Do your hens like watermelon?

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Fletch83

Fletch83

Chirping
6 Years
Jan 27, 2013
263
15
93
Texas
I thought I remembered reading that watermelon was a much-loved chicken treat. It's been hot here so I thought my pullets might enjoy some cold, refreshing watermelon. I even sliced it up for them and hand-delivered it like the good chicken slave I am. They spent about 10 minutes just staring at it and then staring at me and then staring at the watermelon. Then they left going bok-bok-bok like I had offended them.

I try so hard you guys!!
barnie.gif
 
OMG, my girls go nuts for it. I read on another blog about freezing it and giving it to them on really hot days. My girls stick their beaks up at anything frozen so I just do really cold refrigerated now. But they go nuts. After they have demolished the pieces, I put water in the rinds and they come back and drink it up like I gave them more watermelon. Anything to keep them hydrated during the heat.
 
They like fresh-cut watermelon more than stuff that has sat in a Tupperware container for a week in your fridge, it seems. The woman that we got our girls from said that you should cut it into cubes and throw it in the freezer. She says it is the perfect way to cool them down on hot days, plus they take their time pecking at it instead of gobbling it up right away.
 
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My four girls like it. They don't go crazy for it like they do dandelion greens or tomatoes, but to them it is better than pellets.
 
Anything new will usually throw them for a loop.....sprinkle some scratch on it and they'll figure it out pretty darn quick.

I don't give my birds the ripe flesh of the melon, that's for me :D ......and they don't need all that sugar.
Melon can give them the runs.....and with watermelon it's very strange bluish color, IIRC.
I do save the white part near the rind and the rind into the freezer to give to them on hot days.
 
Fletch83 said:
I thought I remembered reading that watermelon was a much-loved chicken treat.  It's been hot here so I thought my pullets might enjoy some cold, refreshing watermelon.  I even sliced it up for them and hand-delivered it like the good chicken slave I am.  They spent about 10 minutes just staring at it and then staring at me and then staring at the watermelon.  Then they left going bok-bok-bok like I had offended them.

I try so hard you guys!! :barnie  
Click to expand...


Chickens will be cautious around anything that is new to them. All you need to do is get one of them to try it and the others will jump on the band wagon as well. Sheep have the same behavior.
 

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