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My chickens
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Message 1.Ìý
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Wednesday, 3rd August 2011
I know quite a few of you have chickens so I'm looking some advice. We are now proud owners of 6 chickens but they won't eat the pellets I got for them. I've tried mashing them up but they don't seem interested. They will eat corn, greens and grapes though. We had our first egg today, small but perfectly formed. The girls are now about 20 weeks old. What can I do to encourage them to eat the pellets?
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Message 2
Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Wednesday, 3rd August 2011
Just give them pellets. If that is all there is they'll soon eat them. They do not need to be mashed up. Maybe you are giving them too much food.
Remember to remove any food (pellets) left over at the end of the day, or you will encourage a plague of rats.
Ensure they have a supply of clean water. -
Message 3
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Wednesday, 3rd August 2011
Hi
Have had ours for 10 months now-the advice I was given is dont give them the treats until they have started on the pellets-these are formulated to provide the nourishment for best egg production-I wouldn't like to say starving them into submission but like most animals they live to eat- leave no choice but the pellets and they should go for them.
I found loads of advice on line and in book form but your best bet is the place where you got them from -ours was really helpful to the point of replacing one that fell ill
I find them the most delightful creatures and wish I had got them years ago - the thrill of collecting fresh eggs everyday- as If it is something unusual-is a great start to the day!!!
Let us know how it goes
Geoff
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Message 4
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Wednesday, 3rd August 2011
Thanks guys. The pellets are always available as is the water.
So treat them like the children - "eat your dinner then you'll get a treat!"
I keep you posted. -
Message 5
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Thanks guys. The pellets are always available as is the water.
So treat them like the children - "eat your dinner then you'll get a treat!"
I keep you posted.Ìý I am not sure i agree with that. I have kept hens for about 8 years all in all, and te question of what they "will not eat" is a difficult one!
If you leave the pellets lying around they get eaten by other creatures, and also attract other creatures, which is not good.They do eat them eventually and it is either, because they don't know what they are, or because they are too big for their gizzards.
When they have decomposed a bit, they get eaten but again i am not sure whether it is the other bacteria on the decomposing pellet that they go for, or the
decomposing pellet itself.
If they prefer to go for other farm yard microbes, for some days, or even a couple of weeks,and then go back to the pellets, it can only be assumed that it is the microbial activity on the pellets that attracts them back, and that they generally do prefer microbes/smaller bits and pieces. -
Message 6
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Here is a discussion of the problem found by googling.
Mashing the pellets, making sure they know that it IS food, and allowing them to SAMPLE it several times, so that they know it won't do them any harm, and taking a small section of your yard to put some down, and to observe how they peck at that particular section over the next few weeks, and you will probably find that they are eating as normal, subject to their instinctive need to FORAGE. They are l aforaging for your mashed pellets, which also has microbiactivity at work on it. -
Message 7
Posted by Bluedoyenne (U2341157) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Hello!
I used to buy my chucks' feed from the person I bought the chucks from. That way I was sure they were used to it. -
Message 8
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
I hope OP is not getting confused about any of this- I assume you are not throwing pellets around but they are confined to a feeder-dont they go soggy in the wet anyway ?
IMHO-stick to the first bits of advice and they will be ok
Geoff , -
Message 9
Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
I agree, it is bad practice to throw pellets about and to leave them for rats or wild birds. It is usual to throw some corn about to encourage chickens to scratch.
All food should be finished up before the chickens go to roost.
I am sure the chickens would have been fed on pellets or crumb. It sounds as though they are just being given too much food. -
Message 10
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Well this morning I put out the pellets and mashed them. When I went to check at lunchtime the bowl was empty. Now I'm not sure whether it was the hens or wild birds. I have refilled the bowl and will see how that goes, they did seem more interested when I put it down though. I should have checked with the supplier first what food they were eating, but I just went ahead and bought what I thought was right.
I have sprinkled some pellets on the ground thinking they may prefer to eat them that way, but they didn't.
There is also a covered feeder full of pellets if they want them.
I am going to check out that forum now.
Thanks all of you for your input - every reply is beneficial. -
Message 11
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Juststartingoff
I wouldn't sprinkle them on the ground-you may get rat problems- confine the pellets to the feeder that gives you a bit of control,-still dont think you need to mash them.
Are these hybrids,ex-bats, or "posh" birds?
geoff -
Message 12
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Cockerells are not usually frightened of rodents, as a matter of interest, but i agree about not throwing pellets around unless you are certain they will all get eaten.
