question about feeding trimmings

[urbanhomesteader]

Should I shred the things I feed my chickens to make it easier for them to eat? My three, 8 week old pullets, who are now old enough to eat "big girl" food are being introduced to new food. They seem to have a hard time eating the food unless I hold it quite firmly for them or cut off little bitty pieces.

I don't really want to toss food all over the yard ( I want to keep the vermin away). I tried putting the treats in a tupperwear container but they ignored it. Will I have to cut and shred every piece of fruit and veggies for them?

Also do you all just throw it on the ground or do you use a feeder for this kind of thing?

I work at a grocery store and I have (free) access to as much trimmings as I want to cart away. I have only brought a little at a time as I don't want the trimmings to get old or moldy/mildew. I am always amazed by how much perfectly good produce is tossed out every day. (Technicley, it is sent to be composted so its not totally wasted) I always wash and check for spoilage but mostly its just bruised or slightly over ripe fruits and veggies,the trimmings from greens and any wilted greens, of course.. A lot of our iguana/rabbit/turtle/chicken owning customers come in on a weekly basis and take a box or two and we still have a pallet full of the stuff to get rid of every day.

So far they have had an apple yesterday (loved it), a tomato today(loved it as long as I held it firmly for them), and some loose leaf lettuce and cabbage (totally ignored)

 

[cookinmom]

I find that my chickens can't really get a good bite on greens if they're loose. Those I hold for 'em. Big veggies they seem to like best if I just cut them in half and let them peck pieces out of them. I usually put their snacks in 'the purple dish', and they come running any time they see me coming with it.

 

[urbanhomesteader]

Thanks cookinmom,
I guess I will find a nice container and use it every time. I don't mind hand feeding them for a while but after about half way through the tomato my arm got pretty tired.

Maybe I will look around for some kind of snack holding rack. Maybe something like the fish holder thingy for the bbq. We never use that.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

If you didn't mind buying something, you could buy a hanging food skewer in the parrot department of a pet store. They are metal rods used to impale fruits and vegetables for parrots to eat, so they can spend time working away on something, instead of quickly scarfing down a bowl of chopped food. I have several different brands, as I also have a parrot. You could also just try making a hole through the food and stringing it on a rope.

They also sell little hanging cages, that you can load with food and the bird pecks at the food through the bars. I have a couple of versions of those, too. The fish holder for the BBQ sounds like a great idea and very similar to the food cages. I bet that would work great, especially for leafy greens.

I do think the chickens improve their eating skills as they get older, too.