Anyone else have picky eaters?

[BigBlueHen53]

Hmm. If your hens won't eat layer feed I have to wonder, are they laying? Maybe it's the calcium they're rejecting because their bodies don't need it. I would switch to an all-flock formula and offer oyster shell in a side dish.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Hmm. If your hens won't eat layer feed I have to wonder, are they laying? Maybe it's the calcium they're rejecting because their bodies don't need it. I would switch to an all-flock formula and offer oyster shell in a side dish.

2 out of 3 are laying (3rd is coming up soon!), but my Golden Comet eats an unnatural amount of oyster shell. I assumed layer feed would help her with calcium levels. They all LOVE the Dumor Organic Layer, but flat-out refuse every other brand. It's kind of a head scratcher.

I do provide all-flock pellets in their treat toys, and that's always a hit!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

2 out of 3 are laying (3rd is coming up soon!), but my Golden Comet eats an unnatural amount of oyster shell. I assumed layer feed would help her with calcium levels. They all LOVE the Dumor Organic Layer, but flat-out refuse every other brand. It's kind of a head scratcher.

I do provide all-flock pellets in their treat toys, and that's always a hit!

Okay, well it's a head-scratcher then! The only other suggestion I have is to cut out everything else except what you want them to eat. No scratch, no veggies. If they're hungry they will eat. You know that any extras - the veggies, the scratch - that's like cake and ice cream to a kid. If they fill up on that stuff, there's no room in their bellies for meat and potatoes - the balanced nutrition of their commercial feed. Right? Those snacks should make up no more than 10% of their overall diet, which is going to be just a couple tablespoons a day, per hen.

 

[David61]

Picky eaters? My girls pecky eaters.
sorry, to much Johnny Carson as a kid.

 

[Yardmom]

Sometimes chickens get excited to eat something new. Other times they just don't know what that stuff is and need to get use to the change in the menu. My guess is given enough time with out "treats" to fill them up, they would learn to like the Kalmbach.

 

[Insnesnakos]

My birds don't eat apple peel, but they get all excited when they see the favorite foods

 

[thecatumbrella]

Okay, well it's a head-scratcher then! The only other suggestion I have is to cut out everything else except what you want them to eat. No scratch, no veggies. If they're hungry they will eat. You know that any extras - the veggies, the scratch - that's like cake and ice cream to a kid. If they fill up on that stuff, there's no room in their bellies for meat and potatoes - the balanced nutrition of their commercial feed. Right? Those snacks should make up no more than 10% of their overall diet, which is going to be just a couple tablespoons a day, per hen.

Right now, they're grounded with no treats for at least a week. But normally I do limit them, exactly as you said (even have my handy 3/8 cup for 3 birds!)

Do chickens tantrum? They're not handling their treat ban very well. I just went in to clean up poops, and one had the nerve to fly at my head! EAT YOUR FOOD!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't think it's a tantrum, just trying to remind you in case you forgot ... HELLO, TIME TO GIVE YOUR CHICKENS THEIR SNACKS!

 

[thecatumbrella]

I don't think it's a tantrum, just trying to remind you in case you forgot ... HELLO, TIME TO GIVE YOUR CHICKENS THEIR SNACKS!

Of course! How silly of me. Unfortunately, I won't be able to dispense any treats when I'm in the hospital because their cecal-crusted nails scratched my cornea!

No joke, I'm getting them an automatic treat dispenser for Christmas.

 

[thecatumbrella]

My birds don't eat apple peel, but they get all excited when they see the favorite foods

To be fair, I hate apple peels too!