Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Perris]

Oh come on - I haven’t seen anyone say that!

I just did a quick search and came up with these, all from different posters and on 3 different threads. There are a lot more (pages).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/they-wont-eat-their-food.1624335/post-27746833

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-wont-eat-layer-feed-pellets.1595944/post-27127625

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-wont-eat-layer-feed.1565665/post-26569563

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-wont-eat-their-food.1481460/post-24689472

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-wont-eat-their-food.1481460/post-24689697

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-wont-eat-their-food.1481460/post-24690678

 

[fuzzi]

Just a comment, not directed at any person in particular:

If you post an issue or problem online, and/or ask for advice, you will get an avalanche of responses, and few of those responding will agree with each other. There will be some who are very strong in their convictions, they might be right or wrong in your opinion.

Keep it cool.


Tax:

 

[fuzzi]

...old feed may not be exactly tickety boo.

"tickety boo"????

 

[kattabelly]

It is commonly assumed that bagged feed is fine, though some have started to recognize that old feed may not be exactly tickety boo. Quite a few note the powder/dust at the bottom of their bag, sometimes with comments that the birds won't eat it. Bagged feed comes off a production line, which is a bit like a feed line in a chicken shed. The shortcomings of that don't get much attention, but here was a recent piece on it:
https://phys.org/news/2025-10-key-indicator-nutrient-chicken.html
The widespread assumption that all bagged feed is the same (and is fine, as a backstop at least) needs as much attention as do the 'treats' (which sometimes means real food but is often likened to junk).

Yeah, not arguing with that. Though I do still suspect it has a higher chance of providing at least somewhat adequate nutrition than a diet made up of just a couple of whole foods as single ingredients, without much thought or planning (as opposed to your approach which I know has been carefully thought out).

I do use a bagged pellet feed but I also try to provide a wide range of alternatives, both as other foods I bring them and by increasing the variety of forage they have access to through selective planting and weeding, giving them access to different areas, etc. When I had to buy a different pellet feed as a stopgap recently it was noticeable how unhappy they were about it, so I'm hoping the usual stuff is fairly decent.

Did you ever look at barley compared to wheat & maize, out of interest?

 

[Perris]

"tickety boo"????

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tickety-boo

 

[Perris]

Did you ever look at barley compared to wheat & maize, out of interest?

yes I did, but the chief thing there is that my birds really don't like barley, and do like wheat, which is a better base grain anyway.

 

[kattabelly]

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tickety-boo

I thought you were saying I should stop buying feed from the petrol station

 

[kattabelly]

yes I did, but the chief thing there is that my birds really don't like barley, and do like wheat, which is a better base grain anyway.

Thanks. Barley is what grows here and what a lot of folk use as feed which is why I was wondering.

I've stopped making bread or fermenting anything else for myself for now because this house is so mouldy (council place, not much I can do). If I can find a way around that I'd like to try moving mine to maybe one meal a day similar to what you feed yours, with a pellet feed available the rest of the time or when I'm not around.

 

[RoyalChick]

I just did a quick search and came up with these, all from different posters and on 3 different threads. There are a lot more (pages).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/they-wont-eat-their-food.1624335/post-27746833

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-wont-eat-layer-feed-pellets.1595944/post-27127625

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chickens-wont-eat-layer-feed.1565665/post-26569563

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-wont-eat-their-food.1481460/post-24689472

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-wont-eat-their-food.1481460/post-24689697

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-wont-eat-their-food.1481460/post-24690678

I sit corrected.
I will also stay out of this topic because I am sure what I feed my chickens is highly inappropriate - right now they are eating frozen leftovers from a big party I hosted - corn, and cheeseburger, and salad with grains and veggies. It seems popular!

 

[notabitail]

I sit corrected.
I will also stay out of this topic because I am sure what I feed my chickens is highly inappropriate - right now they are eating frozen leftovers from a big party I hosted - corn, and cheeseburger, and salad with grains and veggies. It seems popular!

No, it's appropriate. Chickens deserve to have a feast.