My experience with BOSS--Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

[TubbyChicken]

I was just going to ask about BOSS...I have a small bag that I was hanging on to...at what age would you start giving them as treats?

 

[msgenie516]

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I'm not sure but I only offered them to my mature hens. I didn't know if the younger ones (those that aren't laying yet) should have them. Genie

 

[FLOWERPOT]

Mine love them sprouted.
I just put them in a bucket and added some warm water and put them in the window for about a week. They were sprouting when I brought them out to the chickens and they loved them!!
I figured its another way to get them some greens.

 

[SewingDiva]

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I'm not sure but I only offered them to my mature hens. I didn't know if the younger ones (those that aren't laying yet) should have them. Genie

Ours were maybe 20 weeks when they first got them. I'm totallysold on BOSS; their feather are so beautfiul now that they have been eating them for about a month.

Phyllis

 

[digitS']

They will also take them out of the sunflower heads quite well and happily

!

They'd probably learn to fly up and get them before the finches if allowed out in the garden.

Steve

 

[Buff Hooligans]

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This is brilliant. I'm going to try it.

 

[BeardedChick]

Oooh, that reminds me - I have a 55 gallon barrel of stored sunflower seed heads that I meant to break out for them over winter.

Guess it would be time since the snow is really piling up!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

My neighbor, a truck driver, had a delivery of a few tons of BOSS and a pallet broke so he brought me all of the pallet and then some! I had it covered up in the barn but the heathens got into it, as well as the mice, and my chickens have been feasting ever since! Not only on the BOSS but the mice they catch in there as well.
It is just too cool to watch them running around the field with a mouse in the beak of a lead chicken and about 20 other chickens running behind trying to get a "bite".
But really, I still have about 20 bags of BOSS and they eat it free choice when they are out free ranging. All my penned birds get a few cups a day and the wild birds have now found it. Oh well, free food for all!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I proudly came home with a medium sized bag of BOSS...smiling and knowing how much our chickens were going to love them and nod approvingly at me.

I called everyone..."Here chick, chick, chick..." and they all came running, salivating for the treat of the day. I threw them on the ground and everyone rushed over...took a look...turned away...looked at me like I was the devil himself...hung their heads and walked away. "Crap...we were hoping for something GOOD..." I heard one of them say as they walked off.

Nonetheless, Chickenmama paid for them and they are going to eat them. So at least once a week, I throw them in their coop as their afternoon treat. They still aren't he** for them...but at least they peck around on them now.

 

[gritsar]

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Don't feel bad. I bought my chickens a very expensive pumpkin (I misread the price label). Quartered it and happily carrried it out to the brats. They never touched it. The cows got the expensive pumpkin.