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Cold weather treat suggestions....

post #1 of 73
2/5/13 at 5:11am
Thread Starter 

I noticed my girls are trying to eat feathers (againbarnie.gif) it is CRAZY cold here in nj any high protein suggestions?? Can only make so much cottage cheese n ground beef b4 I wana sickbyc.gif

8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
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8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
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post #2 of 73
2/5/13 at 5:20am

I give mine a treat of dried meal worms.  I bought them for bluebirds, but have had no luck in attracting them.  At first my hens are pretty suspicious, but they love em!

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post #3 of 73
2/5/13 at 5:24am
Thread Starter 

OMG your girls didn't like them?!?!?!? We call them chicken crack my girls go NUTS for em they know where we keep the jar n they line up for em!!!! wee.gif

8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
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8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
Reply
post #4 of 73
2/5/13 at 9:46am
Thread Starter 

Just gave then tuna mixed in cottage cheese... They loved it!!! Seems they will eat anything as long as its mixed in CC!!! sickbyc.gif

8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
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8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
Reply
post #5 of 73
2/5/13 at 10:06am

It's not just the amount of protein but also the type of protein.

If there eating the feathers it is most likely a lack of animal proteins. You could give them tuna fish, liver, bil-jac dog food (the frozen type), floating fish pellet, (like the fish chow they sell at TSC) or feed them a good game bird feed that has animal proteins in it.

 

You may want to also dust them with a good poultry dust, they could have mites or lice.

 

 

Chris

 

NPIP # 31-516
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities http://sppa.webs.com/

Breeding Large Fowl Single and Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds to APA Standard


"I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's cares." – 

George Washington

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NPIP # 31-516
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities http://sppa.webs.com/

Breeding Large Fowl Single and Rose Comb Rhode Island Reds to APA Standard


"I know of no pursuit in which more real and important services can be rendered to any country than by improving its agriculture, its breed of useful animals, and other branches of a husbandman's cares." – 

George Washington

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post #6 of 73
2/5/13 at 10:11am
Thread Starter 

Dog food??? Some one told me noooo dog food b/c it has something in it that they shouldn't have but use cat food (which they refused to eat n attracted feral cats) n they have dust I was thinking the same thing so I've been checking and there's no evidence of bugs celebrate.gif

8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
Reply
8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
Reply
post #7 of 73
2/5/13 at 10:22am

I have a mixed rooster thats close to a year old i tried catching a few weeks ago to cull and eventually eat him with others that i caught that day but hes an outcast he wont go into the barn with my other birds he wont sleep with the other chickens that sleep out with the cows i mean he literally stays in a huge fenced in area with my goats and 5 great pyrenees not a single other bird in there just him well i take dog food out twice a day once in the morning and again at night and he comes running to eat with them. i dont put chicken feed out for him i know for sure he doesnt come out of the pen and theres been a few times ive chased hime out but flies right back in but with that being said he doesnt eat anything but dog food and some grasses i suppose and hes perfectly fine.

100% Pure English Orpingtons

Lavender, Jubilee, Mottled, Buff, Blue, Black, Splash, White, Crele, Chocolate "Bantam", Cuckoo, Lavender Cuckoo, Partridge and currently Mauve project...

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100% Pure English Orpingtons

Lavender, Jubilee, Mottled, Buff, Blue, Black, Splash, White, Crele, Chocolate "Bantam", Cuckoo, Lavender Cuckoo, Partridge and currently Mauve project...

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post #8 of 73
2/6/13 at 6:51pm

I also give mine some scrambled egg on occasion.

I never considered a difference in opinion, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.  - Thomas Jefferson
Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.  - Ben Franklin
If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.  - Teddy Roosevelt
 

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I never considered a difference in opinion, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.  - Thomas Jefferson
Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.  - Ben Franklin
If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month.  - Teddy Roosevelt
 

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post #9 of 73
2/8/13 at 9:13am

Barley and quinoa are very high in protein.  

Mom to 3 boys (really, one is my husband), 1 orange dog, 1 RIR, 1 Australorp, 3 Isa Browns, 2 Buff Orps, 7 EEs, 1 BR,  2 SLWW, and 2 leghorns.

 

 

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Mom to 3 boys (really, one is my husband), 1 orange dog, 1 RIR, 1 Australorp, 3 Isa Browns, 2 Buff Orps, 7 EEs, 1 BR,  2 SLWW, and 2 leghorns.

 

 

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post #10 of 73
2/8/13 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 

Cooked or raw?? 

8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
Reply
8 girls 2 Ameraucanas, 2 Buff Orpingtons, 2 Golden laced Wyandottes, a silver laced Wyandotte, and a dominique!!!
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