I FOUND OUT WHY MY HENS AREN'T LAYING!!!!!! :)

[cjeanean]

So pretty much any meat scraps other than chicken??? What about cooked meat scraps??? I've never fed them anything other than raw fish, so I'm in the dark about whether there are any specific meats to avoid....Thanks again, everyone!!!

 

[MissPrissy]

Whatever you have left over in the kitchen. Cooked or raw. They like them both.

 

[ruth]

Don't know why they couldn't eat chicken - they'll eat one another alive if given the chance. I've seen mine catch and eat mice and one grabbed a bat that was on the ground and took off with it with everyone else in hot pursuit (I was able to get the bat away from them). They are raptors, omnivores, meat-eaters - don't let that sweet disposition and fuzzy butt fool you.

We have lots of lunch meats that go uneaten, DH is always buying and opening another pack before he finishes the first and then there are sevaral packs in fridge and you don't know which is freshest - so - I just dice it all up and feed it to the chickens. They LOVE it.

 

[MissPrissy]

I do, Ruth.

I don't usually explicitely state it because so many people get all ruffled up and upset.

 

[spook]

Quote:
Lizards? Um, really. Now not to question your authority MissPrissy but wouldn't cat food, dry or wet have to much sodium in it for the hens? I have to have one of our cats on special diet of cat food that is sodium free and make sure he gets no treats due to his "Urinary Crystals".
Even boughten chicken has to much sodium for the guy so we feed him home grown chicken meat that has been cooked, roasted.

I give our girls meat scraps and table food - we eat low/no sodium due to my mothers heart condition. But Oatmeal has 7 grams of protien in each 1/2 cup serving and a lot of things like yogurt, cottage cheese and soy. Good luck , I gave mine fat and finish, higher protein and fat. They did well on it, feathers look wonderful. Now its cooler weather, I mix a few of those into their layer mash and so far so good!

 

[cjeanean]

I've actually heard the same thing about the sodium level, but I would only be giving it to them as a temporary supplement, which is why I'm sure she suggested it. Also, they wouldn't be getting very much....Now if I was going to be giving it to them long term or in large amounts I could see that being a problem....I may be wrong, though....

 

[MissPrissy]

It is not an every day full on feed. It is a temporary addition to.

Left on their own they will steal all sorts of food from other animals. I don't worry over it.

I also don't feed chickens with intent to live 20 years. They retire within 3 - 5years here.

 

[2chickenrich]

will the salt in tuna and sardines hurt them ? Just a thought.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Ain't that the truth! I don't think the dog or the cat have had a full meal since the chickens started free-ranging; the goat either for that matter! They're learning eat it quick or surrender it to the chooks.

 

[Bec]

So how long do they not lay eggs with molting?