Single hen

[Milly]

Hello,

 

a new owner's question - when my eglu and hens were delivered on Saturday the Omlet man put some food (layers pellets) in their feeder. They have eaten some, but no more than half. It's now Monday - is it ok to leave it until they finish it? Or should I throw it away and start again? It still looks just like the stuff in the sack.

 

They haven't had many "treats", but have been eating the clover leavesand grass the run is placed on.

[chelsea]

I personally would leave it. Once they start laying they will eat loads more and they are probably still settling in.

 

If its half full I would leave it in the grub and keep an eye on how low it gets.

[Popcorn]

Oh yes, you're fine to leave it until it all gets eaten Milly.

 

You may have to change it if it gets sodden from the terrible weather, you might even be able to scoop out the worst bits and top it up with more dry stuff.

 

You could try mixing a bit of the food with some plain yogurt - they'll love that, and it might encourage them to eat. Give any treats in the afternoon, so they fill up on layers mash/pellets in the morning.

 

They'll eat when they are hungry.

 

[Hen Watch]

I just keep topping the pellets up, as long as it is all still dry though. Don't over fill, because mine love to flick the pellets on the grass then hoover them up. They didn't do this when they were new, but they do now. If the feeder is overfull, mine tip loads out on the grass and don't eat it all, so it goes mushy on the grass. Mine also eat loads more pellets now they are laying.

[Milly]

thanks, this is really useful.

 

And I would never have thought of giving them yoghurt.

 

They put themselves to bed early tonight, I think the gales were too much for them. It hasn't been the easiest time for them to settle in.

[chelsea]

mine love yoghurt.....when we had the really hot weather i gave it to them cool from the fridge mixed with porridge oats and they wolfed it up.

[starboyhull]

I just keep topping ours up, but I make sure its mixed well so any of the remaining food wont go stale at the bottom......

[Gallina]

I find having two small food containers useful: hens are strange creatures and prefer eating from one side of the run to the other, so when a container is empty I take it in to wipe it and refill it and amalgamate the remaining pellets for them to eat up: it means none are wasted.

 

The thing you have to guard against is damp pellets stuck to the bottom of the pot: now and again you really need to empty the pot out and start afresh. And you have to work out so scheme so that it would be impossible for pellets to linger for weeks and weeks.

 

Bringing the food in at night helps it keep fresher: it seems to get damp if left out all night, and sometimes a slug gets in, which puts me off my eggs.