Eating fruits but not greens

[Mrs. Foghorn Leghorn]

I'm still relatively new to being a chicken mom. This year's flock will be 6 hens. 4 are already old enough to be in their pen & coop. 2 more are still under lights for another week or two.

So, my question is this. My pullets love their crumbles, bread and fruit but I cannot get them to eat anything green from my garden. I tried even breaking kale, broccoli, cabbage, etc all into little pieces and still they will not touch it.

Can anybody suggest anything different than what I'm doing? Do some chickens never enjoy greens? Do you think when I have 6 hungry hens, their preferences will change when they feel the need to compete for food?

 

[Michael Apple]

I'm still relatively new to being a chicken mom. This year's flock will be 6 hens. 4 are already old enough to be in their pen & coop. 2 more are still under lights for another week or two.

So, my question is this. My pullets love their crumbles, bread and fruit but I cannot get them to eat anything green from my garden. I tried even breaking kale, broccoli, cabbage, etc all into little pieces and still they will not touch it.

Can anybody suggest anything different than what I'm doing? Do some chickens never enjoy greens? Do you think when I have 6 hungry hens, their preferences will change when they feel the need to compete for food?

Chickens get what they desire when they range. I grow fruits and vegetables, so I toss some kale, spinach, and an occasional tomato to them after they are feathered out and on range. I don't feed bread because it increases the risk of impacted crops. They get enough grain in their pellets. I keep the pasture grass and the grass in their yards cut for the same reason. If the chickens have enough grasses, herbs, and seeds to graze on, they won't show much interest in the greens we give them. Wait til Summer when the grass is dry and brown. Then they may show some interest in greens like kale.

 

[Mrs. Foghorn Leghorn]

Thank you so much for the info. I didn't know that about the bread.

As for my 'range' my chickens cannot have a large area to range because we are in a subdivision in FL. Our grass is dry now, but come late May, we will move into our rainy tropical season. The grass will be growing like crazy.

 

[viejachula1]

I have strawberries, tomatoes and lettuce in my gardens each year, and the hens love to fight over the strawberries that I toss their way! They hear my door open and see me walk onto the deck, and come running from all sides of the yards to get treats. If I get to many tomatoes to eat right away, or lettuce, I will cut it up and give to them. They also liked cooked oatmeal during the winter, or applesauce in the summer in a dish! Sometimes I will cook barley and take cold barley to them in the summer, or cold watermelon. But Roo has figured out how to jump over the fence into my strawberry patch, so I need to figure out a way to keep him out this year.

 

[mrsc1951]

Everyone has always said that their chickens love strawberries. Mine won't have anything to do with them. Never. I, too live in Florida and they are very cheap here now and every time I have some that are a little past prime I have put them out and the silly girls just turn their beaks up at them. Grapes, blackberries and blueberries they love, just won't touch strawberries. Funny isn't it how different their tastes run.

 

[coop-er]

This is a funny thread.... My chicks will fight over veggies, carrots, lettuce, parsley etc.... They will not touch any fruit- strawberries, apples or grapes strange.... I suppose tastes differ, just like people