Not eating pellets

[whatdacluck]

Hi everybody.
When I got my hens first, all I gave them was the layers pellets. Then I started to give them some table leftovers. They were running to the door of their run as soon as they saw me and looking for food. I then gave them bread mixed with milk and mashed up, so now they don't seem to want pellets at all. Two are laying every day and I expect some of the others to lay soon as they are becoming more red around the face etc. I m now giving them no scraps or otherwise, only their pellets and maybe a head of cabbage, They don't seem to be making much of an attempt at the pellets. My theory is to starve them enough of the scraps and then if they're hungry enough they'll eat the pellets.
Am I doing right?????

Pat

 

[GwenDellAnno]

If they get hungry enough they will eat the pellets. Don't give them treats for a bit.... too many treats, no appetite for the "real" food.

 

[PhilErvin]

DUDE!!!

When I saw your Avatar I figured you must be at the wrong place. But then I read your question and relized you REALLY do raise chickens. Lose the jacket and tie for gosh sake.
OK, now that I got that off my chest. I have the same theory as you, they can eat what they have scratched out of their feed trough on to the ground or go hungry. I fill their feed tube every week or so and they scratch it out onto the ground. Although they freerange during the day they will still come back to their scratched out feed on the ground eventually.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
Don't give in!!! You are the boss! Well, until you look at those cute little chicken faces begging for more bread.....

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Whoops- I forgot to say, yep- I'd make 'em eat the pellets.

 

[whatdacluck]

Quote:
DUDE!!!... first time for that!

Thanks for the quick response peeps, it's just as I thought.

Pat

 

[whatdacluck]

Yes they are eating their pelletts now, and I got 4 eggs yesterday so that's 4 out of 6. Recon it wont be long before I get the 6 out of 6

 

[GardenerGal]

Quote:
DUDE! According to Mr. Whatdacluck's info, he's from Contae Loch Garman (County Wexford), so he's not a dude, he's a BUACHAILL!

My chooks also kick all the pellets out of their feed trough; it's just the nature of these creatures, who are "wired" to scratch the earth for seeds, bugs and other goodies. When they see a tub filled with the same stuff, it may as well just be dirt or compost to them, as it's all uniform and in nature the food in the earth is never just a mass of the same thing. They look for the unusual -- the item that sticks out and looks different from the substrated. That may be why they keep scratching and kicking out the pellets.

I used to mix scratch grain with the pellets, and it just made it worse as the flock would pick and kick through the pellets to grab the choice morsels. Now I just toss a little scratch in the run early in the day, and when they've eaten it they have to go back to the pellet trough.

 

[featherz]

Mine are doing the same thing. I recently switched to pellets as they are starting to lay and they dump them all on the ground and ignore them! I was giving them mashed up wet food each day plus fruit due to the heat and I think I'm going to let them go cold turkey so they will eat the durn food! They *will* figure out they are supposed to eat the pellets, right?

 

[saltdean norm]

i was going to ask vitually the same question to Pat.

I have cut back on the leftovers being left for them. stil giving them a mixed scratch but not til late afternoon.

Have had 5 POL Hybrid birds for 10 days now, two are laying daily but the other 3 are yet to start.