Picky Chickens?...

[LadyRed76]

I started my Free Ranging flock on a Cracked Corn and mineral mix.
After see most of it on the floor. I tried different types of feeders,but each one failed for one reason or another.
I switched to a crumble a year ago. They ate even the dust in the beginning. Now, they scratch out the corn bits and leave the crumble. My Batham knows how to get in the trough and scratch it out. The others use their beaks and manage to scratch out A Lot of feed.
Im out of Ideas. Im in need of Feeder Ideas,even the PVC idea my hens pull foid out.... and Food type ideas that they just wont pick out the corn.
T

 

[sylviethecochin]

Feed crumble in the mornings, toss out a few handfuls of corn in the evenings. Corn is a treat, not a ration.

EDT: Okay, that sounds a bit rude. But chickens shouldn't live on corn, not if you want them to produce eggs and be healthy (as you may already know) So you're either going to have to cut the corn entirely or feed it separately, in small amounts.

 

[KristyMoo]

Hey, that's what happens with my chickens sometimes. They can be picky, let me tell you that. But soon they may begin to like the meal that you give them. Try some without corn. Feed them various kinds of foods and feed them dried bugs. They will learn to get hungry and eat the meal without corn since it is the only thing there is in their coop to eat. Then if you feed them more foods, they may get less picky.

 

[LadyRed76]

Feed crumble in the mornings, toss out a few handfuls of corn in the evenings. Corn is a treat, not a ration.

EDT: Okay, that sounds a bit rude. But chickens shouldn't live on corn, not if you want them to produce eggs and be healthy (as you may already know) So you're either going to have to cut the corn entirely or feed it separately, in small amounts.

Funny....i Dont Feed them Corn.
its in...the foid i get from our MFA...Crumble for brown egg layers.
my Chickens Pick it out and leave the rest. As my post stated.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Funny....i Dont Feed them Corn.
its in...the foid i get from our MFA...Crumble for brown egg layers.
my Chickens Pick it out and leave the rest. As my post stated.

It's pretty hard for chickens to pick out corn if they're fed nothing but crumble. Could you describe your feed, please?

 

[LadyRed76]

They Free range. Cant get more diverse than that.
Anyone know a brand...or a mix with No corn or little. Our MFA mixes their own food,so I have no idea what they put in it.

 

[LadyRed76]

It's pretty hard for chickens to pick out corn if they're fed nothing but crumble. Could you describe your feed, please?

Its Brown egg layer crumble.
It has corn,they pick it out...
Ill add photos tomorrow of the food.
i dont have your average chickens,lol.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I suggest switching to a different feed entirely, then. Preferably in pellet form. Pellets are less likely to get wasted than crumble is.

 

[theoldchick]

I was feeding my flock pellets and a few handful of wild bird seed and fresh clover and new grass shoots. Last month they decided they did not want their layer pellets or greens. So I stopped feeding wild bird seed. Took a few days but the hens once again found their pellets and greens were delicious.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I feed pellets and fermented mash. Obviously with pellets there's nothing to pick through, either they eat it or don't. The mash has corn pieces in it and if fed dry, my chickens will pick out the corn and throw a lot of the rest on the floor. Fermented, it sticks to everything else so they can't pick out specific pieces.

I'm curious to see photos of your feed. Sounds more like a whole grain mash than a crumble.