Spoiled chicken wont eat their food.

[markofthebee33]

So how important is it to make sure your chickens are eating pellets or flakes? Mine wont anymore at all and I think it's because I have spoiled them rotten. They get a mix of raw sunflower seeds, yogurt, raisins or crasins, as well as the TONS of bugs they forrage for all day (worms, beetles, grasshoppers). I mix it up but is this a bad diet for them? Should I be adding something else to their diet? I get an egg a day from all of them even though I shouldn't be, sometimes 2 (Americanas, Barred rock) and the shell is really super hard. I assumed I am getting so many eggs cause they like there food. I did stop giving them snacks and forced the pellets back onto them and my egg production slowed as well, so I went back to the snacks. Need some advise. I hate giving them bag food but feel like I may be not providing enough for them. Help anyone?

 

[cpegram]

they won't eat as much if they are free ranging

and they surely wont starve themselves and will eat it

 

[markofthebee33]

I'm not worried about them starving by any means! I know they will eat it if they need to. I need to know if the other food I give them along with the bugs in the yard is good enough for them as far as protein and calcium goes can I forget the pellets all together? Should I be adding anything else? They really don't like leafy greens but will eat some of the foliage in the yard too.

 

[toysmom]

My chickens free range and get a snack everyday. They don't eat much of their chicken feed. I keep it in their house for them so that it is there if they want it. Your chickens will be fine free ranging and with their snacks. You need to keep their chicken feed out for them in case they want it. They will not strave themselves.

 

[gale65]

From what I understand, you can't get more than one egg a day from any breed.

 

[markofthebee33]

Thanks. That's what I needed to know. I'll just keep a small bowl out for them, even though they wont eat it LOL, I end up throwing most of it away, or the dogs get into it, at least they love the chicken feed.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
Your feeding schedule is so much out of whack for them, their intake of non chicken type food is too high and you failed at the forcing them into a healthier chicken feed diet because you think the unhealthy snacks make them lay better, so you went back to it. The fact that they free range is good for them but when supplemented with junk food they won't go to the feed. Chicken layer feed is so much healtheir for them when the are able to free range and that is the ideal diet, but you just want more egg's. Your not alone however many many pet chicken owners choose the same radical poor feeding methods, because ..... well .... it makes the human feel better not the chicken, although this feed regimine won't hurt them it doesn't help them either. You just have to pick a proper feeding program and stick to it the chickens will enventualy come around and eat what you give them, they will also be healtheir for it. Something tells me however that you really can't/won't follow a balanced treat schedule, and that's fine it happens.

 

[anderson8505]

Chickens are like kids, heck, like every one of us... They'll eat the best tasting stuff whether it's a balanced diet or not. That's why good chicken feeds were made. My advice would be to cut back on treats and give them as "treats." It is best for their health, even though you're giving them good stuff.

 

[al6517]

Quote:
X10 LOL I was going to make the spoiled kid diet analogy myself, but you beat me to it. Some parents realize their kids need to eat better and force them to the dinner table and it works out for the most part, then you have the parents who can't get it handled and the kids eat whatever they want and the parents lose the battle because they are weak in their parenting skills, that is why the child Obesicity rate is through the roof the past few years. Same goes for chickens and other livestock, except pig's LOL.

 

[toysmom]

Quote:
Your feeding schedule is so much out of whack for them, their intake of non chicken type food is too high and you failed at the forcing them into a healthier chicken feed diet because you think the unhealthy snacks make them lay better, so you went back to it. The fact that they free range is good for them but when supplemented with junk food they won't go to the feed. Chicken layer feed is so much healtheir for them when the are able to free range and that is the ideal diet, but you just want more egg's. Your not alone however many many pet chicken owners choose the same radical poor feeding methods, because ..... well .... it makes the human feel better not the chicken, although this feed regimine won't hurt them it doesn't help them either. You just have to pick a proper feeding program and stick to it the chickens will enventualy come around and eat what you give them, they will also be healtheir for it. Something tells me however that you really can't/won't follow a balanced treat schedule, and that's fine it happens.

My treats that I feed each day are not large treats. I treat with scrambled eggs and scratch feed. I have found that during the summer months, at least, that my chickens don't eat their chicken feed because they are getting lots of food free ranging.