[cammi]

Today i went and bought, white cabbage, savouy cabbage, sweetheart cabbage, lettuce, kale, brocolli and spring greens, they have turned their beaks up at the lot!

In the mornings i had been cutting clumps of fresh grass and snipping (with scissors) into their run in 1-2cm pieces and that absolutely love!  But someone (sorry im to tired to go look for your name )  I shouldnt do that because of fermentation, although i don't know if they thought i meant grass cutting from the lawn mower.  I know the guinea pigs arent allowed grass cutting but are fine with purposely cut fresh grass.

Anyway hence why i went out and bought a load of greens for them to try.  They love fruit but try to limit that.  Buying a piece of turf has been suggested, will that last i suppose i could get a couple and use in rotation.

So any suggestions for my girls as im sure they need/would like some greens everday when they aren't allowed out

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi Cammi, some chickens, including some of ours, don't like the harder greens like cabbage, but nearly all of ours like brussels.  But what they do love is chickweed and dandelions.  we do give ours a few grass clippings, but like you, I've heard good and bad reports on both sorts of grass, too long they say is bad, and grass clippings from a lawn mower is bad!  We can't win! lol

I think grass clippings from the lawn mower is okay as the grass is short, but only in moderation.

Pecking the grass themselves is preferable, but not always possible.  You mentioned buying them a turf now and then.  Another of our members grows grass in pots, containers and seed trays, then gives them one at a time, would be cheaper than buying turf!   :happy:

[compostqueen]

I grate the broc stalks and carrots for them as they can't really do a lot with them cept peck at them a bit. One of my girls has a wonky beak so I help her out by grating the hard stuff 

I think  hens take time to get to like things, and just because they turn their beaks up first time doesn't mean they won't wolf it down the next 

[Casey76]

In winter you probably wont have a problem with fermentation  In summer if you put a big pile of grass clippings down (like from a lawn mower box), in the heat of the day the inside of the heap will start to ferment, and if the hens eat it it can give them sour crop.

To be honest, if your hens are on grass then you don't need to feed extra greens.

Hanging up a cabbage is suggested as a bordem breaker if they are confined to a run, but you could also try lettuce too.

My hens don't touch anything hanging up, though I tend not to feed anything more than layers pellets, and a little mixed corn.  They sometimes get a few grapes if they are lucky (and I'm not quick enough to eat them before the go wrinkly!)

[Sassy]

There is no difference between lawnmower clippings and clippings cut with scissors. If you must feed grass this way it needs to be very freshly cut and only feed an amount that will be eaten immediately.

[cammi]

oh so much to reply to...........

GrannieAnnie - I do actually have one of those grow bag tray full of compost sown with grass seeds but wasn't sure how long it would take to grow in the winter, hence the turf.  And there was me thinking only a silly sausage like me would do such a thing 

CompostQueen - grating - what a simple idea!  I think they might like that too, they seem to prefer scratching around.

Casey76 - Yes i hang the cabbage and lettuce yesterday, but they just bumped into them on the way past lol.  So also put bits on the floor no joy either.  Unfortunately they arent no grass anymore, and can't free range unless we are out in the garden too, due to the about of cats.  Oh my girls LOVE grapes nearly as much as meal worms!  Red ones are fav.  My Araucana loves bananas, actually anything sweet!  but i presume i need to limit fruit intake, bless her.

Sassy - Yes it is freshly cut and only what they are going to tuck into there and then.  Hence the difference between grass cutting, it has been sat in the sun and started to break down

many thanks for your ideas,  so a bit of grass for breakfast and grated veg this afternoon lol

[Bonniebean]

Mine will happily eat a hanging cabbage but the also love a courgette cut in half lengthways.

[Kathie]

Ours love fruit but will only eat their greens and other veg cooked... fusssy hens

[karenjayne]

My chicks favourite is cucumber.  i gave it to them by mistake instead of the guinea pigs one day  and never seen them gobble some thing so fast.  i ask my local green grocer for left overs (they keep chickens themselfs) and are happy to oblige and  it save money!  i

[cammi]

thanks everyone

still trying they didn't go for the grated veg idea, which i thought they might, but will try again.  One had a couple of pecks at a pepper.  Will try courgette.  They just dont seem to see any of it as food!  Silly girls.  At least i have guinea pigs to eat up all the refused veg lol
ive tried cooked broccoli and carrots..................nope    clipped grass was still a winner..............

[hillfooter]

I've found they don't like carrots much and in fact the only "greens" mine have eaten readily is lettuce hearts but they free range on grass so like Casey I don't give them veg much.

Ocassional cooked potato peelings go down well as goes anything with seeds like mellon seeds, pepper seeds etc.  Personally giving them all their requirements on a plate so to speak isn't good they need to forage and be active for their mental health so I wouldn't make things too easy for them or they will get bored and develop bad habits.

If they are fed on layers pellets ad lib really feeding extra greens isn't essential.
HF

[Pertelotte]

Let them think they're stealing it from somebody else. it will disappear in nanoseconds.

When I first got my girls I had to grate their carrot because they wouldn't eat a whole one. I gave a (large) whole one to the rabbit in her hutch. Rabbit wouldn't be seen dead in the hutch, so chickens hop into hutch, steal (whole) carrot, drag it down garden and shred it to smithereens.

The key is to not give up and expect the unexpected. The chickens will surprise you. And don't leave the door open and your dinner unattended....