Too Many Treats!

[LaVidaGallina]

I'm new to chicken keeping and have 6 hens about 6 months old. 4 out of 6 are laying regularly. For the past 2 months, in addition to their proper feed, I give them healthy treats. They have a huge coop and run, but not free ranging. So I feel they need little goodies to keep them occupied. I have flock block ( that is covered and given periodically), I sometimes give them a cucumber, flock cakes, frozen fruit, roses (they love!) and I had a ton of blueberries this year, so I've tossed in a few branches. I give them one of these above treats in the morning and then in the evening my husband and I sit on our bench in the run and enjoy giving them my homemade mix of mealworms, grubblies, oats, raisens and sunflower seeds. Before I forget, sometimes I even toss them a fresh salad with greens, carrots, cucumbers, blueberries and top with flax seed. I know, I must have too much time on my hands.....
Well, these little spoiled girls are not eating their feed now. I recently changed from crumbles to pellets and mixed them together, but they are holding out for something better, because I've been reading that too many treats are not good. Only 5% of their diet should be something other than their required feed. My question is this.... Is it right that I have stopped all treats, cold turkey, LOL?
I'm trying to get them to eat their feed, and when I see them doing so on a regular basis, then I can reintroduce treats, but on a very limited basis. I discovered all of this just as I started growing fodder for them, which will be ready to feed in about 5 days. It's so hard, because I love the excitement they have when they see me coming, knowing I'm bringing goodies, but more importantly, I want them to be healthy. What do you think, fellow chicken mothers???

 

[makmm]

I throw a hand full of regular chicken feed to my girls when they come running to me. Now when they gear the gate open they come running even if I don't have food

 

[hlhutchinson]

Not an expert but some people have had trouble when they went from crumble to pellet feed the chickens would not eat it.
I'm thinking someone with more knowledge and experience will chime in

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Yes I agree that may be too much...

My girls absolutely did NOT like pellets, so I buy them crumbles. Some may be the exact opposite. Is it also a new feed or just a new size? Maybe treat related as well as something different when chickens are creatures of habit. I think you are the right track now though with your current understanding and line of thinking.

I like the high protein snacks like meal worms but ya gotta be careful about fat content. Live ones are a fun treat.

I absolutely love sprouting and/or growing fodder. Especially for girls who can't free range. What's important is that you don't diminish their protein level below 16%. That is the minimum needed. So you are better off sprouting like barley instead of say corn. Peas are very high in protein.

I love the suggestion of tossing a handful of regular feed!!!
I do that as well, in addition to fermenting the regular feed. Check out the link in my signature line for some quick info.

Things like blueberries that they get from the garden, I just consider to be part of free ranging. So I don't count that stuff against my (10%) treats. I don't know what they get... If mine were confined I also might not count the fodder if it was good quality. I don't see quite how it's different than browsing the grass. But balance is definitely key and too many low protein or high fat snack can throw it out of whack which could cause health or behavioral issues. Mostly keep it simple.

 

[LaVidaGallina]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Yes I agree that may be too much...

My girls absolutely did NOT like pellets, so I buy them crumbles. Some may be the exact opposite. Is it also a new feed or just a new size? Maybe treat related as well as something different when chickens are creatures of habit. I think you are the right track now though with your current understanding and line of thinking.

I like the high protein snacks like meal worms but ya gotta be careful about fat content. Live ones are a fun treat.

I absolutely love sprouting and/or growing fodder. Especially for girls who can't free range. What's important is that you don't diminish their protein level below 16%. That is the minimum needed. So you are better off sprouting like barley instead of say corn. Peas are very high in protein.

I love the suggestion of tossing a handful of regular feed!!!
I do that as well, in addition to fermenting the regular feed. Check out the link in my signature line for some quick info.

Things like blueberries that they get from the garden, I just consider to be part of free ranging. So I don't count that stuff against my (10%) treats. I don't know what they get... If mine were confined I also might not count the fodder if it was good quality. I don't see quite how it's different than browsing the grass. But balance is definitely key and too many low protein or high fat snack can throw it out of whack which could cause health or behavioral issues. Mostly keep it simple.

Thank you for all this information. So, if I understand correctly, the greens, like fodder and berries, roses, weeds, etc, I shouldn't worry about? I will limit that, but still offer a bit each day? I'm growing barley and wheat fodder. I'm also trying flax, but it's not draining well, so I don't think that will work. I also built some grazing boxes in the run, that stay covered until they grow for them to graze on. So... the limit should be on the fruits and high fat stuff. I see some people make a mash out of the crumbles and add in some goodies. What do you think about that?

 

[LaVidaGallina]

Hi, welcome to BYC!

Yes I agree that may be too much...

My girls absolutely did NOT like pellets, so I buy them crumbles. Some may be the exact opposite. Is it also a new feed or just a new size? Maybe treat related as well as something different when chickens are creatures of habit. I think you are the right track now though with your current understanding and line of thinking.

I like the high protein snacks like meal worms but ya gotta be careful about fat content. Live ones are a fun treat.

I absolutely love sprouting and/or growing fodder. Especially for girls who can't free range. What's important is that you don't diminish their protein level below 16%. That is the minimum needed. So you are better off sprouting like barley instead of say corn. Peas are very high in protein.

I love the suggestion of tossing a handful of regular feed!!!
I do that as well, in addition to fermenting the regular feed. Check out the link in my signature line for some quick info.

Things like blueberries that they get from the garden, I just consider to be part of free ranging. So I don't count that stuff against my (10%) treats. I don't know what they get... If mine were confined I also might not count the fodder if it was good quality. I don't see quite how it's different than browsing the grass. But balance is definitely key and too many low protein or high fat snack can throw it out of whack which could cause health or behavioral issues. Mostly keep it simple.

I'm printing out your article on fermenting feed. Maybe I can use up the pellets that way, if I don't see them eating them.

 

[barred2rock]

I'm printing out your article on fermenting feed. Maybe I can use up the pellets that way, if I don't see them eating them.

Before you get a ferment going you can offer them just wet feed which may help them transition to the fermented. My girls prefer wet over dry whether fermented or not.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Is mash basically a wet feed? I give goodies on the side. No reason to mix them in feed for me. Seems like they would pick through to get them. But I don't know. You can always try and find out what works for you.

That's not my article, just a useful one. And there is an FF thread here with lot's of people who do it if you have questions plus feel free to ask me. Even that sometimes takes a few days for the birds to adjust to, again because they are creatures of habit and it's new. While some may dig right in. Each bird so far is an individual. Usually once they figure out it's feed they're all about it.

 

[kitkat5505]

I love giving mine treats too. A couple days ago they got half a melon and went crazy.

They might not like the pellets. Mine eat layer crumble, I've never tried the pellets, but I know chickens don't like change lol.

 

[barred2rock]

I like pellets because they stay fresh longer and I ferment with the same end result whether pellets or crumble.