Something to peck for...

[Roger-B]

We have a lovely and pretty clean hen house that has an elevated platform with a water dispenser and a feeder. (The automatic waterer and the main feeder are in the run.)It is also at the level of three windows that our girls use to take in the world (of our back yard) and to sun themselves. The platform also has a nice bed of pine chips and enough space so that the five hens spend allot of time searching through the bedding for something to eat as they enjoy their good fortune. They nibble up pieces of the pine but we thought it would give them pleasure if they actually found something nourishing to eat. Should we scatter some feed into the bedding and if so, what kind? Should it be different from their regular feed, to add interest?

 

[eggzettera]

Your title should be "Something to scratch for....and then you would have our answer. Buy some scratch at the feed store rememeber its "candy" and should only be a treat not the "main" meal. There is a sticky at the top of this page "feed time" that will give you all kind of ideas
HTH

 

[Catalina]

Try Black Oil Sunflower seeds. I use these when on days when they can't freerange.

 

[dlhunicorn]

scattering in the bedding is a bad idea!!! corn especially molds easily (and you often wont see it!!!)... the spores of which can kill your birds.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Mine also love it when I toss a few dried meal worms on their bedding. When they could free range and their world was full of grass, plants and live bugs, they were picky about their treats. Now that we're deep in snow and the temps have hit zero, they love their coop snacks!

 

[Roger-B]

Thank you for your responces. I did go out after work last night to purchase some scratch feed. The girls were very impressed when I scattered it in their run. I did put some in their bedding. I don't think they are aware of it yet.

Is the concern that the scratch feed in the bedding will turn moldy obviated by the fact that we change out the bedding every month? Or will it mold very quickly when it comes in contact with the occasional poop?

I have seen the dried meal worms in the local feed store and will give them a try. Once they got over their initial suspicions for the live ones, the girls became very enthusiastic. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Southern28Chick]

Don't put it in the bedding. Poop will get all over it! And it will mold, cleaning the house out once a month isn't going to stop that. You should clean the house out now if you put scratch in the bedding.

 

[rooster-red]

Corn moulds quickly, don't put it in the bedding.