Can chickens get too much attention?

[heather134]

We have a new neighbor who thankfully loves our chickens. We're in a residential area, small backyard with ten hens (the limit). She comes over daily to see how they're doing which I don't mind at all.
However she always brings them treats and scraps. She initially asked about feeding them, which I said was fine barring certain items. Yesterday was the first time I watched her - she dumped a 3-5 gallon bucket filled with watermelon and cantelope rind, some grains and Bok choy. The hens loved it (of course) but I'm worried that if she's bringing them that much food with frequency, it's not healthy for them.
About six weeks ago we were getting 8-9 eggs a day. Now we're getting 2-3. The heat I'm sure has something to do with it, but could her generosity be messing with their egg production?

 

[Battlepants]

The suggested rule for treats is that it should be no more than 10% of their diet. With her dropping gallons of yummy treats, the standard food is probably not getting much attention. As a result, your hens are probably running low on protein, fats and calcium, while bulking up on the sugar of the watermelon and the like.

Perhaps a middleground could be found with this food waste - give a small amount to the chickens, compost the rest and harvest the soldier flies from the compost?

 

[SueT]

I would stop the neighbor from feeding my chickens. The amount you describe is likely diluting the nutrition they need for egg production. Also if there is any food waste they don’t eat, it will attract varmints that could kill the chickens. You can use this for the reason to stop her.

 

[Mrs. K]

Here at least, the heat is terribly affecting my chickens, and they really are not eating anything and it does effect their laying. We have been well above 105 all week. several days above 108. Hot.

A lot depends on the number of birds you have. I kind of go by the what is left in 24 hours. If a lot of the food is still there 24 hours later, that is too much.

A lot of people on here are very conservative about their feeding practices. I am not. Diet really does not have instantaneous effect on anything's health. If you go to the carnival and eat trash for a day, you may get a stomach ache, but healthy wise you are fine.

I would ask her to limit it, if that makes you feel more comfortable. If you are going to be gone for a few days, a neighbor like that would be quite cheerful to have.

But as for their health - I think that birds and animals tend to eat too much if they are kept in real small enclosures - and maybe yours are, but otherwise, they tend to eat what they need, and leave what they don't. If you have good food available, I would not sweat this too much.

Mrs K

 

[Acre4Me]

She does love your chickens! If she’s older, she might think this is generous as chickens used to get whatever scraps on most farms.

If she’s coming over in the afternoon, then I wouldn’t worry bc your flock has been eating feed all morning anyway. And will fill their crop up before bed, hopefully with feed.

You could change to a 20% all-flock feed, giving oyster shell on the side and then their protein would be diluted less.

If much remains, then critters could be a problem, but it depends on how much and what remains.

Still nice to have a neighbor who is positive around your chickens.

 

[aart]

Yesterday was the first time I watched her - she dumped a 3-5 gallon bucket filled with watermelon and cantelope rind, some grains and Bok choy. The hens loved it (of course) but I'm worried that if she's bringing them that much food with frequency, it's not healthy for them.

Way too much stuff....no, not healthy.
Maybe give her a smaller container to use to limit the volume.
How many chickens do you have?

 

[heather134]

Thanks so much for the replies. It definitely is wonderful to have someone who likes them so much.

We have 10 hens, so it sounds like a cup or two a day would be ideal, though I usually see her feeding them in the afternoon or evening so you're right that they should be getting enough of their regular food before then. I've noticed that I'm not filling their feed container as often, but with the heat even our dog is barely eating one meal a day.

There are no scraps left over (these girls are little piggies, and they don't get many scraps from our house).

The girls get a good bit of outdoor time. When we're on vacation they stay in the run, but usually they're let out for at least a few hours each day to forage in the grass, eat bugs and worms, take dust baths and sleep in the sun...