Chickens won't eat layer feed

[Perris]

It's the corn. They will eat them if they have nothing else.

they'll eat poo too if they have nothing else

Do laying hens eat and forage in excreta from other hens?
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731118001143
from 2018, with one experimental bin consisting of 100% excreta

A now near 50-yr old paper reviewed the inclusion of poultry manure in poultry rations at that time
https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-1131(76)90008-4

 

[CrystalAnon]

If you offer a child a choice for dinner, between say, a chef salad or candy - which will they choose?
To chickens, corn is like candy. They will always choose corn first! But it doesn't have everything they need. If our domestic chickens were able to forage in the forest and fields like their ancestors, they'd find all the bugs, nuts, berries, grubs, greens, seeds, grains, grass, leaves, worms, and whatever that make up a complete diet. Layer pellets don't look like any of those things, and IMHO, I think that's why they don't naturally crave it like they would corn, or mealworms and such.

My chickens prefer crumbles. They'll eat pellets, but they waste more. When I offer both, the feeders with crumbles go empty first. Now, if they could produce feed pellets that LOOK like corn or mealworms, I think our chickens would stuff themselves silly.

Just cut out the corn and other treats for awhile. Give them pellets ONLY. Turn them into mash. Or toss them around like 'treats'. They'll eat. When you do re-introduce treats and corn, do it later in the day - so that they have to get the bulk of their nutrition in the first half of the day.

And remember that their balanced feed should comprise 90% of their diet. Corn, scraps, veggies, and other treats should be no more than 10%. I throw this stuff far and wide in their run, so they'll spend hours scratching for it.

That’s so funny. My 9 week old chicks don’t like eating corn or peas. They are come or go on the wheat. They pick out the rest. It’s organic, non-gmo & fresh grower feed (a mix of scratch & peck as well as new country Organics… plus just finishing off the starter feed a 1/4 cup at a time.)
I mix in a little of each… flax seed, sesame seed, a sprinkle of sprouting mix seeds (arugula, radish, mustard & dill), nutritional yeast, poultry probiotics, garlic granules & cayenne chili powder.
Maybe they just know they don’t need the corn, since it’s been in the 90’s here in Florida, during the day?
There’s only one type of feed I mix in that even has corn in it, and that’s because the farm I buy New Country Organics from didn’t get all I had ordered in their order, so we switched out a poultry grower bag for a duck grower bag of feed. Figured it’s been cold at night off & on, so we’ll probably go through it by the time it’s warm at night as well as during the day.
But it’s been interesting to see them not go for the corn “candy”, like I’ve heard they like to do.

 

[Kiki]

Hi there everyone,

Just wondering if you could suggest reasons why my chickens are not wanting to eat their feed. I give them 20% laying pellets and also some cracked corn. A couple times a week I give them fresh veggie scraps, some oatmeal, bananas, or some meal worms. Mostly they just get pellets and corn. Their appetite has changed once the weather is warming up and they are laying more, but won't eat their pellets. I have even bought a new bag in case something was wrong with the other. Do I need to change it to a lower percentage layer pellet and/or increase the fresh food? They are acting like they are starving but yet don't want their pellets....Help!

This way of feeding is more than likely why your current bird is doing poorly

Please rethink how you feed your flock to prevent what you are dealing with now.

Feeding them a pelleted or crumbled feed only is better than feeding them daily treats.

 

[CrystalAnon]

This way of feeding is more than likely why your current bird is doing poorly

Please rethink how you feed your flock to prevent what you are dealing with now.

Feeding them a pelleted or crumbled feed only is better than feeding them daily treats.

I read in the post you quoted that this person is giving them treats a couple times a week. Not daily.
Why do you think there’s an issue with them not eating the pellets? I don’t understand what the “rethinking” would be in this situation.
I’m genuinely curious, since I’m dealing with a similar issue. I’m just not sure what you’re referring to, other than the daily treats thing, which she says she’s not doing.
Thank you!

 

[TRALALARA1]

My chickens free range about half the day. In the last couple of weeks the Mayflies have been thick. They have gorged themselves on them every day. They still want their pellets but are eating way less. I’ve also been working in the garden and I don’t have it fenced completely yet. They love getting in there right after I turn the soil over and eating tons of worms. I’m amazed at how quick and how many they find. They also love certain kinds of plants. (Thus the fence around the garden). I’m pretty sure that this kind of diet is the most natural way for them to eat. I’m lucky though because I haven’t had too much trouble with predators other than a dog that we had adopted and he slipped his collar. Lost one of my roosters.