Hi all, I am the reasonably new and proud owner of six Australorp hens. They're about 14-16 weeks at the moment. We have a feeder in the coop with pellets in it which they seemed to like at first but now they seem to ignore it. During the day we let them roam in the yard which is large and has plenty of flower beds and bushes for them to forage around in. Anytime we bring scraps out for them they seem uninterested - they won't touch vegetables at all; we've tried cabbage, lettuce, carrot, pumpkin, cucumber etc. I've today got them to eat yoghurt but only with bits of bread/pellets in it so it looks solid. Bread is the only scraps they eat and anytime i give them something they look completely starved. Does anyone have any tips on what they might like to eat or any ideas? Thanks in advance!
They aren't as interested in the pellets because they have yummy bugs and things to eat. I wouldn't give them anything else, they don't need it really though most of us do at least try to get them eating scraps just to have something useful to do with the scrap. But really the pellets should be what they're eating the most of and when they're hungry, they'll eat it. They aren't like cats where you have to keep trying till you hit on something they like. Just make them eat those pellets.
I noticed the same picky behavior with my hens when they were pullets, too. But now, my girls are about a year and half or more old and have a wide taste for just about anything(my girls didn't like dried catfood at first for extra protein, now they can't get enough!). I think as your pullets get older, they'll develop a taste for the food extras(veggies, fruit, etc) you're offering them as long as you still are willing to show it to them every now and then. When one pullet takes a bite of it, the others will be more curious about it too. As for what looks like they are starved, your pullets(and any other chickens for that matter)are probably just trying to get their fair share before everyone else eats all the bread(my girls ADORE bread!). I wouldn't want to eat my bread slowly if I knew everyone was possibly going to steal it right from my mouth! Good luck with your chickies!!
