Did I spoil my chickens?

[TheGuyFamily]

We got our 4 barred Plymouth Rock hens about 2 weeks ago. They are 1.5 years old. We got them from a family who kept them as pets/suburban backyard chickens. They realized they didn't have a good space for them, living in an open development and wanted to give them a good home with lots of space. Anyways, they had been giving them purina layer pellets so we continued (they gave us a bag and that's what we have been using). However, we also gave them scratch and a seed based "happy hen" treat often the first week or so we had them. I noticed they dont eat much of the feed I give them (that's always available in a hanging feeder in their coop). But, they are obsessed with the scratch and squak at me for it, but now I am only really using that to get them back in their coop at night and a little in the morning as a treat. They follow me around and just want scratch! I am worried they aren't getting enough nutrition. I have given them various veggies and greens and scraps, and they peck at it but don't seem to care. Did I spoil them, and now they are holding out for treats all the time? I would love some advice. I want to make sure they are happy and healthy!!

Oh, and they don't free range. They have about 550 sq feet of space for their pen that they have access to from 5am to 8:30pm.

 

[TheGuyFamily]

Also, we have clearly never owned chickens ! total beginners here!

 

[junebuggena]

Chicks that young should be fed a chick starter or a flock raiser type feed. Layer feed has way too much calcium in it and not enough protein. It can cause serious, long term health and development problems if you continue with it. Scratch should fed like it's treat. You need to stop giving them goodies until they start eating their chick feed. A proper balance of nutrients is vital for their long term health. Once they start eating an appropriate for their age feed well, you can start to introduce treats back. But be sure to offer grit if you feed them something other than a chick feed. Treats should be no more than 10% of their daily diet. While they are still young and have so much growing to do, eating the right food is what is most important.

 

[DigMyChicks]

They can't have pellets at 1.5 years...or did I misread it?

 

[junebuggena]

Sorry, I read the OP as 1.5 weeks. I guess that's what happens when my kids are all screaming at each other, makes my brain all fuzzy.

 

[Bateleur]

One of my 2 year old hens is in a similar spot. She absolutely refuses to eat her layer feed (which she's otherwise regularly eaten for most of her life) but devours treats. I've been keeping her inside her hutch in the house for at least a month because she's been fighting bumblefoot and I'm worried about her bandages getting dirty out in the yard while she's still recovering. I worry that I may have spoiled her with treats trying to keep her morale up and that stress may be involved as well. But not even mixing the feed with yummy stuff such as applesauce and yogurt is really working (she'll peck at it but not eat much of it), much less denying her treats and leaving her with only feed. She's dropped at least a pound so I'm worried.

Since she hasn't been producing eggs anyways due to her illness and not eating her feed, should I try temporarily giving her a non-layer feed mixed with the layer?