cluck and henry Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 Hello Looking for advice once again! I read on here and was told that this is a time of year when a small amount of porridge is good to give the ladies before they go to bed to help to keep them warm. They love it. My concern is, I feed them from a small tub and some of it falls of the floor. This then picks up the shruff and hempcore. Obviously this is all being swallowed at the same time as the porridge. Should I worry about this, should I try to fed them some place that has a clean floor area?? I have noticed that while eating the porridge they do keep drinking, not something they usually do when fed other treats. Please help, I do worry that I will kill them from doing something stupid that could easily be avoided. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 They will be fine eating bits and pieces. Mine do, all the time! What porridge do you give them? I mixed up layers pellets with warm water and add a spoonful of porridge oats, with sweetcorn and courgette. Others give just porridge oats with water. I like to make the 'porridge' up with pellets as then they are getting the vitamins etc from the pellets. I'm sure your girls appreciate your efforts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura & CTB Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 Mine get porridge oats mixed with water but always head for the water bowl afterwards - I think cos it's more sticky! (well porridge always sticks to the roof of my mouth anyway ) I once put a plate of pasta in the run without thinking - in seconds it was on the floor and covered in aubiose - they really still didnt mind and came to no harm!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 I know what you mean, but I really don't think it matters. I use plastic dishes from the takeaway (washed, of course) to put porridge in, but really you might just as well chuck it straight on the run floor. The hens don't seem to mind, and a bit of hemcore doesn't put them off. Don't worry Cluck & Henry, I spent months in the daily expectation that I would kill my chickens through neglect/ignorance. Eventually I relaxed, and they are still alive (at least, they were this morning when I last saw them!) They are tougher than you think, and fairly sensible about not eating things that don't agree with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 , I do worry that I will kill them from doing something stupid that could easily be avoided. Thanks you're not alone there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 When they free range they are eating straight of the floor.....and eating worms, snails, slugs and insects......so I wouldn't worry about them eating stuff that has fallen on the floor in the run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffymuppet Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 We feed all our treats straight onto the floor, since that's where they end up anyway. If we try feeding them in dishes, one of the girls steps on the edge and tips it over pretty much straight away. I've just started feeding my hens porridge (made plain, with water) and they love it. There was none of the normal hesitation about new foods - they were straight in there. As other people have said - it's horribly sticky and messy. The hens don't mind, but it's worth standing back a bit if you don't want to be sprayed with porridge gobbits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Hello Please help, I do worry that I will kill them from doing something stupid that could easily be avoided. Thanks Chill (or whatever with it trendy chicken keepers say). Don't worry. They are very hard things to kill. The only way I know that you could kill them with porrage is to drown them in it - and you'd get so messy doing it that it just wouldn't be .. , well it doesn't bear thinking about. I give mine all sorts of rubbish to eat, any old how. They eat what they want, leave what they don't want, tramp it all into the ground and into each other whatever. they are very hardy, adaptable, stupid, basic, lovable, whateverable creatures and you can treat them with a fair amount of distain and ignorance but they will still survive. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. Having said that, have you thought of serving their morning porridge in a nice porcelain bowl, with heated milk and a bit of golden syrup? If you have, please do so - but instead of giving it to them, give me a ring and I'll be straight round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...