Poorly chicken

[ethansmum]

I must have the Fussiest chickens going. I have tried them on broccoli,cabbage,apple,cherry toms,raisins,porridge but they turn their beaks up to all of it. They eat a few pellets in the morning and free range for the rest of the day. Yesterday they even refused to eat their corn. Mind you, I think the kids have been spoiling them with mealworms.

They are going on to 11 weeks old now, is it too late to introduce new foods?

 

PS. I know that feeding s"Ooops, word censored!"s is illegal,all the foods I have mentioned have been specially bought for them and are not left covers.

[Jwhybra]

Hi,

 

We found that our chickens took time to decide if they liked different foods. Like you, our chickens initially seemed to not like anything we gave them but now they know what they like and will try new things. I must say though that our chickens don't necessarily like the same things. One of our loves grapes yet the other will just ignore them.

 

So in answer to your question I would suggest to keep trying and I am sure they will develop a taste for new foods.

[LolaLayla]

I have had our chickens for 3 years now and can remember that at first they were very fussy. I think mine were 22 weeks old when I got them. Now they will eat most things. One even tried to eat a mouse a year or so back I do not give mine corn at all just pellets and occasional treats. I think you may reduce your egg production if you give too many extras. If I am incorrect with this I am sure someone more knowledgeable will be along to advise soon

[Purplemaniacs]

I wonder if they are still a bit young, the chicks I hatched last summer were not really interested in treats until they got close to POL. At least if they are not filling up on treats they are eating their growers

 

If I give mine something new they run away and consider it to be very scary and some of them are over a year old now and the other group 9 nine months old.

 

Chrissie

[jimnpaula]

Perhaps they need someone to tell them it's edible: my first ex batts were terrified of hanging cabbage etc. It wasn't until I rehomed some 'experienced' chickens that the batts saw that, "those new girls are eating that, it might be quite good actually".

I expect broody-hatched chicks learn from mother, have you tried hand feeding little bits to them?

 

P

[good_egg]

I have one fiesty chicken who attacks strange things hanging in her run - she then realises the bad thing is food and then the others follow suit.... Originally they all just cowered under the cube. I also use coloured plastic plates from ikea to feed them treats on - they now will eat anything placed on that plate (pros and cons).... They don't always come back for seconds but at least try it.

[jimnpaula]

I also use coloured plastic plates

 

I'd forgotten, I do that too. Nothing like walking up the garden with the green dish, tripping over chickens.

[chickanne]

Size and texture might be issues.

My newbies eat pellets quite happily but finding treats for training purposes has been slow.

 

Thelma and Louise were suckers for the rattle of mixed corn from day one and Louise will still rocket out of hiding when she sees the treat cup. Ruby and Millie, however, will peck gingerly at it, taking the smallest bits and putting it down and moving it about before eating.

They like grape but again it has to be cut up into tiny pieces. I've bought some sunflower kernels (still trying to find a rattley treat) but again they take one, put it down and seem to bite it in two before swallowing. Perhaps I've bought polite birds instead of gannets this time around?

 

Try cooking the veg and presenting as small peelings and stick to one time of day to feed? I'm sure once one finds something palatable, the others will copy.

[Egghead68]

You are lucky to have chickens who don't like treats!