i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[pollipazzi]

Mine are not at all keen on wind and are generally less active at the moment weather and moulting).
They go to bed early too.

do you find they're changing what they like to eat?

 

[alinas2010]

Mine are also a lot less active right now with molt and chilly weather. I try to get them out into the yard for sunshine and they stand in covered/shaded areas of the yard anyways they don’t move around and graze and get into things nearly as much as in the summer.

They’re also eating significantly less than during summer, which makes sense with not having to produce eggs. And not feeling the best during molt. If I feel their crops are completely flat at bedtime I hold up a bowl of mushy feed and scrambled eggs or tuna or some other protein for them to eat on. With doing that usually I can get them to eat until their crops are about half full at least. It takes me a while of standing there passing a bowl around but I don’t want them to get cold going to bed with empty crops. Food must taste better at bed time I guess.

 

[pollipazzi]

Mine are also a lot less active right now with molt and chilly weather. I try to get them out into the yard for sunshine and they stand in covered/shaded areas of the yard anyways they don’t move around and graze and get into things nearly as much as in the summer.

They’re also eating significantly less than during summer, which makes sense with not having to produce eggs. And not feeling the best during molt. If I feel their crops are completely flat at bedtime I hold up a bowl of mushy feed and scrambled eggs or tuna or some other protein for them to eat on. With doing that usually I can get them to eat until their crops are about half full at least. It takes me a while of standing there passing a bowl around but I don’t want them to get cold going to bed with empty crops. Food must taste better at bed time I guess.

that's good to know too! thanks!

 

[BDutch]

do you find they're changing what they like to eat?

Mine shift their feed preferences too. They eat less chick crumble now and more layer pellets. Strange bc none of them lay eggs at the moment.

I never check their crops. Chickens surely know when they need food. Feed is available 24/7. I give mixed grains and a few mealworms before or around roost time. To be sure they can go to roost with a full crop. Late autumn and winter a bit more mealworms, in summer way less. Sometimes they get simple left overs including cheese crust, rice, spaghetti, bread, cooked veggies.

The feed I buy is organic feed, because this is healthier than ordinary cheap feed. More expensive but I don’t spend any money on extra eggs, tuna or any other expensive not-meant-for-chickens feed.

 

[RoyalChick]

do you find they're changing what they like to eat?

I have often had hens that changed their eating habits during moult, but at the moment I can't say that is the case.