Why won't my chickens eat lettuce or any other greens besides grass?

[stone_family3]

Only thing that helped get my chicks to eat anything new was to watch the older ones fight over it and to have it cut up into tiny pieces. Guess they figured if it's being fought over then it must be good. LOL.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Mine won't eat lettuce either. But they love spinach. I rough chop up the stems and put it in their treat bowl and it's gone in minutes.

 

[off-grid hen]

Mine won't eat lettuce, carrot peels, or leaf spinach.

 

[Tracydr]

I find with the younger chicks, small sprouts like fenugreek is a big favorite. Also chives chopped in little pieces. Watermelon is usually a good starter, too, maybe the color and texture? I just offer a little something fresh, usually sprouts or chives, each day after a week or two of age, along with a little grit.
I also like to give a little nutritional yeast, which they love, sprinkled on top, for extra b-vitamins and protein.

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
We started ours off on dandelions. They went right at it at 4 weeks old They all seem to love that, and it is very nutritious for them. All the other stuff seems to take time. We found by just leaving something there they will get around to developing a taste for it. Not much they won't eat after a while. Weeds, grasses and any grass that has gone to seed. They love the seeds when they are fresh.

 

[KaraG]

do you cut it up into really small pieces? my chicks are more willing to try new foods when I cut them up into small bits. I even gave them diced bananna peels the other day just to see what would happen, and they LOVED them.

 

[odswartz]

My chickens eat lots of stuff out of a treat bowl, but won't touch greens or broccoli, even if I cut it up small. If I tie these things to the fence though, they love it, will even fight over it. They seem to like tearing it apart and they can't do that if it's in a bowl. I just hang it upside down, tie it with a piece of twine, and it's gone in minutes.

Actually, I think that's the secret. They can 'pullet" apart. If I throw out a bunch of weeds, they're indifferent, tasting here and there. But if I step on it to hold it down, they dig in till it's gone.

 

[fuzzyfarmer]

Mine won't eat lettuce either. They were terrified of anything green unless I tore little bits out and held the bits in my hand like treats. Then they'd grab bits and fight over them. Now I tie it to the fence and they tear at it. They wouldn't touch carrot chunks but they LOVE shredded carrots. They also like to eat the insides of broccoli stems, but leave the "skins". So weird.

 

[chichen_ lover]

my chickens will not eat lettuce no matter how hard i try to get them they wont do it they eat all the carrots and red cabbage they literally pick it out and eat it but don't touch the lettuce

 

[Johnbaggus]

Quote:

Nope, my gals won't touch the stuff either.

My 2 yr olds will eat pretty much anything but lettuce. My 5 months old are very picky and they won't eat as much a variety as my 2 yrs olds do. It's weird.

A great treat that I know they do like is when I have a can of peas, carrots, green beans, etc... that is getting close to the best buy date or even over the best buy date (you know, the one can that disappears in the back of the cupboard, lol)..... they LOVE when I scatter that can of veggies on the ground. I realize they like cooked items more than raw... go figure.

My daughter is a picky eater also so I'm used to it.

~Tammy

When my chickens are not freeranging I cook all greens for them mixed with a little rice and they love it