Warm boot recommendations please

[daj198]

Hi,

 

If I'm feeding my chickens lots of kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s, how can I prevent them getting crop bound?

 

Also, I've got some "mixed corn" should I add grit to it? If so, how much and what of?

 

Thanks

Dom

[Cinnamon]

They can get crop bound if the bits are too big, so its important to put anything packable, like lettuce or cabbage into a wire pecker or hang it up so they can peck little bits off at a time.

 

They love most kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s, but unsoaked bread & raw potato should be avoided.

 

As for the corn, the best thing is simply to scatter a small amount (maybe a handful for 4 hens) on the floor for them to hoover up. If they already have access to grit then you won't need to add any.

Reduce the corn as the weather gets warmer in the spring, as it heats up their bodies & can cause overheating problems.

It should be treated as a treat, on top of their pellets/mash, rather than a meal.

 

Hope this helps

[tenzin]

Thanks Cinnamon hadn't ever thought about using wire .

TBH though i find keeping the hens on pellets , layers mash and a little corn keeps them far more satified and the egg laying keeps constant !

[Egluntyne]

I agree tenzin....if i overdo it with the treats, there is a definite drop in eggproduction.

 

Not always a problem though as we are often drowning in eggs.

[Snowy]

I save up my kitchen s"Ooops, word censored!"s throughout the day and serve them up as a porridge at tea time for them. Mine tends to be leftover breakfast cereal, bread crusts, cooked veg, rice, pasta or potato. I add some water to soak into the bread and turn it into a porridge, then i add any poultry spice, garlic and diatom. Served up in their metal dog bowl - they sit outside the backdoor every evening waiting for tea time! Never have any problems getting them back into the run.