Do you feed your hens by hand daily or keep a feeder full?

[chicamama]

Trying to lure my chickens home when I call. Thinking food/ dinner may play a role?
(by hand I mean tossing out a layer of mash on the ground)

 

[ozark hen]

I do both. Feeder is never empty.

 

[arlee453]

Both... I keep their feeder full, and when I want to call them in the run for the night I just grab a handful of the pellets and scatter them on the ground and say 'here chick chick'.

They all come running like I'm handing out chicken chocolates or something. Silly chickens! They fall for it everytime.

 

[Beekissed]

Continuous feeder when in their run, evening feeding only when free ranged. That way they are more interested in foraging and can still go to bed with a full belly if they didn't find enough to eat! Also, they will keep the weight on more if eating before bedtime.

 

[spook]

Full feeder 24/7 Layer pellets, full waterer. I do have a yellow feed bucket and have used it since day one, even if I carry 1 slice of bread. Then when they see the yellow bucket or the shaking of it by the handle, they are food driven and come running! For fun treats, cooked carrots, peas, pasta or grass seed from the local organic store (if its a farm store, I am afraid I would not pic up the correct stuff and chemicals). I do make them eat out of my hands with treats. Keeps their interest longer and I then can see if someone is not as enthusiastic or limping. Hope this helps, have a wonderful day all of yoU!

 

[chicamama]

Quote:
That's interesting. I specific bucket! I will get the brightest one I can find!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I use a black rubber bucket and they still come running. I only have their usual food in it but they think it is neat to jump on the sides and look in for something different when I set it down to scoop out and refill any feeders that need it. .
I suppose I should surprise them one day with some worms in it. That would blow their little chickie minds.

 

[xanaxnation]

i keep their food dish full and give them little treats at night when i get home from work. i walk in the back yard and say "hi girls" and they come running

 

[porteryork]

I give mine meal worms on Sunday and they recognize the container. They line up like good girls and we go into the coop for a rousing game of chase the chicken with the worm!

 

[Robin L]

Feeder always full and treats gving threw out the day. I live close to my in laws and when they go into thier yard I just step out the back door and call "Chickens" and they come running to see what I got. Its so funny to see them run.
(All I have to do is step out the back door and they come, always give treats when I go out but if they miss me coming out they hear me calling and come) MIL thinks its funny to have me calling chickens and wonder if she dont bait them over there