Normal, Spoiled or Starving?

[TribeWild]

I never feed layer. I feed a Grower finisher feed and supply Oyster shell in a separate bowl once laying.
You don't let them out of the pen at all?

Our yard currently isn't safe to let them out of the run (neighbors let their dogs run loose and they've already terrorized the chickens through the sides of the run before) but we are planning on expanding the run this fall.

 

[TribeWild]

If you were restricted to a diet of nutri-loaf, how crazy would you go for a salad?

Hahaha very true!!

 

[TribeWild]

If the behavior change started after you switched food, I would suspect they are lacking something in their diet. The problem with mixed whole grain food, is that they tend to eat what they like best, and leave the rest. It is normal for chickens to attack a treat item like they haven't seen food in a month, but a sudden change would have me wondering. Maybe go back to what you were feeding.

We are going back to the old feed because we don't care for the quality of the new feed and, like you said, they pick through and eat what they like best, which is a waste.

 

[TribeWild]

They just know there is better stuff to eat now than just the pellets. You are stuck now, chickens don't forget about food. If you don't let them graze maybe start giving them alfalfa hay or sprouted grains to feed their taste for greenery.

Thank you for the suggestion! We'll have to try that.

No, we don't let them out to graze right now because the neighbors let their dogs run free and we've found them in our yard multiple times. Until neighbor gets their fence up (which they've been saying they would for a year) the chickens have stay in the run. We are planning on expanding the run this fall, though, to give them more room.