Because of the guilt I feel in leaving my 5 chickens and 2 ducks locked up in their coop and run (pic of it on my profile) for certain days during the week while I work- I worry about them getting bored. But as I am treating my favorite hen for sour crop, I am worried that maybe I overdid it…here is my feeding routine for them:
In the morning before work- I let the chickens out of the coop (they get locked up while the ducks stay in the run- I fear predators). I clean the waterers- there is a hanging one, a rubber bucket for the ducks to dunk their heads without bathing in, and a small hanging one (that doesn't stay filled long and is kinda pointless). I have a corner feeder that I fill with crumbles/grit (maybe 2-3 cups?). I then take a big, wide forti-flex black rubber bin..and add some more crumbles, a handful of greens, a couple sliced cucumbers, some tops of tomatoes, etc. and put it on the ground. I have a hanging treat basket that I will stuff with lettuce and halved cucumber. I have also added frozen peas, chopped up green beans, chia seeds, watermelon, napa cabbage…basically any veggie i have in the house I may throw in this "bin".
They get no table scraps, bread, crackers, cooked human food, etc.
My thought being that since they are locked up, this may keep them busy at least for a little while. But now I am worried that they eat these veggies and not enough chicken feed? It seems the ducks get most of it anyways. Any time that I am home they are free range in my yard eating stuff from my garden or searching through the grass for stuff.
I also leave a small bowl of food, a small waterer, and a hanging Hotcake in the coop (out of the reach of the ducks) for the chickens- so that if they wake up before I let them into the run, they can eat. Is this overkill too?
In the morning before work- I let the chickens out of the coop (they get locked up while the ducks stay in the run- I fear predators). I clean the waterers- there is a hanging one, a rubber bucket for the ducks to dunk their heads without bathing in, and a small hanging one (that doesn't stay filled long and is kinda pointless). I have a corner feeder that I fill with crumbles/grit (maybe 2-3 cups?). I then take a big, wide forti-flex black rubber bin..and add some more crumbles, a handful of greens, a couple sliced cucumbers, some tops of tomatoes, etc. and put it on the ground. I have a hanging treat basket that I will stuff with lettuce and halved cucumber. I have also added frozen peas, chopped up green beans, chia seeds, watermelon, napa cabbage…basically any veggie i have in the house I may throw in this "bin".
They get no table scraps, bread, crackers, cooked human food, etc.
My thought being that since they are locked up, this may keep them busy at least for a little while. But now I am worried that they eat these veggies and not enough chicken feed? It seems the ducks get most of it anyways. Any time that I am home they are free range in my yard eating stuff from my garden or searching through the grass for stuff.
I also leave a small bowl of food, a small waterer, and a hanging Hotcake in the coop (out of the reach of the ducks) for the chickens- so that if they wake up before I let them into the run, they can eat. Is this overkill too?
