Is there any food your chickens should like, but don't?

[krista74]

The other day, thinking I was being the best Chicken Momma in the world, I took two whole cobs of corn out to my chookies for a treat.

I put them on the ground and then quickly stepped back to avoid a collision with what I thought would be a flapping, squawking flock of 7 corn-crazed chickens.

Nope.

They had a quick peak at the cobs, then slowly backed away like I had left a bomb in their coop. They stood watching from a distance for a while before dispersing in various directions.

The cobs stayed on the ground, untouched, for a whole day before I removed them.

What the?

I was SURE they would love corn on the cob! Are my chickens the only crazy ones out there?

What have your chookies refused to eat, which you thought technically they should love?

Krista

 

[Teila]

Hi krista74

2 weeks ago I did the exact same thing except with one corn cob ... placed it in the run as a treat for my five bantams and got the same reaction that you did; they carried out like the corn was going to eat them, not the other way around. Like you, by the end of the day, I had to take it away, either that or build a bigger run because they were all hiding in one corner!

They did, however, enjoy the corn when I picked it off the cob and hand fed it to them .. *sigh*

It took many, many attempts and one very brave Silkie to eventually get them to eat watermelon and now they love it!

No matter what I have tried, they still will not eat their peas! If I put peas in their breakfast when I go back in the afternoon to get the dishes, everything else is gone and all the peas are still there!

 

[Wyleiria]

My chickens do NOT like peas either! I've had chickens in the past who loved them, but not these guys! Their favorite treat has to be cheese. If they see me coming with cheese, they jump trying to knock it out of my hands! They also don't like bananas. If I am outside when they eat a treat they particularly didn't like, they make it a point to wipe their beaks on my jeans, not the ground!

 

[Teila]

Hey Wyleiria

Yep, cheese lovers here also. As a treat I get a slice of cheese and as soon as I show it to them they go and 'assume position' at the treat spot

 

[krista74]

Wow, I had never thought of giving them cheese, I think I will have to try that.

Come to think of it, my cats and my dogs over the years loved cheese too.

I think I know what my girls are getting as a treat today now

Krista

 

[sm2teach]

The only treats my chickens like are worms and scratch. I have given them all sorts of veggies and fruit. Nope. Not interested. Scrambled eggs. No thank you. I was disappointed just like you the first time I tried to give them treats. I expected the feeding frenzy and all they did was turn up their beaks. They do free range so they get to find their own treats all day long.

 

[JAZsMom]

Corn on the cob is something that I had to leave in their run for a day or two before they gave it a chance...heard I wasn't alone there.

All 8 of my girls have different taste buds. One of my laying hens could care less about apples, where as the other will kill your first born if you try to take an apple away from her!

 

[usedhobarts]

My girls all attack corn on the cob like crack addicts . So much so the roo looks almost freaked out. I plant about an acre of sweet corn on my property every year. Last year when we were freezing corn for the winter we tried a new technique to us we read about which is to freeze corn fresh in the husks off the stalk in brown paper bags. We were amazed how well these were just like fresh out of the garden once you simply thawed them and then husked them just normal. The problem we found was that once you un sealed the tightly wrapped brown bag you need to use all the cobs our tightly reseal the bag. We did not do this as we put 20-30 cobs in each bag of different varieties. We would take out a few cobs for dinner and leave the rest in the bag. By spring about half of each bag was left ( 6 bags). That started to dry out a bit from the freeze. We were just going to compost them but then we got chickens for the first time. I decided to husk a few and toss them to the chickens still frozen. What happened next can only be described as amazing. These chickens go bananas for them. 8 hens and one roo will mow a cob down the nub like piranha. It's almost freaky. Now on really hot days i give them a few frozen cobs as treats and the love it. My deck is about 30 yards from the barn and coop. When I step outside and smack a couple of frozen cobs togather like drum sticks the chickens out free ranging come running from wherever there at 100mph to beat me to the coop just waiting for them. It's crazy. The only other treat they do that with somewhat similar is frozen watermelon. They luv fresh watermelon but don't hyperventilatie over it like they do on the frozen. The really like nectarines also and I started freeze some of them whole also and the reaction from the girls is nuts. I know it sounds crazy but their favorite treats , if frozen, excite them 5 fold, Not sure why, Lol but I enjoy doing it for them.

 

[sm2teach]

My girls all attack corn on the cob like crack addicts . So much so the roo looks almost freaked out. I plant about an acre of sweet corn on my property every year. Last year when we were freezing corn for the winter we tried a new technique to us we read about which is to freeze corn fresh in the husks off the stalk in brown paper bags. We were amazed how well these were just like fresh out of the garden once you simply thawed them and then husked them just normal. The problem we found was that once you un sealed the tightly wrapped brown bag you need to use all the cobs our tightly reseal the bag. We did not do this as we put 20-30 cobs in each bag of different varieties. We would take out a few cobs for dinner and leave the rest in the bag. By spring about half of each bag was left ( 6 bags). That started to dry out a bit from the freeze. We were just going to compost them but then we got chickens for the first time. I decided to husk a few and toss them to the chickens still frozen. What happened next can only be described as amazing. These chickens go bananas for them. 8 hens and one roo will mow a cob down the nub like piranha. It's almost freaky. Now on really hot days i give them a few frozen cobs as treats and the love it. My deck is about 30 yards from the barn and coop. When I step outside and smack a couple of frozen cobs togather like drum sticks the chickens out free ranging come running from wherever there at 100mph to beat me to the coop just waiting for them. It's crazy. The only other treat they do that with somewhat similar is frozen watermelon. They luv fresh watermelon but don't hyperventilatie over it like they do on the frozen. The really like nectarines also and I started freeze some of them whole also and the reaction from the girls is nuts. I know it sounds crazy but their favorite treats , if frozen, excite them 5 fold, Not sure why, Lol but I enjoy doing it for them.

That is so funny! I bet that is a sight to see.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Believe it or not, my girls refuse to eat corn found in scratch! They eat fresh, soft corn but not the hard corn! LOL