Pellets are Treats!

[Sally PB]

When I'm throwing something into the run I yell "Food Bomb" and it gets everyone's attention.

DH caught me singing the "Chickie Snack" song one day... He cracked up.

 

[Mamatomany123]

We use old coffee can for screws, nails, ect. I also use one for our chicken treats. Any time my chickens so much as see a coffee can they come running like cheetas. I went out with some screws one time and dear God, I was suddenly surrounded by 25 hens screaming at me.

 

[Orpingtons Mom]

DH caught me singing the "Chickie Snack" song one day... He cracked up.

My call is “peep peep peep” like a chick.

 

[cincyfarmgirl]

Mine HATE pellets, it doesn’t matter how I serve them, tried the flying through the air trick, they do run and peck at them, but spit them out as fast as they peck at them, mixed it in with cottage cheese ( they love cottage cheese) they refused to eat the spiked cottage cheese, I gave them nothing but pellets, they refused to eat for 3 whole days and on day 3, started to eat each others feathers so, back to what they usually get..

My chickens seem to not like their pellets either. I used to get some by Southern states which they enjoyed more than the current manufacturer Formax. Recently I have been serving them an increased amount of chicken scratch which consist of a variety of grains including corn. And they have been flourishing as a result including laying twice as many eggs even though the temperatures have been in the teens. I have tried mini pellets regular size pellets and crumbles and they don’t prefer any of them. They like the chicken scratch best. I hope you’re getting the right nutrition. they look better and they’re laying more eggs so I guess they are.

 

[3KillerBs]

They like the chicken scratch best.

Well, kids generally like donuts, candy, and potato chips best.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

As I said before, after 3 days of not eating, and instead of pellet, starting to eat each others feathers , the chickens got me beat. But since I’ve got quite old chickens, which still lay eggs ( my hen from 2013 just laid her 9th egg of this season) maybe the chickens do know better?

 

[lifein1840]

I always wondered why pellets have to be made so huge. They're like the size of human capsule pills, which I hate swallowing whole too, and my throat is a lot bigger! So, I sympathize with the poor fluffs. Mine have crumble.

Nutrena pellets are small, my girls love them. I would rather buy feed from our local mill but their pellets are very large and I had to grind them up.

 

[ViciousLizardEaters]

I can't wait until mine are that excited about flying things! They still scatter in fear when something is tossed in their general vicinity. Maybe I should start with a more irresistible goody to show them the flying things are tasty? They are starting to show a little interest when I sprinkle grass clippings around the run, but grass isn't very toss-able! This is where an older bird would come in handy, to show these kids how to act like chickens

You may want to throw absolutely delicious very wanted enjoyable treats, some chickens I know run to what I throw even when it's not edible. And you can feed them out of your hands and give them food when they go on your lap. Luring the chickie near.

 

[Folara]

You may want to throw absolutely delicious very wanted enjoyable treats, some chickens I know run to what I throw even when it's not edible. And you can feed them out of your hands and give them food when they go on your lap. Luring the chickie near.

My husband just bought a bag of solider fly larvae for them, and after the initial wariness past they have been greatly enjoying them, so I've started to throw a few around the run to peak their interest. Once they get excited for the flying larvae I'll pull the ol' switch-a-roo on them! A few will happily sit in our lap and eat too

Speaking of pellets, today was the first day the pullets only had their All-Flock pellets to eat (they finally finished the rest of the chick crumble yesterday) and while they are eating them, they were more active in the run scratching around like they were a little desperate to find other food! Change is always hard to accept