My chickens won't eat leafy greens or mealworms

[MNL]

I see dried mealworms everywhere for sale for chickens. My three want nothing to do with them. Also, they won't touch any leafy greens. They are 6 months old. When they were chicks, I would put veggies and leafy greens in thinking as they got older they'd be familiar and eating it would come easy. To date, they still want nothing to do with them. Is it possible that since they didn't have mature birds to teach them what's good, that they are just picky? It seems that it's all or none, if 1 likes all 3 like. If 1 doesn't like, then none like. They also don't seem to want to use their beak as a tool to bust foods up, soft or hard. They eat their pellet fine (Purina layena) oatmeal, applesauce, frozen peas and bananas are always a hit. Any tips on getting them to broaden their pallets?

 

[rosemarythyme]

What types of leafy greens are you offering?

I've noticed that each flock seems to have their own preferences, so maybe yours just don't want greens. Sounds like they already have plenty of treats they'll eat, so I don't really see a reason to add more, since that'll just throw off their nutritional balance even more.

 

[MNL]

They'll eat grass. I've offered spinach, romaine, green leaf. I thought the greens were good nutritious snacks and didn't realize it throws off their overall nutrition.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine won't touch lettuce, but love spinach.

IMO greens are pretty good as far as treats go, but too many treats can dilute their overall protein intake and nutritional balance. If you free range, that's about as much "treats" as you'll need, as they'll fill up on a mix of forage and bugs.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I tried spinach with my first Flock, no dice. They do love to pick their own greens, like grass and weeds. I'm able to let my chickens free range an hour before sunset daily, weather permitting.
I have never bought insects for my hens.
I do have a lot of crickets, grasshoppers, worms, and bugs on my property during the warm months and they love to search for them.
Sometimes I come across a grasshopper early in the morning when it's cool, the bug is sluggish and easy to catch. I walk to the pen and give to them, they love live grasshoppers.
My chickens love fruit, non-citrus. Apples are a big hit. If I got an apple past prime, but not rotten, I toss it whole into the pen and they devour it. I have two small flocks so if I only have one fruit I split it between them. GC

 

[trumpeting_angel]

As long as they are eating high quality chicken feed, they are getting the nutrients they need. If treats exceed 10% of their total intake, it throws off the proportions of the feed, and they might be missing adequate protein, or some other nutrient.

When they are foraging they eat greens, as you’ve noticed, and get protein, fat, and other nutrients from bugs.

If you are desperate to get greens into them in the winter, you could sprout some grass seeds or other seeds/grains, but it’s not necessary. Just make sure you are under 10%, because although eating some brown stuff that looks all the same looks like poor nutrition, it’s thorough. Not like people food! If we ate bread all the time, it wouldn’t be good for us. But chicken feed is carefully formulated. Don’t dilute it too much with treats.

 

[MNL]

Thanks so much. Good info. As a Newby to chickens just needed some assurance that even though I read a lot about chickens being willing to eat just about everything given to them, doesn't mean I'm doing something wrong.

 

[speedy2020]

They will eat if no other food available.