Hungry All the Time

[ChicknsRock]

Hello. I recently bought a pair of leghorn bantams. The hen has a bottomless pit; she's always hungry! No matter how much or how often I feed her, she's always wanting more. She gets out of her pen and goes around stealing corn from other chickens and the feedshed. What do I do? Can anything be done?
Thanks.

 

[pdirt]

Quote: Nothing really. She's pretty picky, so she doesn't like leftovers as the other chickens do. But she does like grass, ferns, and bread crumbs.

Since coming to the backyard chicken world, I've come to learn that there are quite a few people who feed their chickens nothing but corn. Asked why they do this, it's usually something along the lines, "That's what everyone around here does...or that's what my grandma always did and her chickens did fine." But nutritionally speaking, corn alone is just not enough for a chicken to thrive on. It's missing much protein and some vital vitamins and minerals...things that can only come from a varied diet. They may "survive", but unless they have ample access year round to lots of bugs and green forage, they simply are not getting enough nutrition. Someone on BYC once wrote a very good article about how "grandpa's" free range land is quite different from today's...grandpa's chickens (whom he only fed corn to) where thriving more because the forage was much better than it is today. Better in ways we haven't really noticed or paid attention to.

Try it yourself...go an entire month eating nothing but corn and see how you feel. Allow yourself to get full on the corn. I bet after a few days of this you will find yourself hungry, because your body is craving for nutrition it's not getting from the corn.

 

[justplainbatty]

Hello. I recently bought a pair of leghorn bantams. The hen has a bottomless pit; she's always hungry! No matter how much or how often I feed her, she's always wanting more. She gets out of her pen and goes around stealing corn from other chickens and the feedshed. What do I do? Can anything be done?
Thanks.

Have they been de wormed?

 

[ChicknsRock]

Quote: No, not that I know of.

 

[justplainbatty]

Try it. It's something that should be done anyway especially if they are new to your flock.

 

[ChicknsRock]

Okay.

 

[pdirt]

Yeah, I'm not the worming type (we don't have much for worms in this dry area), but that's what I first thought of, too, worms. She might be eating for herself and a few thousand little wigglers!

There are several good worming threads. I don't recall what is recommended by most. I thought it was Valzaban (sp?). I think @casportpony has good knowledge and recommendation of worming medicine and dosages.

Some chickens are just less thrifty with feed...they eat more for their weight that other chickens do, but this sounds like it is more than just that.

 

[aart]

First off.......exactly what and how are you feeding them??

 

[ChicknsRock]

They get a breakfast in the morning with the other chickens of regular corn. Sometimes I give them another can in the evening.

 

[aart]

They get a breakfast in the morning with the other chickens of regular corn. Sometimes I give them another can in the evening.

You're feeding them canned corn??
No wonder she's hungry!!

Get a nutritionally balanced chicken feed and have it available 24/7.


I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and all molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

The higher protein crumble offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.