Hen refuses to eat feed, wheat, corn, but eats other foods without issue

[orelsi]

I have a curios case that I have not bumped into before. One of my hens refuses to touch the chicken feed, wheat and corn, but would eat eggs, meat, veggies, etc. treats. We were not giving her too many treats (I know this would be asked). She just stopped eating the feed one day and was literally starving. Anything else she devours. There is nothing wrong with the feed - all the other chickens eat it and I have tried 3 different brands just in case. We managed to trick her ONCE to eat feed mixed with yogurt. At this point she lives off scrambled eggs, yogurt and the occasional sausage plus whatever veggies she gets. I give her vitamins to compensate for any potential deficiencies, but it's not a sustainable long-term plan.

She's a 5 year old mixed breed and is healthy for her age. She stopped laying a year ago. She has no worms, mites, illnesses of any kind, etc., so that's not a concern. Her feathers are gorgeous and her behavior is normal.

She did have sour crop several months before that, but it was fully treated.

Any ideas? Has anyone encountered such behavior?

 

[Anon112]

How strange!

Have you tried a fermented feed? Maybe there's something textural she doesn't like.

Also, just to ask the obvious: have you tried feeding her different brands of feed?

 

[orelsi]

How strange!

Have you tried a fermented feed? Maybe there's something textural she doesn't like.

Also, just to ask the obvious: have you tried feeding her different brands of feed?

Yes to both. Tried 3 different brands with somewhat different ingredients.

I'm scratching my head on this one

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a curios case that I have not bumped into before. One of my hens refuses to touch the chicken feed, wheat and corn, but would eat eggs, meat, veggies, etc. treats. We were not giving her too many treats (I know this would be asked). She just stopped eating the feed one day and was literally starving. Anything else she devours. There is nothing wrong with the feed - all the other chickens eat it and I have tried 3 different brands just in case. We managed to trick her ONCE to eat feed mixed with yogurt. At this point she lives off scrambled eggs, yogurt and the occasional sausage plus whatever veggies she gets. I give her vitamins to compensate for any potential deficiencies, but it's not a sustainable long-term plan.

She's a 5 year old mixed breed and is healthy for her age. She stopped laying a year ago. She has no worms, mites, illnesses of any kind, etc., so that's not a concern. Her feathers are gorgeous and her behavior is normal.

She did have sour crop several months before that, but it was fully treated.

Any ideas? Has anyone encountered such behavior?

This reminds me of my hen Hazel, into her second year (I think, 16-17 months old), and her first real molt which was a very hard one. She began not eating before her molt was obvious I think. Already a slim hen, she became severely under-conditioned. She wanted to only forage. She wasn't acting sick, she was very active, vigorously foraging, and only wanted to eat dandelion leaves and worms and whatever she was digging up. She would try other things I offered and eat a little and then refuse it next time.

She appeared to prefer protein foods and hand-feeding. So I fed her salt-free sardines which she did eat if I made it into small pieces; small amounts of greek yogurt; walnut bits; meal worms; I'd find her dandelion leaves, which was the only non-protein-ish thing she loved. Sometimes she'd eat scrambled eggs. It helped to rotate through things so she was experiencing variety. Needless to say, her flockmates loved everything and thought this was a great turn of events. But their frenzy did help in taking advantage of her natural drive to be and eat with others.

 

[orelsi]

This reminds me of my hen Hazel, into her second year (I think, 16-17 months old), and her first real molt which was a very hard one. She began not eating before her molt was obvious I think. Already a slim hen, she became severely under-conditioned. She wanted to only forage. She wasn't acting sick, she was very active, vigorously foraging, and only wanted to eat dandelion leaves and worms and whatever she was digging up. She would try other things I offered and eat a little and then refuse it next time.

She appeared to prefer protein foods and hand-feeding. So I fed her salt-free sardines which she did eat if I made it into small pieces; small amounts of greek yogurt; walnut bits; meal worms; I'd find her dandelion leaves, which was the only non-protein-ish thing she loved. Sometimes she'd eat scrambled eggs. It helped to rotate through things so she was experiencing variety. Needless to say, her flockmates loved everything and thought this was a great turn of events. But their frenzy did help in taking advantage of her natural drive to be and eat with others.

So she started eating normally after some time?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Are you feeding pellets or crumble?

How about turning it into mash with some hot water? I aim for slight oatmeal consistency.

Wondering if she has some apprehension with harder foods after her sour crop experience.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

So she started eating normally after some time?

Yes, she went back to the feed - pellets - and gained her (slim) weight back after her molt was finished. She is normally an under-conditioned hen, but she was really starving then (keel test).

My hens love rolled oats.

Hazel still has distinct tastes though - she loves walnuts but will not touch sunflower seeds and looks really disappointed when she finds that's what's on offer (so I try to get her a few walnut bits behind my back out of view of the others).

You might try what's called Exact Baby Bird formula. I did tube-feed a different ill hen with this after getting training by a vet, and it is effective for keeping a bird alive. You can buy it in a 7 oz pouch just to try. I mixed it up and then mixed it in yogurt when not tube-feeding. It has a sticky consistency by itself that they sometimes don't like when eating it orally.

 

[orelsi]

Are you feeding pellets or crumble?

How about turning it into mash with some hot water? I aim for slight oatmeal consistency.

Wondering if she has some apprehension with harder foods after her sour crop experience.

Tried all of those, yes. Mixed with stuff, soaked, pellets, crumble, etc.

 

[thecatumbrella]

Tried all of those, yes. Mixed with stuff, soaked, pellets, crumble, etc.

Last thought would be is there any chance she's getting bullied off the feeders?

If she were mine, I'd pop her in the broody breaker for a day or two so her options are: eat (actual chicken food), drink, or sit on a perch. It feels a bit mean, but if she's capable of eating other foods and is otherwise healthy, I'd be suspect that she's taking advantage of my goodwill to get treats.

I've had birds be really stubborn with food strikes because they were holding out for the good stuff.

Edited to add: this also gives you a chance to observe her for health issues and lets her eat uninterrupted from the rest of the flock.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I have a curios case that I have not bumped into before. One of my hens refuses to touch the chicken feed, wheat and corn, but would eat eggs, meat, veggies, etc. treats. We were not giving her too many treats (I know this would be asked). She just stopped eating the feed one day and was literally starving. Anything else she devours. There is nothing wrong with the feed - all the other chickens eat it and I have tried 3 different brands just in case. We managed to trick her ONCE to eat feed mixed with yogurt. At this point she lives off scrambled eggs, yogurt and the occasional sausage plus whatever veggies she gets. I give her vitamins to compensate for any potential deficiencies, but it's not a sustainable long-term plan.

She's a 5 year old mixed breed and is healthy for her age. She stopped laying a year ago. She has no worms, mites, illnesses of any kind, etc., so that's not a concern. Her feathers are gorgeous and her behavior is normal.

She did have sour crop several months before that, but it was fully treated.

Any ideas? Has anyone encountered such behavior?

My last thought is that the sour crop cause, whatever it was, could be the issue, making her picky. Do you know if she is losing weight or maintaining on your diet for her?

Her poo is totally normal?