Girls dont like my treats 😞

[PurpleChicken99]

Hello!

I am finding that my 2 hens will not entertain the idea of eating the dried mealworms, crickets and grasshoppers that I offer.

I see vids of people throwing them out there and the girls gobbling them up - mine? Nope.

They dont like cracked corn either, which worries me for the winter, as I heard they should eat that to stay warm.

I offer them canned crickets and fresh mealworms and of course they will happily gobble those up... same with fresh corn and veggies....

What can I do to encourage them to eat the dried offerings?

Thanks much!

 

[Pork Pie]

Maybe add 10 % of the food you would like them to consider treats to the treats they actually like, and then gradually increase the percentage of the former until they just receive (and like) the treats of your preference
I only used to treats to lure my flock to the run / coop if I was going out for a while, so treats have their uses but providing your flock gets some proprietary feed they should be fine, imo.

 

[NatJ]

They dont like cracked corn either, which worries me for the winter, as I heard they should eat that to stay warm.

If they have a properly balanced chicken food, they do not need to eat extra cracked corn in the winter. Eating more of their usual food will work just as well to keep them warm.

I think the advice about cracked corn is from a time when people did not plan to feed their chickens at all during most of the year, because the chickens were expected to forage for their own food. But when the weather got snowy in the winter, providing some food (like cracked corn) was better than having the chickens starve. In that specific situation, yes cracked corn was a big improvement. But compared to a modern commercial chicken feed, cracked corn is not better.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Probably better for their health that they don't like them. Not a big deal.

 

[nuthatched]

They don't need treats at all, the corn=warmth thing is 100% myth.

 

[PurpleChicken99]

If they have a properly balanced chicken food, they do not need to eat extra cracked corn in the winter. Eating more of their usual food will work just as well to keep them warm.

I think the advice about cracked corn is from a time when people did not plan to feed their chickens at all during most of the year, because the chickens were expected to forage for their own food. But when the weather got snowy in the winter, providing some food (like cracked corn) was better than having the chickens starve. In that specific situation, yes cracked corn was a big improvement. But compared to a modern commercial chicken feed, cracked corn is not better.

Ok, thank you, I have them on a good laying feed, I feel better knowing it *should* be sufficient. I am also going to try the suggestion above to start mixing the treats to encourage them to try the dried ones. I am using the treats more to get them to let me get near them and touch them (its working) as they are abit skittish still with me

 

[NatJ]

Ok, thank you, I have them on a good laying feed, I feel better knowing it *should* be sufficient. I am also going to try the suggestion above to start mixing the treats to encourage them to try the dried ones. I am using the treats more to get them to let me get near them and touch them (its working) as they are abit skittish still with me

Have you tried making a bit of wet mash? It's just chicken food and water, but chickens usually love it after they have it once or twice.

With most treats, you have to be careful that the chickens do not eat too many treats, skip their usual food, and become unhealthy. With wet mash made from their usual feed, you don't have to worry about that, because it is really the same thing. Eating it wet or dry will not change the nutrition they are getting.

 

[PurpleChicken99]

Have you tried making a bit of wet mash? It's just chicken food and water, but chickens usually love it after they have it once or twice.

With most treats, you have to be careful that the chickens do not eat too many treats, skip their usual food, and become unhealthy. With wet mash made from their usual feed, you don't have to worry about that, because it is really the same thing. Eating it wet or dry will not change the nutrition they are getting.

This is a good suggestion, I will try this, thank you!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Have you tried making a bit of wet mash? It's just chicken food and water, but chickens usually love it after they have it once or twice.

With most treats, you have to be careful that the chickens do not eat too many treats, skip their usual food, and become unhealthy. With wet mash made from their usual feed, you don't have to worry about that, because it is really the same thing. Eating it wet or dry will not change the nutrition they are getting.

Mine like both. But I never know when! Sometimes they turn their beaks up at the mash, and sometimes they refuse the dry. So I just offer both.

Chickens. *sigh*

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If they have treats they like already, why switch them to something different?

The only reason I give my birds daily treats is to gather them round for a quick visual inspection. Then if I see something that concerns me, I'll check that bird out more thoroughly after they've gone to roost. So ... dirty butt feathers? Missing feathers where there shouldn't be? Scaly-looking legs? Limping? Anything out of the ordinary. As long as you can get your flock to gaher round when you call, IMO it doesn't matter if they're coming for cracked corn or yogurt-covered raisins, just so they come. (Okay, yeah, it might matter from a nutritional standpoint but you get the idea.)