How quickly do chickens age?

[Scatty Hatti]

Hi everyone
I have started the campaign to increase their layers and cut back on treats cos I am sure you're right, they are slowing down because they are lacking in the right food. Put down a bowl of really scrummy pellets (!) just now and they just looked up at me as if to say 'what the....?' Then walked away, very sniffy. Talk about put on the pressure! Never mind, I ignored them and left them to it.

 

[Altairsky]

How quickly do chickens age?​

Depends on the breed.
High production breeds like Isa brown are already old at 2 years, while heritage dual purpose breeds can easily reach 7-8 years without major health issues.

 

[AinaWGSD]

Hi everyone
I have started the campaign to increase their layers and cut back on treats cos I am sure you're right, they are slowing down because they are lacking in the right food. Put down a bowl of really scrummy pellets (!) just now and they just looked up at me as if to say 'what the....?' Then walked away, very sniffy. Talk about put on the pressure! Never mind, I ignored them and left them to it.

Have you tried soaking the pellets to make a mash? Most chickens go nuts for that, even if all you did was add water. You can also ferment it (there's a lot of threads on fermenting feed)

 

[NatJ]

Have you tried soaking the pellets to make a mash? Most chickens go nuts for that, even if all you did was add water.

Good point.

If these birds would be happy with mash, they could get mash as a "treat" and have dry layer pellets available in case they get hungry in between "treats." That would give them the nutrition they need at all times.

They will probably continue to forage for some other things, but I would completely stop providing all the other treat foods or supplements. Just layer pellets, dry or wet, plus plain water, plus whatever they manage to forage.

 

[Scatty Hatti]

Thanks guys. So far today have not touched their pellets. They do forage though (large back yard with gravel, soil, shrubs, trees etc) and are feeding on short cut grass. I will try wetting the pellets but I did before and they turned up their noses then...but will give it another go. Othewise, to be honest, they seem OK. Not laying, but pottering about, getting up to mischief, look healthy enough, not thin and so on. Just seem to lie down quite a bit, thats all. Will continue to monitor. Thanks for suggestions so far everyone - I am taking them seriously.

 

[NatJ]

Thanks guys. So far today have not touched their pellets. They do forage though (large back yard with gravel, soil, shrubs, trees etc) and are feeding on short cut grass. I will try wetting the pellets but I did before and they turned up their noses then...but will give it another go. Othewise, to be honest, they seem OK. Not laying, but pottering about, getting up to mischief, look healthy enough, not thin and so on. Just seem to lie down quite a bit, thats all. Will continue to monitor. Thanks for suggestions so far everyone - I am taking them seriously.

For wetting pellets, I would try a very small amount at first, and if they don't eat it, do another small amount several times over the next few days. That gives them time to think about it, maybe take a bite and think some more, without large amounts of wet food sitting there to grow mold or otherwise spoil.

Just to check, how long have you had the pellets? Have you checked to make sure they are not moldy or otherwise unfit to eat?

 

[Scatty Hatti]

Hi NatJ,
Thanks for reply. I am away 3 weeks and wont give my neighbour the hassle of wetting their food, simply give them pellets with a tiny amount of treats so as not to shock them too much. Pellets have been here since September, trouble here in UK is you usually have to buy a 20Kg bag and I only have 2 girls. Theyve been in a coolish (but not damp) room and I would be surprised if they are mouldy. But maybe. A friend has some chickens as well, if needs be I will email him and ask him to lend my neighbour some fresh pellets just to see.
When I get back I'll try the wetting experiment.

 

[NatJ]

Hi NatJ,
Thanks for reply. I am away 3 weeks and wont give my neighbour the hassle of wetting their food, simply give them pellets with a tiny amount of treats so as not to shock them too much. Pellets have been here since September, trouble here in UK is you usually have to buy a 20Kg bag and I only have 2 girls. Theyve been in a coolish (but not damp) room and I would be surprised if they are mouldy. But maybe. A friend has some chickens as well, if needs be I will email him and ask him to lend my neighbour some fresh pellets just to see.
When I get back I'll try the wetting experiment.

That all makes sense. It's so easy to say "do this" without considering how practical it is!

By the time you get back, the chickens might have decided they can just eat dry pellets, which would make life easier

 

[Bawkbok]

Everyone here has given you great advice. Provide dry feed with wet mash (wet feed) once or twice daily. They will eat the feed eventually when they get hungry enough. If you are still providing junk food, I'm sorry, for lack of a better description, they will not be hungry enough to eat the formulated feed which provides the nutrients they need. Provide oyster shell on the side at all times as an option.

You may want to try offering the feed in crumbles version to see if they will eat that. It is much smaller than the pellets. Same food and nutrient content, just different shape and size.

 

[PrettyChicky25]

Hi everyone
I have started the campaign to increase their layers and cut back on treats cos I am sure you're right, they are slowing down because they are lacking in the right food. Put down a bowl of really scrummy pellets (!) just now and they just looked up at me as if to say 'what the....?' Then walked away, very sniffy. Talk about put on the pressure! Never mind, I ignored them and left them to it.

I'm really glad you posted this because my bantam stopped laying like 6 weeks ago too. I found her outside 2 years ago and I think she was young or a baby when I found her because her comb was small. She had coccidia though so the sickness may have made her comb smaller. I feed my parrots and dove nutriberries and my chicken eats them every day too. She does eat her layer feed but she wants what the other birds are having. She doesn't even want mealworms or black fly soldier larvae anymore and I think it's because the other birds don't eat them. She also insists on laying in her "nest" at night which is a pillowcase on top of a dog bed. She used to sleep on a perch in my bathroom but 6 weeks ago she decided she needed her nest. It's strange but she seems okay. She's lost a little weight but nothing crazy. I wonder if she can live like this forever. I thought maybe she was just lonely because she's the only chicken but I'm home all day and she's always with me or the other birds. Anyone have any input?