My chickens only want pasta

Poor Tie Tie - you came on here asking for help and we busted all over you!
:barnie

Rest assured it's all in good fun. Most of us have overdone the treats from time-to-time, too. The first (definitely not the last) time I realized I'd crossed the line was when my first rooster - a teeny-tiny bantam - hopped up on my knee and insisted rather obnoxiously on sharing my blueberries ... off my plate ... and did! Purdue went on a strict, feeder-treats-only diet after that!
 
Poor Tie Tie - you came on here asking for help and we busted all over you!
:barnie


Rest assured it's all in good fun. Most of us have overdone the treats from time-to-time, too. The first (definitely not the last) time I realized I'd crossed the line was when my first rooster - a teeny-tiny bantam - hopped up on my knee and insisted rather obnoxiously on sharing my blueberries ... off my plate ... and did! Purdue went on a strict, feeder-treats-only diet after that!

Yes, all in good fun!
I'm not innocent, I've given my chickens crap before. Sometimes they get my leftover burger king... omg.. lol
 
And maybe a tossed salad. On second thought, YOU eat everything except the tossed salad. That's the one treat they SHOULD get
Incorrect IMHO... there are very little actual nutrients in lettuce type stuff. It's mostly water.

I consider these things to be for enrichment value ONLY and not nutritional. Hang a head of lettuce or cabbage (whatever) just outta reach so they have to jump and work for it. Keeps them busy. It's good fun but not as addictive or as many empty calories as the pasta.

If you have left over pasta... go for it, feed it out ONCE in a WHILE! But don't make a bunch of extra pasta just for them. :thumbsup

The mentioned 1 or 2 spoons full per bird is about accurate for things like scratch or seed. Just keep it reasonable... and then even if you do it every single day, you shouldn't face related health issues.

Find a routine that works for you... My birds see me come out the door all day long everyday... but they don't start responding and rushing me until it starts getting close to snack time. Which is ALWAYS just a snack. Before I sat a routine and did things more randomly... I used to avoid going outside so I wouldn't be swarmed and feel pressured! :oops:

Couple tips for snack time... I feed crumbles usually, but if I ferment it for a couple days (or even just wet it so it is different seeming), the birds go crazy for it, I can feed as much as I like because it is STILL their formulated ration. :p Another thing I have done... buy a bag of pellets or turkey feed and toss some on the ground at snack time. Again it's a formulated ration with a little MORE protein so it a great snack loaded with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and so on. ;)

My birds mostly don't care what I bring as long as I bring SOMETHING. But yes somethings are not as special to them. Here they have green access all day... so lettuce they kinda check out and then look at me like your kidding right. :D They love it when I sprout but if given daily they quickly start taking just the seed portion and leaving behind the green fodder part. Most my animals really enjoy fodder and sprouts... on a treat basis. :pop

Best wishes, pics ALWAYS welcome! ;)
 
Incorrect IMHO... there are very little actual nutrients in lettuce type stuff. It's mostly water.;)
I should have qualified that a bit.
I grew up Italian, so we don't "do" iceberg lettuce - the biggest waste in most salad. It has no real nutrition in it - for either people or chickens - and if you feed it to a turtle, you'll starve it to death! Other greens, however are very nutritious and taste much better than plain iceberg, anyway!
A multi-colored greens mix is good for all of us. Go easy on the spinach, though. It's not so good for biddies, so you can save that good stuff for yourself! All the other salad fixin's, however, at least the stuff in a good Italian salad, is fine for them - and a great boredom buster. You can go ahead with the cukes, carrots, zucchini, cabbage, herb greens, fancy lettuces, and all that lovely stuff. That's what they could/should get, especially if they don't forage at all.
And hanging a whole cabbage in the run is an awesome idea. Just be prepared to spend some time watching them with it ... it can be HIGHLY entertaining!
 

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