More interested in the ground now

[MKetter]

Used to be when the chickens were first let out in the run, they would go straight to the feeder, eat, and then start pecking around the ground. Now, they will go to the feeder, nibble a little bit, then go peck on the ground. They seem to prefer whatever they find there now. They still eat the feed, but they seem to prefer the bugs first. I saw one person say let them peck off the ground first then put the feeder out later. I think these chickpeas decided to do that on their own. I’m OK with it and not questioning it. It’s just an observation. Had to share my observation with somebody.

Halfway through the day, I will go out and move their run, so they have fresh ground. They seem to get excited about that.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Used to be when the chickens were first let out in the run, they would go straight to the feeder, eat, and then start pecking around the ground. Now, they will go to the feeder, nibble a little bit, then go peck on the ground. They seem to prefer whatever they find there now. They still eat the feed, but they seem to prefer the bugs first. I saw one person say let them peck off the ground first then put the feeder out later. I think these chickpeas decided to do that on their own. I’m OK with it and not questioning it. It’s just an observation. Had to share my observation with somebody.

Halfway through the day, I will go out and move their run, so they have fresh ground. They seem to get excited about that.

That's great that you're able (and willing) to move their run around frequently! I made the mistake of waiting too long to separate off a section of backyard and reseed, and now I'm only a half-step ahead of them looking for forage. And I'm not sure that many bugs still remain for them. Their sections of the yard look like the Martian landscape. whew

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Most of my chickens ignore their feed and run off to forage as soon as I let them out. I had to train them to do this by withholding their crumble until lunch time for a few days. Now they eat less and forage more. This only works if you have the right setup obviously but I would rather they control their diet than that I artificially do so by limiting their forage and providing unlimited commercial feed.

 

[MKetter]

That's great that you're able (and willing) to move their run around frequently! I made the mistake of waiting too long to separate off a section of backyard and reseed, and now I'm only a half-step ahead of them looking for forage. And I'm not sure that many bugs still remain for them. Their sections of the yard look like the Martian landscape. whew

When they were younger, I could leave them in the same spot all day. Now, they can dig holes pretty fast. (Great for twisting your ankle as you walk in the yard.) I’d go out and ask, “are you trying to dig your way out,” as in a jailbreak. Yes, I talk to the chickens, but I’m sure I’m not the only one. So I move it mainly so they don’t tear up the one spot too much, and secondly so that they can forage on a new patch.

I can say I never expected chickens to be so entertaining to watch. I also never expected to be happy for a bird when she laid her first egg. The last of the six to begin laying, when she did, I said, “Hey, Buffy! You laid your first egg! Congratulations.” Sometimes I feel like a nut, congratulating a bird for laying an egg. Buffy is a Buff Plymouth Rock. The names of four of the six birds come from their color.