Lazy Chickens?

[halfpint512]

My chickens "free range"... I say it that way because actually they are fenced into my back yard with is about 75x60. Anyway...I can look out and see different bugs all over. However, I watch my chickens eating grass, but for the most part they go back into the coop and eat the chicken food!! I have watched them over look a fly or ants on the ground while they are scratching around and literally go eat the "easy" food. I have 2 chickens that are not having solid poo, and suspect they are probably eating mostly the chicken food. I am wondering if I need to pull the factory feed and force them to scavange more. Any ideas?? I know there is plenty of food in my yard for the 8 of them.... at least I think so?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

How long have you been free ranging them? Foraging is a bit of a learned skill. They need to experiment and taste a lot of different things, to see if they are safe to eat, as well as good tasting.

 

[halfpint512]

I got them when they were 6 months old from an Amish farmer.... They are 8 months now. I don't know???

 

[halfpint512]

OH....they do love grubs though. I threw some to them when I was getting the garden going. But they seem to ignore the obvious ones, and opt for factory food? will they starve if I don't keep giving them the "easy" way??

 

[katdam]

my chicks lay down and eat...my pullet will lay by the food and eat when she gets the urge! that's LAZY!!

 

[Blesser]

My chickens love bugs but will not eat ants or flies. They love grubs, slugs, pill bugs, earth worms, beetles, meal worms and etc.
For fun you could buy some meal worms and see how they go. But never stop giving them their regular food, foraging for food requires certain skill and if you're chickens are used to commercial food you can't just take it away.

We all live off the easy way with supermarkets and all, now imagine no grocery stores and you had to hunt for your food, if you don't have the skill to hunt you won't survive.