Hens

[ilovemychickens697]

When I feed my hens, I give them food, oyster, grit, and corn. The hens pick through it and only eat the food. They leave all the grit, oyster, and corn in the feeder. Is there anything I can do about this? I’m not sure why they don’t eat the corn because the eat scratch grains with corn in it? Any ideas?

 

[pozees2]

I offer oyster shell and grit free choice in its own dish, so the girls can eat what they need, when they need it. They don't need extra corn, but you can offer it as a treat, our birds get a little scratch every day, and cracked corn is one of the components of the scratch, but it's a treat, they don't need it, there's usually plenty of corn in their regular feed.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Grit and oyster shell should definitely be served on the side, so the chickens can take it when they need it.

The corn is a treat so if they're not eating it, really no reason to add it in at all.

 

[ilovemychickens697]

I offer oyster shell and grit free choice in its own dish, so the girls can eat what they need, when they need it. They don't need extra corn, but you can offer it as a treat, our birds get a little scratch every day, and cracked corn is one of the components of the scratch, but it's a treat, they don't need it, there's usually plenty of corn in their regular feed.

Okay, thanks. That helps. What if they won’t eat the grit and oyster shell that is a free choice? Does that mean they don’t need it, or should I buy food with it already in it?

 

[ilovemychickens697]

Grit and oyster shell should definitely be served on the side, so the chickens can take it when they need it.

The corn is a treat so if they're not eating it, really no reason to add it in at all.

Thanks

 

[aart]

or should I buy food with it already in it?

Nope...

Grit and oyster shell should definitely be served on the side, so the chickens can take it when they need it.

The corn is a treat so if they're not eating it, really no reason to add it in at all.

This^^^

 

[Timothy Menezes]

The grit and Oyster shell are not in the feed. They are essential to their diet but only in very small amounts, just like salt is essential in yours. They only eat a tiny bit, that's why it's better not to mix them into their feed.

 

[pozees2]

Okay, thanks. That helps. What if they won’t eat the grit and oyster shell that is a free choice? Does that mean they don’t need it, or should I buy food with it already in it?

Pullets and hens in lay will eat what they need of oyster shell, and sometimes it's such a small amount you don't notice it until one day you notice the dish is nearly empty. I try to keep debris out of the dish of oyster shell, brush or blow off the top, and every week or two will dump the remainder on the ground and fill it with fresh, cleaning the dish first if it's dirty (which it often is). Grit, if they are on the ground daily, they may not need at all, they will pick up what they need as they peck about. I did have one group that thought the chick grit was yummy for a couple of weeks, when they were in transition from being in a pen full time, I was putting them outside in a run during the day and putting them back into the pen at night. They went in and went straight to the grit dish like it was a treat.