Too much watermelon?

[SClaire]

I noticed the same thing happening with our girls. Watermelon now gets used in moderation! The poor girls now think every time I come out of the house I am bring watermelon - and they all start

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haha that's brilliant

 

[deacons]

You can also store rinds in the freezer and float them in a dish of water on hot days. The frozen rinds keep the water cold and as they thaw, the birds can still eat the melon.

 

[hollilynn]

besides the watermelon, have any of you noticed poopy butts after a spring mix feeding? It seems everytime I give the chickens greens from the kitchen, some of them get poopy butt. The only time when butts stay clean is if they get NO treats Has anyone else noticed that?

 

[SClaire]

You can also store rinds in the freezer and float them in a dish of water on hot days. The frozen rinds keep the water cold and as they thaw, the birds can still eat the melon.

This sounds like a good idea, do you need to chop the rinds first or not?

 

[chickenychicken]

Hi,

I noticed my Langshans passing what looked like water today.  I checked her crop and her vent as best I can, and they both look ok so I doubt sour crop/vent gleet.  Should I be worried, or could it be just that she's had too much watermelon (three days in a row)?

Thanks,

Susan

It is probably from the water melon 3 days in a row. Since water melon is full on a lot of water... Which is healthy for chickens, it can give them watery stools. It's normal, actually it's good, that will help clean their intestines.

 

[aggiemae]

Since they can't get enough of a good thing my hens get wet poops when they get lots of watermelon except when it's very hot out side. Actually on scorching days I make a point of giving them melon to keep them well hydrated. They eat every bit except the thinnest bit of the outside skin.

 

[21hens-incharge]

besides the watermelon, have any of you noticed poopy butts after a spring mix feeding? It seems everytime I give the chickens greens from the kitchen, some of them get poopy butt. The only time when butts stay clean is if they get NO treats Has anyone else noticed that?

I have a couple fatties lol (mostly just lots of fluffy butt feathers) and they do that. Poor girls cannot keep clean. (Bathing chickens is not so much fun as one would think)

 

[deacons]

This sounds like a good idea, do you need to chop the rinds first or not?

I think it just depends on what size bowl you want to use.

I also often just cut a small watermelon into quarters (fruit plus rind), and give them two quarters one day and two the next. That doesn't seem to be too much for mine.

 

[SClaire]

I think it just depends on what size bowl you want to use.

I also often just cut a small watermelon into quarters (fruit plus rind), and give them two quarters one day and two the next. That doesn't seem to be too much for mine.

Sounds good, I might do that for mine, but the summer is so cold and the watermelon so expensive hardly seems worth it haha

 

[deacons]

Sounds good, I might do that for mine, but the summer is so cold and the watermelon so expensive hardly seems worth it haha

Yeah, seems like not enough people here are buying watermelons at the supermarket because the summer is off to such a slow start, so I've been buying pre-cut watermelon halves that are a little overripe so deeply discounted. On those 80*F days the girls are loving it!