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Does anyone else have very picky eaters?

post #1 of 7
6/30/12 at 6:00pm
Thread Starter 

My chicks are now almost 4 months old, and are quite spoiled. I love to give them treats and they come running every time they see me headed towards the coop. The only problem is that when I get there, they usually don't like what I want to give them. I've tried strawberries, grapes, peaches, broccoli, carrots, peas, squash, apples....and who knows what else, and they won't touch it. The only thing they like is their crumble, bread and pasta. Does anyone else have really picky eaters?

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post #2 of 7
6/30/12 at 6:03pm

I've noticed that they're pickier when they're younger, but there are still some that the older ones don't eat.  I just preserved 12lbs of strawberries last night, and saved the tops for my chickens, age 11wks to 14 months.  Well, I feel just unappreciated after they turned their noses up at those red/green little morsels!  I throw out apple/pear cores, but only the big girls go for those.  They like lettuce, but they'd better watch out if the ducks see greens on the ground.  The chickens all go for the scratch or leftover rice.  

Chickens: faverolles, australorps, Delaware, barred rock, welsummer, silver laced wyandotte, lavender and buff x wheaten ameraucanas, BLRW, blue and splash andalusian, cochin, exchequer leghorn, silkie, brabanter, minorca, turken, RIR, brahma, speckled sussex...Ducks: two welsh harlequins, two blue swedish...  Two dogs, a snake, two parents and two kids... and food gardens everywhere else. 

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Chickens: faverolles, australorps, Delaware, barred rock, welsummer, silver laced wyandotte, lavender and buff x wheaten ameraucanas, BLRW, blue and splash andalusian, cochin, exchequer leghorn, silkie, brabanter, minorca, turken, RIR, brahma, speckled sussex...Ducks: two welsh harlequins, two blue swedish...  Two dogs, a snake, two parents and two kids... and food gardens everywhere else. 

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post #3 of 7
6/30/12 at 6:09pm

Unfortunately, my chickens don't care for many vegetables.....they love bread and pasta like your chickens though tongue.png.

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post #4 of 7
6/30/12 at 7:32pm

My chickens are very picky indeed! Especially one chicken, she is fully grown, but rarely ever even eats her pellets in her food! she is spoiled rotten, because if she doesn't eat, she will get serious nutrition problems. In fact she only eats the seeds and grains in her food, and she needs to crack the shell first. My other chicken is not as picky.

 

D.gif

If every single person were to stop buying cage eggs and become environmental activists, the world would be a better place. 

 

I went to Mcdonald's and asked for some fries. The cashier said 'would you like some fries with that?'

Life was much simpler when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits.

 

http://www.freebetty.com/

http://www.hensdeservebetter.org.au/

http://nocagedeggs.com/

 

 

 

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If every single person were to stop buying cage eggs and become environmental activists, the world would be a better place. 

 

I went to Mcdonald's and asked for some fries. The cashier said 'would you like some fries with that?'

Life was much simpler when Apple and Blackberry were just fruits.

 

http://www.freebetty.com/

http://www.hensdeservebetter.org.au/

http://nocagedeggs.com/

 

 

 

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post #5 of 7
7/4/12 at 4:52am
Thread Starter 

Well guess my girls are no different then many others. Maybe I should consider myself lucky in a way because they don't even like grass or bugs and aren't tearing up their run at all. Maybe as they get older they'll eat more variety as I'd like to have some of those dark yellow yolk eggs!

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post #6 of 7
8/14/12 at 2:11pm

My chickens like yogurt and get really excited if I pull out the peach bits for them,,they fight over each little morsel. The favorite treat is sunflower seeds. Super healthy and they have fun foraging for every last kernel.

They also love cheese,,even kraft american cheese. 

I am pathetic looking to please them! 

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post #7 of 7
8/14/12 at 2:56pm

It's fun to give chickens treats, but just like kids, watch out for too much junk food. The crumbles are formulated for good chicken nutrition, and if you replace that with too much pasta and bread, they can miss out on important nutrients, particularly protein. Fruits and green veggies (and grass and bugs!) are great supplements to the diet, and your chicks will eventually try them, but will be less likely to if they are waiting for bread!  (Think of it as feeding kids cake! lol.png Yummy!)  Moderation is the key.

 

When they get older, a small handful of black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) makes a great treat. Just make sure they have access to grit or small pebbles in the dirt for proper digestion. There's a whole thread about other good treat ideas. Just like with kids, it may take more than one attempt to get your chicks to try something, but once they do, watch out for the feeding frenzy!

 

Best wishes and happy/healthy chickens!  frow.gif

A mind is like a door.  Keep it open and something might get in.

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A mind is like a door.  Keep it open and something might get in.

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Feeding & Watering Your Flock › Does anyone else have very picky eaters?