I chose a very small uneclosed area and then watched it assiduously for several days,They came back to it with great enthusiasm during that time., but turned up their nose to start off with.
Perhaps pellets are for those people (or hens) who want to MAKE their hens lay eggs and that it is not a natural feed for them and since they do not have to forage for it, do not like it.
Pellets for non foraging force fed daily laying hens?
No pellets? Once a week!
I may say that I kept hens as a child before the days of battery farms, and decided not to go in to that business as a consequence of the inhumane methods of the battery farm.
Some people would think the same about battery cow keeping today. -
Message 13
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Hi Geoff
They are a mixture. 2 are Sussex and I don't know what the rest are.
Here's a few photos (ifI've done it right).
They've grown a bit since these were taken so they must be getting some goodness out of the food. They are really friendly.
Thanks -
Message 14
Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
Hi
gorgeous - I know what you mean about friendly ours run up to us -I know it is just food they want but...........
we have just brown warrens- really got them for the eggs but it is surprising how attached you get and they are not stupid at all are they ?
Have taken loads of photos but wont bore you- come back on again and we can swap stories??
Geoff -
Message 15
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
We had to get all different ones so that the children could identify theirs. They have named them Specks, Rocky, Henny Penny, Nora, Cleo and Goujon. Specks is the friendliest - she will jump on your shoulder if you sit down and preen your hair. Henny Penny is the first to lay an egg. Cleo seems to be at the bottom of the pecking order. When we first got them, they had never been outside and it was funny to see them investigating and learning to scratch for food.
Did you ever see chickens catching flies? Has to one of the most hilarious things they do.
They also puff themselves out and "bellybutt" as the kids say - a competition for dominance I suppose.
We've had some laughs in the 3 weeks we've had them so am expecting much more.
If anyone has been considering getting chickens - do it!
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Message 16
Posted by youngandallotmenting (U14434252) on Thursday, 4th August 2011
I would love chickens but I live in a house share at the moment, will have to be patient! One day ill have my own chickens as well as a few ducks and perharps a pot belly pig!
...My man just needs to work out how to fund this enormous house with a garden big enough to keep me happy!
Ps - the photos of your chickens are lovely! -
Message 17
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Friday, 5th August 2011
Well youngandallotmenting I hope it happens for you sooner rather than later!
J -
Message 18
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Friday, 5th August 2011
juststartingoff
If you ever organise a hen party, count me out. -
Message 19
Posted by farmerSteve (U2644680) on Saturday, 6th August 2011
if you have just purchased these chickens do not worry
you are most likely offering them a completely different brands to what they have been used too
I would not wet it as it will very quickly go off
They will no doubt have plenty of natural food in your garden for a few days when that declines as they demolish everything you have got they will turn their attentions to the pelletts
you will soon find that it is cheaper to buy eggs from the supermarket
not half so much fun though and so handy for breakfast
good luck -
Message 20
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Saturday, 6th August 2011
Wettéd it would ferment.
gardening is so often about anti-consumerism that s-m prices are irrelevant.
Farming is not, unless you have a farm shop. Then you are concerned with the customer,not the consumer. -
Message 21
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Saturday, 6th August 2011
Thanks farmerSteve for your advice.
Not much of a partygoer then Gardda? -
Message 22
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Sunday, 7th August 2011
"Not much of a partygoer then Gardda?"
Wotcher' ;Just starting; Being the only stag at a hen party is the way the male likes it most, isn't it, mate?
Six is his limit in the farm yard/garden, or he gets quite tired by the end of the day
and stops crowing. When he has had a word with one hen, he stops crowing for half an hour perhaps, and then starts again.
You will know of course that a new day gives him the most energy to crow and do other urgent tasks in the yard. -
Message 23
Posted by netherfield (U3897706) on Sunday, 7th August 2011
Chickens have the habit of picking the big bits first.
So pellets are better then mash,if overfed they will eat the big bits and then leave the rest,but it's the small bits which have the most goodness,all of the added vitamins,minerals limestone and salt are powder.
I've had 35 years of producing laying pullets. -
Message 24
Posted by ginfiend (U2046007) on Monday, 8th August 2011
I know quite a few of you have chickens so I'm looking some advice. We are now proud owners of 6 chickens but they won't eat the pellets I got for them. I've tried mashing them up but they don't seem interested. They will eat corn, greens and grapes though. We had our first egg today, small but perfectly formed. The girls are now about 20 weeks old. What can I do to encourage them to eat the pellets?Ìý My chickens wouldn't eat pellets - so I switched to Layers Mash and they've been happy as larry ever since!
