Treats. Chickens more finicky than the cat!

[Double Yolked]

Question for you all. Have you ever had a flock that absolutely would not touch certain greens that other people say their hen's love? My girls hate cabbage. They could care less about 90% of the green-leafed treats I offer them. Unless they forage them for themselves they just ignore them. Fruit they love, grain they love, meats and other high proteins they'll kill for. (literally) But the greens mostly just rot.
Input? I'm stumped. Midwinter and I can't allow them out to forage as we've got some flooding and it's just not safe.


PS: Whoever is in charge of ads and add choices on the site? The Mandalorian ad for streaming video from Disney is setting off my virus checker and sending my security into fits.

 

[Trevorusn]

Question for you all. Have you ever had a flock that absolutely would not touch certain greens that other people say their hen's love? My girls hate cabbage. They could care less about 90% of the green-leafed treats I offer them. Unless they forage them for themselves they just ignore them. Fruit they love, grain they love, meats and other high proteins they'll kill for. (literally) But the greens mostly just rot.
Input? I'm stumped. Midwinter and I can't allow them out to forage as we've got some flooding and it's just not safe.


PS: Whoever is in charge of ads and add choices on the site? The Mandalorian ad for streaming video from Disney is setting off my virus checker and sending my security into fits.

You will get that sometimes, as birds still have their individual personalities and likes. Eight of my flock love yogurt, four could care less. Its funny to learn, all the more fun of interacting with your flock!

 

[Ebony Rose]

My chickens refuse to try red cabbage, but love green cabbage IF, and only if I shred it into worms and then cross cut it into 1/2 inch bits. Iceberg lettuce is a favorite (naturally, it's got nothing nutritious in it... similar to humans chowing down on popcorn) but I only offer it sparingly or when it becomes evident that I'll be unable to finish using the rest of the head of lettuce before it would go bad... I only need split the head and they'll gladly rip it to pieces. Have you tried kale, spinach, basil? Some of these tougher greens will see more interest from your flock if they're shredded. It's also possible that they are simply happy with the other calcium options you have on offer, and don't need the dark leafy greens.

 

[oldhen2345]

My girls also hate cabbage and greens. I got a little ball to put greens in so they could entertain themselves- nope. I spread salad greens on the grass - nope. I throw out corn on the cob -nope. They will scramble for the corn when I cut it off the cob, but not on (I think they are spoiled). I bought freeze dried crickets - nope (and those things feel nasty to touch). They do eat fly grubs and mealworms but act like they are doing me a favor. They love pumpkin, watermelon and tomatoes. They love yogurt, so I put needed stuff in the yogurt like home made wormer - which they love. In the cold of winter, I make warm oatmeal or rice as a treat just before bedtime, so they go to bed with a warm, full stomach.

 

[FathertoFeathers]

You will get that sometimes, as birds still have their individual personalities and likes. Eight of my flock love yogurt, four could care less. Its funny to learn, all the more fun of interacting with your flock!

I have one baby chick who goes bonkers for worms while the rest of the chicks couldn't care less.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Every flock is different, and you may find that if one chicken doesn't like something, others follow its lead and don't want that treat either.

Mine won't take lettuce or bread (which are 2 things a lot of ppl mention chickens liking). Mine love spinach (especially the stems), cauliflower, corn cobs, shelled peas, melon, peaches and strawberries.

 

[Acre4Me]

Greens, just keep trying! I’ll rehydrate alfalfa pellets and add them to wet feed as a treat. Alfalfa is 16% protein. Just rehydrates alfalfa, only a few would touch it. Even when I let them out, some make a beeline for the grass, others the compost, others the garden dirt to scratch-individual preferences.

must have good cabbage in Ohio bc all our chickens and all our quail have gone bonkers for cabbage. And if t I toss in Brussel sprout stalk with leaves and some sprouts attached it is a single clean stalk left within an hour! Peppers, they will kinda eat if I break them up. Squash bonkers if it’s cooked (mild interest if raw), meat- gone in a flash, worms/caterpillars- some love them, others not. Baby bird fallen out of nest in the rafters, well it’s a sad story for the baby bird and one or more happy chickens Etc...

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Oh geez..that’s funny..mine don’t like greens either and I thought I was a bad chicken Mom again! I even tried hanging it from strings to make it fun..saw that for turkeys...we have a full farm, so I have to pick and choose who gets what...so I’d love some tips...some like bananas...which I have tons of..no one eats mushrooms., or green peppers...they love squash...any tips would be great!! Thanks..great thread guys!!

 

[Double Yolked]

My chickens refuse to try red cabbage, but love green cabbage IF, and only if I shred it into worms and then cross cut it into 1/2 inch bits. Iceberg lettuce is a favorite (naturally, it's got nothing nutritious in it... similar to humans chowing down on popcorn) but I only offer it sparingly or when it becomes evident that I'll be unable to finish using the rest of the head of lettuce before it would go bad... I only need split the head and they'll gladly rip it to pieces. Have you tried kale, spinach, basil? Some of these tougher greens will see more interest from your flock if they're shredded. It's also possible that they are simply happy with the other calcium options you have on offer, and don't need the dark leafy greens.

Yes to all of the above. They refuse all but (and this is weird) parsley. I have it growing wild in two herb beds and a compost area and they'll eat it as fast as I cut it and dump it into their run.

 

[Double Yolked]

Oh geez..that’s funny..mine don’t like greens either and I thought I was a bad chicken Mom again! I even tried hanging it from strings to make it fun..saw that for turkeys...we have a full farm, so I have to pick and choose who gets what...so I’d love some tips...some like bananas...which I have tons of..no one eats mushrooms., or green peppers...they love squash...any tips would be great!! Thanks..great thread guys!!

That's so funny, mine hate bananas but love almost any other fruit. Cooked squash is yummy but don't bother with it raw. I thought they were eating a hung piece of cabbage... until I noticed the way it had been nibbled. Nope, very large rat. Cat got it just this week. Good kitty!