Very Picky Chickens.

[jolleyfarm]

Our Chickens are around 4 months old. Give or take a week. & they simply are not eating! There are 9 in a pen together, and we give them a variety of feeds of chick starter, scratch, and layer pellets. (sometimes we throw a little game bird feed in there too for extra protein) they just seem to rake their feed out!

They don't even try to peck at the food! Instead they just take their beak and throw the food on the ground. And in the scratch they never eat the red seeds, the chick starter is really too small for them to want. The only thing that kinda makes me worried is when about once a week I take bread to them they go absolutely bonkers for it! Like crazy. Fighting over it, just about pecking my fingers off for it. I don't want them going hungry, but they are growing very healthy. What exactly should I be feeding them since they just won't eat? I thought a chicken ate everything?

 

[MrsBachbach]

Not at all unusual for chickens to toss and scratch their feed all over the place. That's why they make special feeders to prevent them from doing that. I guess they get bored with the same old thing everyday. I can't get my chickens to eat pellets, so they are always on crumbles. The fine particles that are left over or accumulate on the bottom of the feeder are occassionally collected by me in a pan and I add a bit of molasses or vinegar water to that to make a mash for them and they tear it up. Not too much vinegar or molasses, just about a teaspoon to a half gallon of water. You could try that once in awhile for variety.

 

[jolleyfarm]

Not at all unusual for chickens to toss and scratch their feed all over the place.  That's why they make special feeders to prevent them from doing that.  I guess they get bored with the same old thing everyday.  I can't get my chickens to eat pellets, so they are always on crumbles.  The fine particles that are left over or accumulate on the bottom of the feeder are occassionally collected by me in a pan and I add a bit of molasses or vinegar water to that to make a mash for them and they tear it up.  Not too much vinegar or molasses, just about a teaspoon to a half gallon of water.  You could try that once in awhile for variety. 

We have their feed in hanging feeders. I think I will try it out your way! I'll see how that goes tomorrow!


If anybody else has any other ideas I'm glad to hear them, although I'd like to keep the on a mostly feed based diet. I don't want them always thinking they are going to get table scraps.

 

[TripleKFarm]

if they are only around 4 months old take them off of layer pellets-it's not good for them at all! try this...get a bag of lentels from walmart (isle that has bagged beans, rice) put in a jar, container that you can fill it up with water...water standing just above the lentels. let the lentels for 24 hrs, after 24 hrs take them out put in a strainer rinse very well-drain. lay them out in a flat tray-so you can rinse them 2-4x a day for 2-4 days. they will start to sprout once they get a nice root mat to it-feed! watch out your birds will take you down!!!

you can also do the same thing with black oil sunflowers-you can get those at walmart in the garden center or local feed store may sell by the pound. I also hard boil eggs or scramble them-but don't feed them the shells! they don't need extra calcium till they lay...feed them the yolks...but not raw so they won't be egg eaters when they start to lay.

I get Italian seasoning +cyanne pepper and sprinkle it on their scrambled eggs or hard boiled eggs. that will help them to stay healthy the all natural way. they get bored with the same thing being offered..wouldn't you? mine never liked the pellets either! you can even wet their crumbles or scratch as well, crack an egg and mix it up...wetting food will bring out all the good stuff in it-easy to digest and absorb. you can even feed them fruit, veggies, garden greens. OH they love marigolds! yes the flowers...grow some! they are wonderful bug detourants! when they flower cut the flower off the stem and serve.

at first they may look at you like you've lost your mind! but don't be discouraged they will like it...and be very happy/healthy for it. if you can hang their feeder where they can't scratch around in it...now they will still throw some around but it won't be as wasted. also they love to scratch around...so throw some on the floor...they love it. but DON'T feed them layer or any kind of calcium till they are laying.

your birds will love all of their new options! I always feed my birds all organic (what I grow) and I try to limit their intake of the commercial foods...they do need some but you can be able to supplement with the extra yummies.

 

[jolleyfarm]

Im really trying to limit their intake of foods other than feeds. Just because I am like that with all my animals. My dog doesn't even get table scraps. So really im looking for a feed that they will eat. && we got the layer pellets cause they wouldn't eat any other feeds. At this moment I'd feed them any feed they will eat. Lol. I just don't like the idea of feeding them all different kinds of food, cause then they would surely not eat their feed! Lol!

 

[locoguru]

ferment it.