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Message 25
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Monday, 8th August 2011
Nether,(!)
I really can not disagree more with that idea, of big bits.
The tastiest for them are always the smallest which certainly explains the mash success of our other correspondent, co-inciding with my own.
(Sir Gar) -
Message 26
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Tuesday, 9th August 2011
Well I rang the supplier as previously suggested and he confirmed that the hens had been eating pellets for him. He said I should try poultry spice so I have ordered some.
Someone gave me a handful of layers crumble but they wouldn't eat that either.
Gardda, I didn't get a rooster, the neighbours wouldn't appreciate that!! Saw a friends hens recently and their rooster had been showing his affection to one hen in particular - she was nearly bald!!!
Thanks again for your replies. -
Message 27
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Tuesday, 9th August 2011
Saw a friends hens recently and their rooster had been showing his affection to one hen in particular - she was nearly bald!!!
Ìý
Don't tell the missus, she thinks she's got alopecia.
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Message 28
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Wednesday, 10th August 2011
lol
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Message 29
Posted by lillian7 (U3822352) on Wednesday, 10th August 2011
I have had hens for years, they are creatures of habit and if they don't want pellets, give them layers mash insted, dry not wet. It is a lot easier to give them what they want than to keep stressing about what you want to give them. After all there's no difference in price.
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Message 30
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Wednesday, 10th August 2011
I think I'll buy some tomorrow and give it a try. Thanks Lillian
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Message 31
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
Dear all,
I shall never forget my dear Henrietta who was a saved Battery hend bird, as bald as the rest of them, who did a runner from the garden for three days until i heard the poop, poop of a heavy lorry and looked out so see Henrietta running down the road in front of the lorry, to disappear back in to the garden again.
The lorrdy driver looked out, lowered his window, and said
"Is that what you call a chicken?!?"
as though he had never seen one before and wanted to know, so I replied meekly and said
"Yes!"
Henrietta never left the garden again, and, once she met Cocky boy, never wanted to, and never laid another egg, but the one thing she did know was how to keep the other hens in the garden, without a single fence or fence post to its name.
Henrietta built an invisible fence 10'high all round the property, until the fox arrived, and then the sky was not high enough.
They discovered their wings, and some were seen two miles away and still flying! Yet again they returned to the roost about three days later one after the other until their number were restored.
That Andalucian blue was a proud bird! -
Message 32
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
Nice story Gardda - have you any birds now?
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Message 33
Posted by the2 jays (U14383723) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
We got our chickens in February last year & bought the same food from the same place as the breeder, would they eat it, nooooooooo. We tried organic, nooooooooooooo. We bought mash & they tolerated it. Now we have 2 more, 6 in total & they eat better now. They love porridge on cold Winter mornings. With their corn they have a small amount of mealworms which they love. Occasionally I give them some dog biscuits soaked in hot water & they wolf those down. Weeds from the lotty. The first ones we got are bantams & aren't very reliable layers. Last year we went from August - February eggless from them, hence the 2 others which are speckeldy's, & they are better layers.
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Message 34
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
Trouble with bantams is they have no sense of danger until it's too late.
If a fox is about to kill them with bared teeth, they think it is saying
"hello nice day today isn't it?"
I nearly got some in the spring and then didn't. I need somebody to do some really good dawn crowing round here, and it could be of the chicken variety. -
Message 35
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Thursday, 11th August 2011
The last time I had hens, it was when I mentioned them at an executive meeting of a political party. I had this deep sense of foreboding about them, and by the next morning Fox had got the news from head office and had taken all six.
He wasn't secretary of Defence either, just down the meadow.
I gave up in despair. -
Message 36
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Friday, 12th August 2011
In view of the fact that poultry keeping is very much an integral part gardening (particularly with allotment gardeners) I do hope the host decides to restore the opening message of this thread.
To whoever reported it, you're sad! -
Message 37
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Friday, 12th August 2011
They are really good at getting rid of garden weed seeds and grubs.
They clean the garden up marvellously. -
Message 38
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Friday, 12th August 2011
I'm sorry if I have offended anyone, it wasn't intentional and I'm unaware of what it is.
The compost bin is looking good and I can't wait for weed removal and general clean up by the girls in the autumn / winter.
Thanks all of the friendly posters for your replies.
J -
Message 39
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Friday, 12th August 2011
I'm sorry if I have offended anyone, it wasn't intentional and I'm unaware of what it is.
The compost bin is looking good and I can't wait for weed removal and general clean up by the girls in the autumn / winter.
