Can’t eat hard foods

[RescueMum]

Hi all, my 2 girls are recently rescued ex battery hens. Im trying to build up their strength and get them used to the free life. Their feathers are growing back, they are standing up straighter, running around and flapping their wings. They can’t eat properly though. They try to peck at food but as they have been debeaked, they can’t break it apart. Even if I cut it small. I’ve ended up pureeing everything. Should I keep doing this or will they eventually learn? Grains are fine. Today’s cook up was steak and veggies.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

What do you mean by debeaked? Trimmed, or just cut back as short as it can go? Can you post a picture?

 

[RescueMum]

What do you mean by debeaked? Trimmed, or just cut back as short as it can go? Can you post a picture?

What do you mean by debeaked? Trimmed, or just cut back as short as it can go? Can you post a picture?

Their beaks were ground down when they were chicks to stop them pecking themselves and others because they were in such confined space. They are quite short and blunt.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

If they are short and blunt they will probably never be able to eat hard foods. Unless somehow you can make a replacement for the part of the beak the don’t have, you are probably going to having to purée any hard foods you give them.

 

[RescueMum]

This isn’t one of my girls but this is what they are like. Their combs are very pale too.

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

If it’s that short I would expect them to never be able to peck at things properly.

 

[RescueMum]

If they are short and blunt they will probably never be able to eat hard foods. Unless somehow you can make a replacement for the part of the beak the don’t have, you are probably going to having to purée any hard foods you give them.

They’re getting threw the purée and grains, bananas mashed up. I haven’t tried them on lettuce leaves or anything. Scrambled egg with yoghurt is a favourite as is the water out of the mixed beef and veggies. Fine cut bacon was ok.
I guises I’ll just keep feeding them like this. I don’t want to fry layers pallets because I think they’ll be to big Unless puréed. Is there anything else I should be adding?

 

[Ihavesomechickens]

I think your good. If your worried about layer pellets being too big you can take a hammer to the bag like I do when I think some food is too big.

 

[RescueMum]

I think your good. If your worried about layer pellets being too big you can take a hammer to the bag like I do when I think some food is too big.

Can you add water to them to soften them as well? I should be putting them on layers as they are due to start in the next 3-4 weeks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Fine cut bacon was ok.
I guises I’ll just keep feeding them like this. I don’t want to fry layers pallets because I think they’ll be to big Unless puréed. Is there anything else I should be adding?

They really don't need bacon.

If the pellets are too big, try crumble feed instead. Or wet/ferment the feed so it becomes a soft mush, that should be quite easy to feed them.