My chickens are eating bird seed off the ground

[novagirl73]

Yes, really, call around at all your local feed stores. I had to try a few before I found it. A local " chicken lady" recommended this to me, as I am a city girl ( with no farmer/ country background... sad, aint it) trying to raise two chickens.

 

[MalMom]

When I was growing up we had one pet chicken. All we fed her was wild bird seed (we didn't know any better). She lived just fine and was healthy, laid eggs etc. We had her several years before a coon got her.

 

[Den in Penn]

Here's an thread on grit and oyster shell. Its started by a sponsor, but it explains the difference and function of each in the first post.
http://www;backyardchickens.com/t/742971/grit-and-oyster-shell-when-in-doubt-put-it-out

 

[melinda653]

I am going to get little feeder/dispensers to put in the new coop I am building; one for grit and one for oyster shells. That article was perfect in helping me understand what I need to put out for my ladies. Thank you Den in Penn!

 

[lilliesanchicks]

They have an appetite but seams to be just for bird seed. Bet if you took that away they would eat their feed. Never knew a chicken who would starve them self unless to sick to eat.

They just chose to eat the bird food and I garuntee if you locked them up they would eat the chicken feed you gave them. You could even mix in the food you have been tube feeding them if your worried about their weight.

 

[melinda653]

I have locked them up for three days now to prevent them from getting any "junk food" and they still won't eat their food. The medication makes them lose their appetite and they still have two weeks left of that. They just don't want to eat their food. I am currently trying to make two different kinds of fermented feed but I am not sure if I am doing it right. I don't know if I have to make it in larger batches than what I currently am doing to make it work or not. I am hoping they will want to eat this when I am finally done making it. It takes about 4-5 days to make though. It seems like they actually are starving themselves.

 

[lilliesanchicks]

I have locked them up for three days now to prevent them from getting any "junk food" and they still won't eat their food. The medication makes them lose their appetite and they still have two weeks left of that. They just don't want to eat their food. I am currently trying to make two different kinds of fermented feed but I am not sure if I am doing it right. I don't know if I have to make it in larger batches than what I currently am doing to make it work or not. I am hoping they will want to eat this when I am finally done making it. It takes about 4-5 days to make though. It seems like they actually are starving themselves.

Well as I said they have an appetite but just for the bird feed. You can add that to their food and slowly decrees it.

 

[buckaroogirl]

I was giving mine cleaned gravel from my driveway in a bucket when they weren't free ranged. But now that they're free ranged they eat it themselves off the ground. I give mine wild bird seed as a treat off the deck, they love it!

 

[Loghousemom]

Grit. Can be purchased and it is usually granite I believe when you buy it. You can also use sand or gravel depending on the size of your birds. Chickens use grit to help grind up the food in their crop.

Oyster shell can also be fed free choice. It is to help with eggshell quality. You can also feed them crushed egg shells.

Hopefully the fermented feed will work for your birds. Maybe it will help them get more nutrition from their food, and if you are fermenting whole seeds, maybe they will prefer it to their tube feeding since it will be more like the birdseed. (Mine eat wild bird seed all the time and have had no ill effects).

One other thing I was thinking, were any of the medications for worms? I would think that worms could be a cause of weight loss. I know that pumpkin seeds are a great natural dewormer, so maybe also try those and see if they eat them.

Good luck with the FF. mine have been on it for a couple of weeks, and mob me when the food comes out, but they were not incredibly ill.

I hope your birds pull out of this okay.

 

[lcammack]

One thing that we have tried and had good success with is Probios. It is a pro biotic supplement. We had a very underweight pullet, she was 15 oz, and very weak. We gave her the Probios in a large dose the first two days, and she bounced back and her appetite was incredible. She started adding over an ounce a day and is now happily back in with her friends and doing well. Do keep them confined, they will put on more weight if they are not out using their energy looking for food. I would agree with the others, sprinkle some fresh seed in with their ration, and add some probios to their water. Good luck with your babies.