Help! Chickens won't eat scraps!

[seismic wonder2]

LOL, Mine were actually afraid of watermelon rinds I gave as treats.
I finally started putting some seed IN the melon rinds, Once they got a taste of the melon, they went NUTZ for it.

 

[JungleChicken]

Thanks guys!

I'm off to give my friends some yoghurt! I'm assuming they are ok with both natural and flavoured. I have some very nice organic pot-set yoghurt that I will put on their crumbles and report back.

 

[artsy1]

some things they like. some things they love" scrambled eggs" some things they hate.

 

[JungleChicken]

Seeds/oats etc is another great idea. I can sprinkle them onto the scraps.

al6517 - They only seem to be zombies when it comes to the food. I had chickens before that I hatched myself and they were never fussy like this, which is why I was at a bit of a loss! They have a very pretty jungle-style run with plenty of shade and a bamboo hen house. They've dug nice little hollows under their favourite palms and aren't zombie-ish at all about exploring their environment. Here's hoping their new home gives them space for a little self-development.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
I think they will come around, this coming spring and summer will change things a bunch I am betting.

 

[SteveBaz]

I give my girls all they can eat all day long and cover it at night so the critters don't eat it and give 1 snack in the morning and 1 at night. I think you have it turned around?

The idea of having a healthy bird starts with a well balanced medicated chicken meal for chicks or for that matter up until they lay or beyond all day long every day. Then as we have old food or kitchen scraps I separate out what I do not want them to have or they wont eat and put it out but that food is not the main staple of diet the pellet is.

 

[JungleChicken]

Thanks Steve!

This morning I changed it around so they have plenty of crumbles to eat. This is in line with your advice, and I think other than that I will just need to relax! LOL

Quote:

 

[SteveBaz]

Thanks Steve!

This morning I changed it around so they have plenty of crumbles to eat. This is in line with your advice, and I think other than that I will just need to relax! LOL

SteveBaz wrote:

I give my girls all they can eat all day long and cover it at night so the critters don't eat it and give 1 snack in the morning and 1 at night. I think you have it turned around? http://i1119.photobucket.com/albums/k632/stevebaslow/questionmarkflash.gif The idea of having a healthy bird starts with a well balanced medicated chicken meal for chicks or for that matter up until they lay or beyond all day long every day. Then as we have old food or kitchen scraps I separate out what I do not want them to have or they wont eat and put it out but that food is not the main staple of diet the pellet is.

to the BYC and enjoy

lots to learn and no need to hurry and not ask a questions Good luck.​

 

[lilacdigging]

this is my third flock and the first time I've had chickens who won't eat scraps. They will drink whey, and ate an apple. but no greens or melons.. A friend of mine also has a flock like this , and we both feed organic grain. I can't believe it.Could that have anything to do with it?

 

[WhiteCrow]

I empathise with those whose chooks are fussy. My little brown girls look at me like I am mad when I offer them vegetables or greens - except purslane. I tried cutting veggies up, cooking them - no way. Cutting worked for the lettuce (eventually) - but not nasturtium leaves or any other green. They seem to like the tips of lawn grass and that's about it. Just got them eating mung bean sprouts and lentil sprouts (whew!). Scraps are absolutely NOT okay by them.

I am vegan so there is no yoghurt in the house and would prefer another way to get them to eat a variety. They do like their wholegrain & seed mix, oats, millet, wholegrain noodles, cooked rice and nut milks. Fruits like tomatoes, grapes and guava please them when they are growing. They won't eat banana, apple, or any other fruit or flowers.

Visitors told me that they went wild over junk food - like cake, fries and breads - but there is not anything much useful in that for them and we don't have those in the house usually.

They forage in the yard for around an hour and a half (split into to seperate wander times) - eating grass tips and purslane and a few handfuls that I collect and put in their pen (I have to watch them when they are out as it is a rented house and they totally wreck the gardens if I just leave them to it). These hens were given to me at ten weeks as Christmas gift - it's difficult in town keeping hens happy and well fed (and I give the eggs away anyway). They are great eggs though so far - bright orange and strong shells and the girls are good natured and seem happy most of the time.

They have a big pen that they wiped out of green by scratching - although some new tomato plants growing in there now will provide them with tomatoes again soon. They did like the comfrey I planted in their pen - they decimated it once I let them to it when it grew up. LOL.

So - I'm hoping for suggestions for inexpensive, nourishing feed to top up the nutrition/protein - would be very much appreciated, please? (They don't like molasses at all by the way. Even a tiny bit in their food puts them off eating it). Do they eat nuts and is it okay to give them peanuts? If so, should they be soaked?

Thanks ahead.