My girls will not eat fruit!

[WhenInRhome]

I have had them almost 2 weeks now. I tried giving them some chopped up apple, lettuce (whole head), and grapes. It is all just sitting on the ground in the run still. I thought they were supposed to like fruit? What else can I try?

Also, I had no idea chickens ate grass. I thought they would dig in the grass to get bugs. Since putting them in the coop/run they have decimated the tall grass that was there. Should I leave it dirt or put some straw down?

One more question... I wanted to plant some vines around the coop so it would provide more shade. It is hot here in Texas! What kind of vine is safe? Since I know they are going to pick at it I want to make sure it is not toxic.

 

[Ameraucanas]

1. It is okay if they do not like fruit. A little unusual, but not bad. Keep trying to give them fruit.
2. Either dirt of straw is fine. They like both.
3. I think grape vines are good, but you might want to double check on that.
Good luck!

 

[JeanR]

I do not feed my chickens much besides CHICKEN FEED. They do have grassy runs and love the grass. I never put them out in the rain, wet, and wait until the dew has dried in the summer. Why? They get dirty wet feet, tear the grass out by the roots, scratching--and will take those wet feet back into the poultry house--and into the nests, if laying--dirty eggs! And their coop litter can get wet and be a breeding place for any number of infections! Anything given to chickens that is NOT chicken feed, IF they do not eat it, becomes GARBAGE and attracts flies and will mold--not a good thing.

No reason not to give chickens fruit, veggies (but NOT leftover people food--compost it!) Only give what they will clean up in a short time! And rake out or remove the rest, if you do not want a garbage pen with ATTRACTION for mice, other varmints over night! Leaving junk food is a great way to lead varmints to your chickens and without great protection, you may have sad losses.

Long grass can ball up in the crop and a hen can become crop-bound, serious! I mow my chicken pens weekly and in hot weather, water the grass in the pens to keep it green and growing, but SHORT for the chickens to enjoy. They tear up he grass around the fences and make dusting holes there, but the inside grass is grazed without much damage for the whole seasonl For shade, I have--just outside their fences, hardy Rose bushes. and in Spring, they eat the rose petals that fall, but cannot reach many rose hips in the fall. Two pens have shade trees--an early apple in one and a flowering Crab in another. They truly love those petals (falling now) and windfall apples are eaten with pleasure in the fall, but I pick up mos windfalls, so,again, no garbage collects in their pens. You will work out a plan for happy chickens--and all flocks are NOT alike--different parts of the country-- some different management, climate and tradition. One "size" does not fit all--we study, we try, we learn--good luck.

 

[WhenInRhome]

Quote:

How would I know if this happens? When I put them in the grass was tall, maybe 1 ft in places. Then earlier today I picked some tall grass from around the coop and threw it in. They ate it up. From now on, only grass clippings! I doubt grass grows back in there. They have shredded it. The run is about 9x20 so plenty big but not big enough to separate it up to let grass grow back.


I have noticed a lot of flies lately. I went in and picked up all of the leftover fruit. I think most of the flies are coming from the neighboring rabbit hutch. Time to clean under it! Not my favorite job.