Flock Blocks- they are tasty!

[journey11]

I bought one a few weeks ago to try it. The sales lady said it would last a long time. My 13 girls wore it out in just a few days!

 

[kla37]

Quote:
Love that idea! I'm gonna try it too!

 

[henney penny]

Flock blocks are great in the winter when they are inside so much it gives them something to peck at insead of each other.I keep one outside in the summer months dh built a holder for it with a rood and it last a bit longer in the rain.

 

[lynxs1981]

Mine love it. Plus the ones we get out here have grit and oyster in them.

 

[Larkin]

I'm looking for flock block around here with no luck. Has anyone used Horse block for their chickens. I just want them to have something other than my meat birds to pick at.

 

[elieugene6]

There is another post that includes recipes for homemade flock blocks. He is the link, I hope.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=111647

I didn't want to spend $12 on a flock block and I suppose this might cost me as much but can make with just about anything I have on hand.

 

[Dray67]

I have 5 hens, i get the flock block and drill a hole in it and hang it from the rafters with a rope. I hang it just about chicken head hight. My block last for 6-8 weeks.
I feed blue seal layer pellets freely in a hanging feeder, mixed with a little oyster shell, i toss scratch grain in the run when i visit the chickens, they free range about two hours every evening, and they get all of our table scrapes, left overs, trimings and pealings and garden spoil. They are heavy and thick and densly feathered. I get 4 eggs a day from my flock of 5.
Dave

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
They won't eat a lot of it, that's the interesting thing about it. LIke I said, they treat it like a lollypopr. They are too hungry in the morning and evening to try and chip teeny pieces off the flock block; they want FOOD!!!!! They chip away at the flock block when they're bored or just want a snack.

 

[fldiver97]

I used one store bought block during the winter to relieve boredom......I only had 5 chickens at the time and it took them a couple of days to figure out that they had to peck quite a bit to get some seeds....I kept it in the coop and it lasted for a few weeks. Then I made one (there is a post with recipes for homemade flock blocks). Between the flock blocks and hanging a head of cabbage every now and again, putting some greens and veggies in a suet cage for birds and hanging it in the run the girls did well during winter. They stayed in coop and the covered run (I had lots of fall leaves in the run and they were able to scratch around in the leaves) almost all winter as they did not like to wander out in the snow. I was worried they would start pecking each other but they had enough space and distraction that they seemed happy enough despite the long winter in WI.

 

[Akane]

Until the snow coats the ground mine would hardly touch a flock block. It would sit there for 3 months or more even when placed right next to their favorite dust bathing/hangout spot. They only ate it when there wasn't better stuff around and they were bored.