My chickens only want pasta

[Killer Tomato]

My #1 hen drinks Dr.Pepper!

<shudder>. Dr Pepper -- the mullet of the soda world! (could be worse, it could be Mr Pibb, I guess!)

I tease in good fun. My Sweetie, and step-daughter like Dr Pepper, and I refuse to buy it, or even refrigerate it, I find it that horrifying to the taste buds. It's Coke or nothing in my fridge or for my hens!

 

[featherhead007]

<shudder>. Dr Pepper -- the mullet of the soda world! (could be worse, it could be Mr Pibb, I guess!)

I tease in good fun. My Sweetie, and step-daughter like Dr Pepper, and I refuse to buy it, or even refrigerate it, I find it that horrifying to the taste buds. It's Coke or nothing in my fridge or for my hens!

I see you have a dislike for Dr.Pepper!

 

[featherhead007]

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.

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!

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. 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. 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.

Best wishes, pics ALWAYS welcome!

I get that "are you kidding" look all the time

 

[Killer Tomato]

I see you have a dislike for Dr.Pepper!

Our car broke down in the summer, and we were stranded for 3 hours on the side of the road with nothing but a 2 liter of warm Diet Dr Pepper. It was 108 outside. No shade. Sketchy cell service.

If I didn't hate if before, I really hated it after that.

 

[featherhead007]

Our car broke down in the summer, and we were stranded for 3 hours on the side of the road with nothing but a 2 liter of warm Diet Dr Pepper. It was 108 outside. No shade. Sketchy cell service.

If I didn't hate if before, I really hated it after that.

They call that experience, TORTURE!

 

[featherhead007]

Note: I hang a head of cold cabbage in the run. The girls love it!

 

[llombardo]

Note: I hang a head of cold cabbage in the run. The girls love it!

Mine didn't bother with it. They got it on the ground, but didn't oeck at it or eat it. Today one of the boys decided to do a balancing act on it, not sure if he was roosting or trying to mate...he is very hormonal right now

 

[MROO]

Have you ever tried giving them whole carrots, complete with the greens still attached? I once got a bunch of monster carrots for next to nothing at a farmers' market. They were too big and tough for anything but livestock feed, so I hung some of them by the top of the root, so they were doubled over and dangling.
The chickens were SO funny fighting the carrot away to get to the greens. They were furious with that big orangey-brown thing that kept bouncing them away from the good stuff ... at least until the greens were gone. Then the "monster" fell to the ground and became fair game for attack ... and dinner! That was way before I had access to a video camera, but I can still see that little "clip" playing in my head.

 

[featherhead007]

Mine didn't bother with it. They got it on the ground, but didn't oeck at it or eat it. Today one of the boys decided to do a balancing act on it, not sure if he was roosting or trying to mate...he is very hormonal right now

Mine didn't bother with it. They got it on the ground, but didn't oeck at it or eat it. Today one of the boys decided to do a balancing act on it, not sure if he was roosting or trying to mate...he is very hormonal right now

Mating with cabbages is just not legal in some states...

 

[featherhead007]

Have you ever tried giving them whole carrots, complete with the greens still attached? I once got a bunch of monster carrots for next to nothing at a farmers' market. They were too big and tough for anything but livestock feed, so I hung some of them by the top of the root, so they were doubled over and dangling.
The chickens were SO funny fighting the carrot away to get to the greens. They were furious with that big orangey-brown thing that kept bouncing them away from the good stuff ... at least until the greens were gone. Then the "monster" fell to the ground and became fair game for attack ... and dinner! That was way before I had access to a video camera, but I can still see that little "clip" playing in my head.

Are your chickens part rabbit? I can't get mine to eat carrots