggshells for extra calcium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calmbreeze Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 yes just plain pasta or spaggetti - they go made for it - when ever we have it we cook a bit extra and leave it to cool and they have it the next day - you must try it they go mental for it!!!! also we always overdo the mash potato - beware it flys about everywhere when they eat it!!! ours have layers in the morning which they have to eat up to get a treat! then a treat after lunch ie pasta, mash, or something (but not too much) then corn in the late afternoon. we havent had any problems health wise. when we had our 1st hens they wouldn't eat layers because where they come from they only ate corn, so we used to mix it with value non fat yoghurt from tesco (bout 28p for 4 biggish pots), that got them interested! and gradually we weaned off the yoghurt to just layers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 It's totally up to you, but I'd be wary of feeding them all that stuff - it's like giving your children sponge cake or sweets all the time. Of course they like it but their digestive systems aren't geared up to cope with all that processed and carb-rich food. Mine only get the odd handful of corn as a treat and they are all fit as fiddles, including the two 6 year olds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I think I am guilty too. One of my Omlet girls has not laid for 3 days and last week had her first soft egg. Before this she gave us the biggest eggs.She seems quite fit and is drinking eating and running around . Apart from pellets mixed with bran they have mealworms (mainly to get them in the WIR ) and a bowl of bits and pieces , usually chopped up veg and occassionly pasta which they love..Sometimes they look good enough to eat myself but I admit that has got bigger and i had not realised. So i am going to take dogmothers advice , which is usually good advice and the treats are stopping . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Mealworms aren't too bad as they contain about 45%+ protein, so as treats go, they aren't bad, but if you give them anything other than their layers feed, then they will soon learn to hold out for the treats and fill up on those rather than their proper feed. At this time of year, it's fine to make a warm porridge with their pellets but be careful what extras you add; cod liver oil and crushed, baked eggs shells are fine. As is a bit of powdered seaweed or alfalfa as greenstuff is hard to find in the winter, many chicken keepers also string up a few cabbage leaves in the run, but be careful to limit these unless you want your hens to have dire rear! As a general rule keep all treats to a minimum and give them only at the end of the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chookingham Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I am having the treats vs boredom debate. I have had some bullying issues, so before I go to work, I usually chuck an apple or two into the run for them to peck at. (They live under an old Bramley tree so they get the windfall) And when the apples are finished, I get them a peck block. At the moment I am getting 2-3 eggs per day from 6 hybrids - no softies, just not many eggs. So I suppose it could be due to too much apple, but they are getting through the layers pellets too. If I don't give them treats to peck at the squabbling and bullying gets worse so it is a bit of catch 22. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I'd be inclined to enrich their run instead - pop in some upturned flowerpots for them to jump on, and add some evergreen branches propped in the corners. Provided that your run isn't over-populated you shouldn't have any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chookingham Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Thanks Dogmother - done all that and regularly sprinkle grit/oystershell fro them to scratch up rather than peck from a pot. I think I just have very intelligent girls with a low boredom threshold - bit like being at work really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counturchickens Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 We restrict treats to the late afternoon. I was worried about them being bored as they're out less now the clock have changed, so added some branches for them to perch on. So far they have just ignored them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
migsy Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I must confess to chucking mine left over pasta at times. They go wild for it! It is hilarious to watch and amuses me to see them fighting and running off with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banus Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 OK - to summarise I'm going for Dogmothers advice as she's always on the money. There will be treats but a bit more limited and health focused. The hob"Ooops, word censored!"s have got to go. I'll introduce pasta in limited quantities but in my defence only went for more interesting food to break up the bordom factor. I hung a rosey apple on a wire from my Eglu Go roof to give them something to do before I went to work but before I got off the drive it was gone! Branches / or something to climb on is a great idea but with the limited height of an Eglu Go (see avatar) my options are again limited. Some really interesting comments / advice on this thread though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chestnutmare Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Banus, the food ball (available at the Omlet shop) was great for mine when they were in their Go and run. I'd hook it near the door, rammed with lettuce or other greens, and it would last them much longer in the ball. The food ball would swing freely so it's more difficult for them to gobble it all up at once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonetog Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I'm surprised to read about letting the layers pellets run out. When I got my Ambers I was told that layers pellets should be available at all times. The only time I ever get a problem with an egg is when the pellets get spoiled by rain and they can't get them out of the feeder. They get some treats/s"Ooops, word censored!"s, only in the afternoon when they've eaten plenty of pellets in the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 cyclonetog is right, their feed should be readily available at all times, I just top up the feeders during the week and then let it run down at the end of the week when i am going to clean it out. If you feeder is in a covered run then it really oughtn't to get damp. I use a gravity feeder with a 'hat' (see below) which keeps the food clean and stops any cheeky chooks from perching on top and soiling the feed. If you suspend the feeder (or stand it on bricks) so that it is level with the backs of the hens then they will be less inclined to get their feet up into it to scratch the food out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclonetog Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 Like the hat, mine just has a lid that's the same size as the top of the feeder. They've worked out that if they remove the lid they can eat from the top of the pile I'll be putting the run on my eglu on Saturday anyway so I'll start to use the grub under the shelter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheeky Chooky Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 I'm afraid I'm a bit strict like chestnutmare in that I only give layers pellets and corn in the afternoon...oh and a few greens I'd be inclined to enrich their run instead - pop in some upturned flowerpots for them to jump on, and add some evergreen branches propped in the corners. That's great advice...I'm going to get straight onto that tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 3, 2011 Share Posted November 3, 2011 A friend has an extended cube run like mine and she has used broom handles with hooks on the end to make a series of perches halfway up the height of her run - her birds seem to love using them and it gets them out from under each other's feet. I tend to make evergreen 'hides' in a corner if I have recently added new birds (after careful introductions) then they have something to hide under. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...