Thanks all of the friendly posters for your replies.
JÌý
There was absolutely nothing offensive in your original post and certainly nothing to apologise for.
I suspect some moron has reported it to the mods on the grounds it broke the house rules by not being about gardening.
I've enjoyed your thread and hope your message is soon restored.
Keep us posted on the progress of the chicks. -
Message 40
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Friday, 12th August 2011
Thanks for that David, I see what you mean now though.
People have come on looking for recipies and other out of the way things so I didn't think I was really that far out. After all free range chickens contribute greatly to the lifecycle of the garden.
Will keep in touch.
J -
Message 41
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Saturday, 13th August 2011
Poultry, Fowl, produce some interesting search results on wikipedia.
The whole purpose of the pheasant in the British field and hedgerow is to earn from gleaning as well as from the main crop, the same as in the garden.
Without bees or hens, the garden or allotment lacks personality and charm. -
Message 42
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Saturday, 13th August 2011
Poultry, Fowl, produce some interesting search results on wikipedia.
The whole purpose of the pheasant in the British field and hedgerow is to earn from gleaning as well as from the main crop, the same as in the garden.
Without bees or hens, the garden or allotment lacks personality and charm.
With them, it is alive and vibrant, a many dimensional space, an important part of a domestic economy. -
Message 43
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Saturday, 13th August 2011
Eggsactly!!
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Message 44
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Saturday, 13th August 2011
Poultry, Fowl, produce some interesting search results on wikipedia.
The whole purpose of the pheasant in the British field and hedgerow is to earn from gleaning as well as from the main crop, the same as in the garden.
Without bees or hens, the garden or allotment lacks personality and charm.
With them, it is alive and vibrant, a many dimensional space, an important part of a domestic economy.
Ìý
The very point I was making in my message 36, though not so eloquently. -
Message 45
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Monday, 15th August 2011
Common sense prevails!
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Message 46
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Monday, 15th August 2011
Thank you!!
Just a quick update - got the poultry spice and girls are eating well. Average 4 eggs per day and after letting them roam free over the rest of the garden, there is hardly a slug to be found (plus garden being fertilised at the same time).
J -
Message 47
Posted by blueberry77 (U14703896) on Monday, 15th August 2011
there is hardly a slug to be foundÌý
Chickens, ducks, hedgehogs, frogs: the best slug controllers you can get. -
Message 48
Posted by David K (U14115317) on Monday, 15th August 2011
J - I'm delighted your opening post has been restored.
Pleased too to hear the positive news about 'the girls'....just a chance they may be getting spoilt though. -
Message 49
Posted by juststartingoff (U11189730) on Tuesday, 16th August 2011
Thanks David, but I'm a sucker for animals and I know I have them spoilt! Aw well...
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Message 50
Posted by Papa Nopsis (U14479902) on Tuesday, 16th August 2011
Free hefted, to the garden, if you have anything you do not want them to peck at, you only have to tell them a couple of times not to touch it, and they will leave it alone. They do like some foliage or at least the insects on them, but you ARE at the head of the pecking order in every sense of the word, aand they do do what they are told.
Animal ethology is a fascinating Subject, which animal rights activists take to very unwise extremes.
In fact the term Ethology applies only to "animals". although plant ethology is surely an ecological concept too.
The amusing conversational exchanges that we have had above and the subsequent suspension is almost certainly due to a non-knowledge of ethology by either the complainant, or by mod him/herself (bless 'im/er)
We can not know everything.
Furthermore there is fairly well polarised "political" opinion about the powers of human intelligent identification with that of the animal, whether it be horse, bird, dog, swarm of bees, dolphins,whatever.
The above wiki article doubtless argues the case better than I ever shall, though knowing the practice with domestic fowl and bees as I do.
My own political opinion in the realm of ethology, resides very firmly on the political left, that human communication with other animals is very great indeed, whereas the opinion of others is that we have no intelligent communication with other animals at all. The philosophical idea that we are merely the highest of the animals is followed closely by the view that we are somehow not animals at all, and that we are distinct from them.
All I know is that we have had bees and fowl in the garden over the years, and they do what i ask them to do, not just in terms of laying eggs but of how they collect their food for laying, or making honey.
Lastly if you care to look up "Artificial intelligence" on wiki you will find that
the hive is a fine example in nature of that intelligence which has become so important in recent years in the age of the computer.
Censure of Laughter about stags and hens , comes from the radical, puritanical and religious right who would see dirty ideas in bare furniture legs even in the 21stC
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