pixiewish Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Can anyone give me some treat suggestions that their chooks go mad for. Trying to get mine used to me but have as yet to find that treat that means they will rush over. So far have tried corn, dried mealworms, fresh corn, brocolli (this was actually hung in the run to entertain them and they just ignored it) and banana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Corn is good with mine, but chopped pasta, they love..though not good for them as it is a carbohydrate....a small amount should be ok. Sometimes, it takes them a few goes to get used to a treat, as they have never seen or eaten them before....so bear with it. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Mine go mental for live mealworms also grapes..and I sometimes hang a corn on the cob in the run and they spend a happy hour playing swingball with it I'm also a bit mean because I make some of their layers pellets into mash with hot water sometimes, and they think they're getting something fabulous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Oooohh not sure I'm keen on live mealworms on my hand How do you give the grapes? Just whole? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
williamspencer98 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 My hens like corncakes! Crumble them up, and let them peck them out of your hand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollyripkim Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Mine love grapes too but I don't think they are that good for them so for a treat I cut up one each into little pieces and they go mad for them. I think they do take a while to get to something, at first they would only eat cooked broccoli but I hung up an uncooked head, you would have thought it was a monster in their run! Now they love it and it occupies them as it swings around while they peck at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissinuk Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Grapes, cooked spaghetti in small pieces (like live woms to them!), and crushed digestives. All in moderation of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 cheese! mine absolutely love cheese - if i can get their attention to show that I have cheese that will always get them come running They have no interest in some of the things they're 'supposed' to like - they turn their beaks up at mealworms, pasta, apples, strawberries, banana etc Generally, their treat is a handful or two of 'organic mixed corn' - that usually gets them back to the pen in the evening They're also partial to a slice of nice granary bread I don't use yogurt (hate the stuff), but some was accidentally delivered once so I tried it on the hens - best entertainment ever! I buy them a pot very occasionally just to amuse myself - stand well back if you try this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superkitty Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Oooohh not sure I'm keen on live mealworms on my hand How do you give the grapes? Just whole? You get used to it...you should have seen me at the beginning, it took me about about 10 mins to get the guts up to pick each mealworm up and then if it moved it would be 'argh' and I'd drop it. Now I just stick my hand in the bag and get a handful I cut the grapes up into quarters. But like kissinuk said, all in moderation...95% of their food is the layers pellets, because that's got pretty much everything they need in it. I also supplement with greens sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackian Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Mine go mad for chopped grapes..but I think they give them the poops My OH reckon they make them drunk Dried meal worms would battle over ...but they have shot up in price so in moderation.Sweetcorn .Loves raw spinach hate cabbage raw or cooked . But best of all and they are free ..dandelions kept in a clump so they can toss them around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faye&Ant Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Mine love anything, but their favourites are meal worms, pine nuts and cheese. All in moderation of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixiewish Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Thankyou all for so many ideas, sounds like their tastes are as individual as they are. Of course you were all right just tried the dried mealworms again and they LOVED them, so much so they even ate them out my toddlers hand Don't seem to be keen on slugs though two mornings in a row have found one untouched in the coop with them...how do they get in?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egghead68 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Sunflower seed kernels (not too many); grape pieces; blueberry halves; tiny pieces of cheese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Mine favour corn, tomatoes and mealworms. I put the corn in a plastic scoop and shake it & they come running from wherever they are! I use the treats to get them in their run at night. I just got 3 new hens a couple of weeks ago & they will eat corn from my hand or the scoop now & they don't run away if I'm near. Food rules them, they are so greedy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 mine love grapes go crazy but i feed them a good dozen at a time probably and the columbine takes them down whole, i also hang apples up in the run they dont last long the amberlinks are not keen on mixed seed/corn which i brought as a treat they dont eat bread or cold COOKED mash potatoe which one person advised.they like rasins, i never thought about cheese? i tried some sponge cake but didnt seem interested, they like cooked rice but if its sticky rinse it under cold water to seperate it and drain it off , i found they dont like things that are sticky to their beaks they all seem to have their own fravorite. becca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey68 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 mine love cold mash potato, rice, spaghetti, tomato, apple, pear, cucumber, cheese, yoghurt (but stand well back!) grapes whole! And Curly Kale which I hang up!! Corn on the cob is a firm favourite and peas too. Mealworms and mixed corn...I'm blessed they are not that fussy !! I have a blue tin with corn in and if I shake it,they come running if they are free ranging this is how I get them back to the walk in run..now if they see anything blue it really gets their attention!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beccauk Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 mine keep trying to come in the house when FR if the door is open i tried to pick a bag of rasins up once off the work top and spilt some on the rug at the door and there happen to be an amberlink just outside watching so she came in and cleaned the mess up off the rug now seems to want to inspect the rug every time its out lol becca Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kissinuk Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 There is a major warning that should come with mealworms - once they taste them they will turn their beaks up at mixed corn! All 3 of mine will only eat corn if they're 100% sure mealworms aren't on their way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppers77 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Ours love cheese nothing beats it, not even mealworms! Sunflower hearts are up there too along with grapes. I hang up cabbages (they turn their nose up at a savoy) only a sweetheart cabbage will do! Stangely they equally dismissed kale even though they like sorrel & love spinach too. Raspberries are very popular too but that's because they are bountiful at the top of the garden & have perfected their ambush techniques to get the best ones! X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minieggs Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Our chickens like pasta and rice, and sometimes we will warm up some mashed potato and veg from the night before for them. Their favourite food of all time has to be mushroom though, we cut it up and throw it in piece by piece and I've never seen them run so fast. Our clever sussex is the fastest and takes it off to a corner where she can eat it on her own, but will often get it stolen out of her beak if she's not careful. Makes us laugh so much!I recently bought a big tub of mealworm after reading that chickens love them, and although they do eat them they don't seem that impressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
