hay, treats, and bathing

[hchorselover]

hey there long time no post

anyway I have LOTS of questions

1. do your chickens like hay? I put hay in there run today and they FREAKED out they hate it so much they won't even step on it to come out of the run so I'm just letting them stay under their house and maybe they will get used to it...

2. do they like happyhens mealworms? my wont even taste them

3. two of my chickens have a a big clump of poo stuck to there tailfeathers

(don't worry they can still go and are healthy) do you think I should bathe them or will it just come out?

sorry for all the questions, thanks in advance

 

[aprhardy]

I can help on #1 & #2, but not sure about #3.

To answer #1: Mine LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!

I have 2 hens who'd rather spend time in the nest boxes fluffing the hay, and one who spends all day collecting the hay the others knock out of the box putting in back into her box. Silly hens!

To answer #2: I never tried the dried worms, but they love the fresh live ones I get from Petsmart for them. Even my baby chicks love them. I get either the giant meal worms, or wax worms. For the little ones I get all the above and crickets. They all love them!! I've never seen my chickens so excited over anything else!

Hope this helps! I usually spend about 20$ a week on treats and that's about 100+ crickets, 100 wax worms, and 70 giant meal worms. Some weeks I feel extra kind and will double it.

 

[sunnyvera]

#1 - We throw hay in their large run because all the rain has made it so muddy. They like to scratch and dig in it. We just throw it in in piles and let them have the fun of spreading it around. Our young Roo will even sit on the hay pile like "king of the hill" surveying all the girls around him. It is funny. We trimmed pampas grasses and such and throw that in there too. It makes it nice and dry for their feet. I am thinking it will encourage worms and bugs to live in there, more fun for the hens.

#2 - I raise mealworms and everyone loves them. The babies in the brooder even like the resulting beetles. Any kind of worm is a reason to smile for them.

#3 - One of my hens had a splash of poo on her hind fluff (not bothering her going though). I made a note of it, 2 days later it was gone. I never did have to deal with it. I would have no problem having her sit in a warm tub and washing her bum. I think she would let me too. To me, the cleaner the better.

 

[dawg53]

1. Yes, my chickens are used to hay. Give yours time, they will get used to it.
2. Mine love happyhen mealworm treats, including the chicks. Try mixing it in their regular feed or a different treat that they love.
3. I recommend that you use warm water to help dissolve and remove poop from their rear end. Trim down the fluff with scissors, this will eliminate the problem.