What treat did your chickies get today?

[Dayrel]

Don't give them whole/raw eggs. It will give them the wrong idea about the ones that they lay. On the other hand, hard-boiled egg yolk or scrambled eggs work well and don't make them go after their own eggs.

 

[lazy gardener]

That is an other old wive's tale that is not based on fact. Egg eating is caused by eggs with weak shells being laid. It is most often a seasonal issue. Correct the underlying issue by improving the diet. IMO calcium alone is not enough. Other vitamins are required for the effective metabolism of calcium. If fixing the diet doesn't correct the weak shell problem, the hen with the weak shell issue should be culled from the flock. Occasionally there might be a habitual egg eater, but IMO, that's an issue of a hen with a screw loose, or an underlying metabolic issue, rather than her having been fed eggs in the past. Issues such as crowding, and nests without enough bedding also need to be looked at. When pullets start laying, they will do some exploratory pecking. "What is that thing that just fell out of my butt?" If the shells are nice and strong, after those first exploratory pecks, the pullet will have her curiosity satisfied and move on.

 

[meetthebubus]

Good idea This is my first time having chickens so I think we will end up putting a mini misting system by their coop.

I'm in the desert as well for your chickens to survive well they may also need at least frozen water bottles like old 2 liter bottles leave the cap off so it can drip cool water as it melts, also a lean to type shelter can help extremely mine hang out in their mansion, I also do the following for them for the heat

Forgive me for going off thread subject it's just my passion

 

[meetthebubus]

Carrot top leaves organic, medium cheddar cheese tillamook, bread, tomatoes (I think I'll have that myself today yum!!) LOL

 

[igorsMistress]

Dry oatmeal, hulled raw sunflower seeds, pine nuts and millet. I have some frozen blackberries for this afternoon.

 

[ShinShien]

Fermented vegetable peels, strawberry tops...and all the starter/grower the chicks and teens sling out of their pens.

 

[WldFlwrs]

We gave them red wigglers for the first time last night! They were first very hesitant, but one silver laced (Laci) took the first bite. Well, she didn't bite it but gulped it down! It was so funny. One RIR (Ginger) would have nothing to do with the worms.

I have been reading that some of you give eggs to your chickens. Is the advice not to feed eggs - will make them cannibals - true? This came from a guy whose knowledge comes from his 4H days.

If they can have eggs, I will be giving them some. I have been giving the shells, etc, to the worms!

I feed mine scrambled eggs with the shells finely chopped into them. No cannibals here

 

[LavvyTaffy]

Worms!

 

[snow5164]

When I have a dirty or a cracked egg, I just stir it into their feed shell and all... no egg eaters here out of 40 hens

Treat today .. warm oatmeal since I'm in Canada and we are still COLD

 

[ShinShien]

Overcooked sweet potato