Weird Behavior

[Wishing4Wings]

Chickens have a strong instinct to roost up high and safe at night. If they are used to roosting and eating in your coop, that will be "home" for them. OK to have water source outside when you let them out, but keep feeding them in the coop.


I thought you might be from Canada! You have a "coup."

 

[donrae]

Scratch is just grain.

Chickens are quite strongly creatures of habit. If they are used to sleeping/roosting in a particular spot, they will make every effort to go back to that spot at dusk. Just open the door and let them out close to sundown, they'll forage a little then the instinct to roost will kick in and they'll put themselves to bed.

 

[Kelliekevin]

Hi Wishing4Wings


Yes I was right but we call it mash.

Thanks again for your help!

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Hi Kellie

Did you let them out? How did it go? I wouldn't be surprised if they were hesitant about leaving the coop first time!

 

[Hamstery]

I just let my girls out for the first time this weekend and they stayed very close by to the coop. And they also kept going back in every 10 minutes or so. It was really cute. So once I was ready to head in the house, I waited for them to make their way in and I locked them back up. It worked out well.
Curious how yours did on their big outing.

 

[mmktdox]

Hi Wishing4Wings


Yes I was right but we call it mash.

Thanks again for your help!

I'm in Canada too, but as far as I know, scratch and mash are two different things. Mash or laying feed is specially formulated for laying birds. It has all the protein, grit, and calcium among other things they need to lay eggs without leaching nutrients from their bodies. Scratch is just grains (mostly carbs) that can be used as a treat or to keep them occupied for awhile. Scratch does not have all the nutrional requirements that laying hens required.

I sometimes use black oil sunflower seeds as a treat instead of scratch. It took them a couple of weeks to get used to them but they go nuts for them now. And calling them with the treats works really well too. My girls come running to me whether or not there is anything in my hands, they just assume I have goodies!

 

[Kelliekevin]

Well I let them out today! You were right, they weren`t sure about comin out! It took about of 3 minutes and they stayed close to the coup for the first 20 min but they ended up checking out the whole backyard. Bella who has lots of personality kept trying to escape to the front yard! My kids have mastered catching them and picking them up to my surprise the girls don`t seem to mind. After a few hours they found their coop and went in on their own!

Thanks again for the advise! I love this web site!

Kellie

 

[Kelliekevin]

Oh I just assumed it was scratch because it kinda looks like what you had described, but yes it is layer mash so I`m gona go get me some scratch! I will just use it for strictly treats and train the girls with it so they will come to me like yours come to you! I think that`s awesome!

Thank you so much for all your advise I really appreciate it! It`s funny I researched my brains out regarding the chickens months before we even got them so I thought I would be well prepared when they arrived. Boy was I wrong! lol There`s so much they don`t tell you and lots of stuff you just learn from experience.

Kellie

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Oh I just assumed it was scratch because it kinda looks like what you had described, but yes it is layer mash so I`m gona go get me some scratch! I will just use it for strictly treats and train the girls with it so they will come to me like yours come to you! I think that`s awesome!

Thank you so much for all your advise I really appreciate it! It`s funny I researched my brains out regarding the chickens months before we even got them so I thought I would be well prepared when they arrived. Boy was I wrong! lol There`s so much they don`t tell you and lots of stuff you just learn from experience.

Kellie

You can also use oatmeal (rolled oats) right out of the Quaker box. They love it.

 

[AAJ]

she might be broody or mean.