Feeding chickens

[Nancy Harp]

Hi Friends.. need help. As new chicken owner with no knowledge of what to do. I have let my chickens free range in my back yard. Now I have no grass and put chicks back in coop area. I hung a feeder and put in a waterer but they appear as tho they are starving. I also put corn in as a filler with the laying pellets but don't know how to provide greens. They are picky about lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and just about all fresh veggies... what do I do?

 

[21hens-incharge]

How old are the birds?
Why the added corn?
What feed are you using?

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

Please do not offer them free access to corn. It is empty calories and they need formulated chick feed. I would recommned an All flock feed with oyster shell in a separate container for your layers. If your chicks aren;t eating the feed, try making a mash with warm water......My gals love it!!!!
You could hang suet style feeders, filled with fresh greens and fruit and even hang cabbage or broccoli for them to peck at.....as long as they have access to grit!

 

[BuffOrps32]

Hi Friends.. need help. As new chicken owner with no knowledge of what to do. I have let my chickens free range in my back yard. Now I have no grass and put chicks back in coop area. I hung a feeder and put in a waterer but they appear as tho they are starving. I also put corn in as a filler with the laying pellets but don't know how to provide greens. They are picky about lettuce, carrots, tomatoes and just about all fresh veggies... what do I do?

My chickens like strawberries and melon skins with just a bit of fruit on it. Just toss them in, they'll turn it into their own game of chase and then they won't pick on each other. As @Chick-N-Fun said, corn is empty calories. You should only offer in winter when it is cold so they have food to keep their systems go to make heat. Other times in the year you should give fresh fruit and veggies. They ate the grass due to hunger, how much do you feed?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Were you not giving regular feed while they roamed your yard?

 

[A_Fowl_Guy]

My chickens like strawberries and melon skins with just a bit of fruit on it. Just toss them in, they'll turn it into their own game of chase and then they won't pick on each other. As @Chick-N-Fun said, corn is empty calories. You should only offer in winter when it is cold so they have food to keep their systems go to make heat. Other times in the year you should give fresh fruit and veggies. They ate the grass due to hunger, how much do you feed?

Corn actually does nothing to produce heat in the body during winter. It’s an old wives tale. If you feed with a complete feed they will have more energy to keep them warm. Again corn does nothing to help the bird and should only account for 10% of a treat compared to their feed.

 

[BuffOrps32]

Corn actually does nothing to produce heat in the body during winter. It’s an old wives tale. If you feed with a complete feed they will have more energy to keep them warm. Again corn does nothing to help the bird and should only account for 10% of a treat compared to their feed.

Oh, my mother insists we use it, I've told her I don't think it is good

 

[123RedBeard]

Actually many chicken feed mills, produce most of their chicken feed with corn as either the first or second ingredients ... in the USA anyways ... so corn is not really all that bad ...

Read https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/thoughts-on-corn-in-poultry-feeds.1287063/

 

[21hens-incharge]

Actually many chicken feed mills, produce most of their chicken feed with corn as either the first or second ingredients ... in the USA anyways ... so corn is not really all that bad ...

Read https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/thoughts-on-corn-in-poultry-feeds.1287063/

Very true..... But it is still a myth that it keeps them warm in winter.

 

[aart]

Actually many chicken feed mills, produce most of their chicken feed with corn as either the first or second ingredients ... in the USA anyways ... so corn is not really all that bad

But adding plain corn to a diet may dilute other nutrients.

But it is still a myth that it keeps them warm in winter.

Not a myth, really, but how it's applied is a myth.
Any digestion will create 'heat'....but, I'll repeat, adding extra corn to a diet may dilute other nutrients.

My bird pack their crops before roosting, and their chicken ration contains corn....but also all the other nutrients they need.