Single hen

[CockADoodleDoo]

my girls have almost completley stopped eating their layers pellets i am not sure why??? is there anything i should do? and do they need grit they are on just natural freerange layers pellets at the mo shoud i buy some grit or are they ok?

 

Thank you

Sam

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Can't answer the pellets question, I'm afraid, but I leave grit and oystershell in a pot like this

 

http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/acatalog/Plastic_Galley_Pots__3_.html

 

in the run all the time. Can't say they eat a lot of it but they presumably take what they need.

[Noodle]

Hi there

Yes you should give your chooks grit, it helps give them calcium for good strong shells

I do not give my girlies any treats until late afternoon otherwise they do not touch their pellets.

Hope that helps

[Carol U]

Funny, mine are eating less pellets at the moment too. They do however love their little pot of grit. I just use the sort you put on budgie cages and it lasts them a couple of days. As the hens seem perfectly happy and healthy, I'm not going to worry too much.

[CatsCube]

check the ingredients list on the packagin, a lot of pellets contain the grit

 

Are they eating anything else instead of the pellets or just eating less full stop?

[lozkate]

We've only had ours since semptember but I have noticed that if we let them freerange a lot they tend not to eat many layers pellets.

 

The significant OH has left them in the run for a few hours each morning before letting them out and they then eat the pellets (presumably cos there's nowt else).

 

I've also noticed that the girls pick up grit from the veg beds (quite big bits aswell - I'd say up to 7mm!!). I seem to remember reading somewhere (sorry I've read sooo much I can't remember where) that they needed grit (for their crops to grind the food up) AND sea shells etc for a source of calcium for the egg shells. We got our first egg today and I'm saving it til OH and the boys get home before it gets cracked open so can't report on the strength of the shell yet.

 

We got grit and eggshells from Omlet and put it in a bowl in the run. They seem to take it when they need it?!?

 

Not an expert yet but hope that helps.

 

Loz