Self-regulating eaters

[LER23]

Is it my imagination? My chickens seem to know how much of different types of food they need. If I put out a scoopful of meal worms. They love it, but they never finish it-they always go back to foraging in the yard. At certain times of the day they go into the coop and eat regular chicken feed but again, they pretty much know when to be done and they go back to foraging in the yard, or take a dust bath, etc. This seems to be true for every treat and all of their food. They seem to know what's best for them. Is this true or am I dreaming?

 

[NatJ]

Chickens will definitely self-regulate with the usual complete chicken feeds. They generally seem to do that with foraging too.

For "treat" foods like mealworms and corn, I have seen the same thing as you: if you give a large enough portion the chickens will stop eating it at some point, and go do other things (like foraging and dust bathing and eating other food), and then they eat more of the "treat" at some other time.

Unfortunately, I can't say whether chickens can be trusted to stop at a healthy amount of each treat, or whether they will choose to eat too much of some things. By "too much," I mean an amount that will later cause problems (like getting too fat: it comes on gradually, but definitely can cause problems later.)

 

[LER23]

Chickens will definitely self-regulate with the usual complete chicken feeds. They generally seem to do that with foraging too.

For "treat" foods like mealworms and corn, I have seen the same thing as you: if you give a large enough portion the chickens will stop eating it at some point, and go do other things (like foraging and dust bathing and eating other food), and then they eat more of the "treat" at some other time.

Unfortunately, I can't say whether chickens can be trusted to stop at a healthy amount of each treat, or whether they will choose to eat too much of some things. By "too much," I mean an amount that will later cause problems (like getting too fat: it comes on gradually, but definitely can cause problems later.)

Thx. I've definitely cut back on treats as I've learned more about caring for my chickens. They get pretty demanding but I stand firm, lol!

 

[NatJ]

Thx. I've definitely cut back on treats as I've learned more about caring for my chickens. They get pretty demanding but I stand firm, lol!

Have you tried making a wet mash with some of the normal complete chicken food? Just add water, and they think it is a great treat.

Since it is a properly balanced food, you don't have to worry about them missing getting full of "treat" and missing some important nutrient.

It can be warm in winter and cool in summer, just by using different temperatures of water.

If you need to lure the chickens somewhere (like back into the pen after free ranging), mash is nice because they cannot pick it up and run away with it (I had that trouble when I tried to use bread crusts as a lure-- they picked up the bread crusts and ran back out.)

It is easy to make any amount you need. They get just as excited about a few bites each as they do about a full bowl of it. The less you use, the more they think it is a "treat," and the more useful it is when you want to lure them somewhere or make them excited. If you leave it available all the time, they will start viewing it the same way they view their normal dry food: something to eat in the right quantity, but no need to rush and gobble it up.

If you ever have a sick chicken that doesn't feel like eating, wet mash will often encourage her to eat more than dry food does.

As you can probably tell, I think wet mash is great stuff for chickens

 

[thecatumbrella]

Your birds sound very healthy and have great self control. I have no doubt mine would eat themselves to death on certain treats (BSFL!). I think they’re half Pug.

 

[NatJ]

Your birds sound very healthy and have great self control. I have no doubt mine would eat themselves to death on certain treats (BSFL!). I think they’re half Pug.

If you really want to test it: give them so much BSFL that they really cannot eat it up, and keep it that way for at least a few days.

I think you will find that they do self-regulate to some extent (but they may self-regulate at a level that is still too high for good health: like a child with unlimited cookies might self-regulate at 20 or 50 cookies per day.)

 

[thecatumbrella]

If you really want to test it: give them so much BSFL that they really cannot eat it up, and keep it that way for at least a few days.

I think you will find that they do self-regulate to some extent (but they may self-regulate at a level that is still too high for good health: like a child with unlimited cookies might self-regulate at 20 or 50 cookies per day.)

I think this estimate is spot on. They'll self-regulate, but at what cost?

If they're ever on their death bed, I'll let them have it! I can say I've seen my Golden Comet regulate between a longer-term snack (ex. hanging vegetables) and crumble. She seems to know her body will give out if she can't provide enough nutrients for those massive eggs.

The Australorps have no clue. They eat so much inedible junk that I'm not even sure how they're alive most days. They even have shiny coats!

 

[Penpal]

I mix the feed, whole corn, whole wheat, whole oats, some sunflower seeds, a little quinoa. Something else if I can get it. All summer and fall they would not eat the corn. It got cold, now corn is the first thing they eat, followed by the oats. It would be cheaper to just feed them corn, but I know that is not complete.

 

[NatJ]

I mix the feed, whole corn, whole wheat, whole oats, some sunflower seeds, a little quinoa. Something else if I can get it. All summer and fall they would not eat the corn. It got cold, now corn is the first thing they eat, followed by the oats. It would be cheaper to just feed them corn, but I know that is not complete.

If they are going to pick through it anyway, you might try putting the different ingredients in separate feeders. That makes it easier for them to get the parts they want (and may reduce how much they throw on the floor as they try to find their favorites.)

Then again, if you want them to eat the things in specific proportions, you may not want to make it easier for them to pick through it.

 

[Debbie292d]

If they are going to pick through it anyway, you might try putting the different ingredients in separate feeders. That makes it easier for them to get the parts they want (and may reduce how much they throw on the floor as they try to find their favorites.)

Then again, if you want them to eat the things in specific proportions, you may not want to make it easier for them to pick through it.

Case in point, I bought Kalmbach's Henhouse Reserve about 6 months ago for no particular reason other than people bragging about how their chickens did on that. Mine picked through it even though it was in a raised feeder. I wouldn't put up with it. Now, they are back on layer crumbles and I ferment the HHR, of which they eat completely.