Cayenne Pepper - Got it - Now what!

[joebryant]

With all the claims that cayenne pepper will jump-start all my hens into laying more eggs, Anne bought me a pound of it for less than $4 at Sam's Club. How'd'ya feed it to your chickens. I ain't much for cooking, but I "think" I can cook for a chicken (not a chicken person that is).

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

You can mix some with their feed, scratch, or just throw it on the ground, the chooks will gobble it right up. I mix mine in the feed and coop floor bedding to deter rodents(burns their tender mouths). It also gives the girls something to scratch for thereby keeping them busy and the shavings stirred up. I guess there is really no wrong way to do it.

 

[sewchick]

Wow I have never heard of such a thing. What a great idea. Chickens well eat just about anything.

 

[paddock36]

It worked for my hens. I was getting about 2 - 4 eggs, usually 2 a day and after I put some Cayenne pepper in thier feed I got 6 eggs from 7 hens. I just mixed some in thier food. Maybe about 2 tsps with enough feed for 7 chickens. I just guessed at the amount. It might have been a little more. Seemed like they were drinking more water than usual too.

 

[ranchhand]

Tacos, enchiladas, pasta.........................................

 

[bargain]

It never worked for me but best of luck....I'm going to sams and buy more based on these reports!

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Did I read that right? You put it on the floor bedding, and that gives the girls something to scratch for? Isn't it too small for them to get?

About two hours ago, I mixed a lot of my cayenne pepper with small bread squares, yogurt, and birdseed into a bowl; then I let them take turns eating from the bowl. Doing that, I was sure that all of them got some. I threw the remainder in clumps on top of their bedding. They all went for it quickly. I wonder if I could make a wholewheat-flour, water, cayenne-pepper pancake, cut it up in small pieces, and see if they'll eat it that way. I'm going to give this experiment a week to see if they start laying more.

 

[wood&feathers]

Are we talking pepper flakes or powder here?

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

Quote:
Did I read that right? You put it on the floor bedding, and that gives the girls something to scratch for? Isn't it too small for the to get?

Yep, you read it right. I put the scratch with the red pepper right on the floor of the bedding. Them girls will completely turn 12" deep shavings to get to it. I don't provide food or water in the coop itself unless the weather is terrible. Since using the pepper in the feed and the bedding I've not had trouble with ANY rodents in the coop or feed. I also use a very small amount of 5% Sevin in the bedding for crawling critters, and a little bit of lime as needed if ammonia odor is noticeable, which is very seldom. I've been doing this for years and I haven't harmed a bird yet. I only change my bedding twice a year(spring and fall).

 

[Opa]

I may try it using red pepper seeds