Out of feed for two days... Help!

[Criticalicious]

In addition to watermelon, fresh pumpkin is popular. Last fall I scored a free one from a nearby orchard. They had a wagon full outside their store and I asked how much. He said they were about to toss them out, it was the end of the season. Help yourself!

 

[Tatuana]

I've made a mash with their regular chicken feed and beer before. Not on a regular basis, but my flock was depressed, really depressed as they'd just lost their rooster to a predator and they were all stressed, shocked and listless. They seriously got drunk and had a wake for him. The next day, all was fine on the homestead.

I find the image of that freaking hilarious for some reason. I didn't know chickens could get drunk!

Since OP is in Utah, I assume horse feed is easy to come by. A mix like sweet feed makes for a good energy source that is otherwise low in protein. If a feed used for fish in ponds is available then use that as part of a mix. What I imagine a lawn in Utah has in terms of forage is very poor unless area foraged is huge as in several acres. My youngsters could do several days without feed of any sort because of acreage available and abundance of forage per unit acre. They would quickly move beyond area I have effective predator management over.

Even in Utah you should be able to take car a couple hours each way to get feed for chicks. Pricey, but doable.

My van isn't stable enough to travel more than about 20 minutes away at the moment or I'd have been all over for feed.


Thanks to all you guys, the little nuggets have been eating like Kings! Even with feed back. I've been cleaning our my cupboards and everything. Now that I know what they can munch on.... I just toss it at them. They have no complaints. We're also dealing with garden spiders. I take them out for the chickens to chase. Yesterday they found a large beetle to harass.

We had a horrible wind that went through yesterday. It killed one of my mammoth sunflowers. Before I could clean it up they had a feast of the head.

Now if I could just convince them they're NOT dinner. One is currently sleeping in my grill. The other is in the fire pit. They're obsessed with my BBQ briquettes. Another likes to sleep in an old bird cage I've been meaning to toss out. They're sleeping on my meat freezer and soup noodles ... It's like they WANT to be dinner??

 

[Tatuana]

I should also add, we're tucked up against the mountains in the foothills. We're We're seriously overrun with spiders, bugs, nice, snakes.... My neighbor's claim it's horrible. (I've never seen it due to cats. I just find bodies) these little chicken babies have taught me that I do, in fact, have a TON of bugs in my yard. They have a circuit they run in the morning. Garden, side of house, back of house, by tree, then table scraps. Watching them find so many huge bugs is terrifying. Yesterday they found an earwig best I didn't know existed...

 

[Criticalicious]

Some people put wood ash in the dust bathing areas. I imagine BBQ briquettes smell similar.

 

[centrarchid]

When insects are making up a major part of the diet, likely more than 1 cup full is needed per bird. That is a lot of insects.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Now if I could just convince them they're NOT dinner. One is currently sleeping in my grill. The other is in the fire pit. They're obsessed with my BBQ briquettes.

Charcoal from wood is very good for their digestion too, they actually put it in parrot grit and sell it by the pound at my feed store... they say it "sweetens" their stomach. It helps them pass toxins.

 

[Tatuana]

When insects are making up a major part of the diet, likely more than 1 cup full is needed per bird. That is a lot of insects.

Oh yes. I still give them food now that I have some. They don't eat as much as they used to, but still finish it.

Charcoal from wood is very good for their digestion too, they actually put it in parrot grit and sell it by the pound at my feed store... they say it "sweetens" their stomach. It helps them pass toxins.

Huh. Interesting! I somehow doubt BBQ briquettes are good for them. I'll have to toss them some burnt wood.

 

[centrarchid]

Watch out for a decline in feed intake, it can mean a major nutritional deficiency.