Is it true chickens won't starve themselves to death?

[jemimarose]

My flock WILL NOT eat any commercial feed, including locally-grown, non-GMO mash. FRESHNESS AND BRAND AND PROTEIN CONTENT DO NOT MATTER, I've tried it all, so please don't suggest any of that.
At first I had the attitude that they could eat it or starve, but they were seriously losing weight in the winter. I read that eating certain things can help them stay warm in below-zero weather so I started supplementing their feed with parsley, sprouted bird seed and other greens so they would eat and stay warm. I mixed that with their mash so they were eating the mash kind of by accident and that got them through the winter.
But now it's spring and I have gradually cut out the supplementary feed and they are back to totally refusing the commercial feed. We let them free range for a few hours in the afternoon but they have to go all day till 3:30 with essentially nothing to eat but a little scratch because they won't eat the feed.
If it's true they won't starve themselves to a critical point, I will just stop worrying about it.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@aart

 

[nuthatched]

I don't think they can starve themselves, especially if they don't like the food, I don't know if the have the brainpower for that. You might have the boss chicken deciding that the food is unpalatable and the rest listen to that one.

 

[aart]

I would hold out, give them nothing but the chicken ration.
But...first.....
Look at the mill date on the feed bag, make sure it's no older than 3 months.

 

[jemimarose]

I would hold out, give them nothing but the chicken ration.
But...first.....
Look at the mill date on the feed bag, make sure it's no older than 3 months.

Freshness makes no difference to them where the feed is concerned. I will continue to make the feed available. Would it help to scatter some instead of scratch, as well as keeping the feeder full?

 

[All4Eggz]

Freshness makes no difference to them where the feed is concerned. I will continue to make the feed available. Would it help to scatter some instead of scratch, as well as keeping the feeder full?

I'm sure that would help..
but @aart knows best

 

[aart]

Freshness makes no difference to them where the feed is concerned.

Are you sure, you've checked mill dates?