[bluebirds love chickens]

after much hard work researching, building chicken house and pen ect we finally got our six chickens last friday. so far so good, four of them are laying an egg a day which has delighted the kids...(and me)
 they are being fed layer pellets and greens and weeds from my allotment
two questions...
is it ok to feed weeds, grasses ect to them/ will it have any affect on their health good or bad?
and i have been told to give them grit and oyster shell but is this necessary if they are laying perfectly good eggs?
hope this isnt a bit dumb but i am new to all this  

[nettynoodles1]

hi  and welcome

theres no such thing as a dumb question here  

yes i feed allsorts of greens to mine but i would err on the side of caution with pulled grass and weeeds as they ferment quite quickly...., i know  you shouldnt feed cuttings to horses for that reason! :oops:  

Grit is necassary(sp) for hen to digest their food but if they free range on gravel etc you could just about get away with it oystershell is to help with calcium levels which are needed to lay good shells. If you have a read round the hen house you will find most of us have at some point had soft shelled eggs so i would always add it in a seperate dish along with the grit enabaling them to eat it when they need it.

well done on your chooks and pics plssssssssss

[Roughlee Handled]

I ask many dumb questions so dont worry.  Make sure the grass is not "long" grass clippings are good.  Long grass can cause a blockage in the crop.  Oh and no bread unless it has been soaked in water.

[Porffor]

hmm now i didn't even know that about bread! lol

Welcome and congrats on your chooks.. can't believe you haven't been asked for pictures yet! We all love pictures here.

Grass cut - even by a mower changes in it's 'make up' as a horse owner it's a huge no-no to feed grass that's cut etc. I always err on the side of caution with my chooks too.. though hubby thinks they look 'longingly' at the grass.. lol

[Roughlee Handled]

I read it some where on here the bit about bread.  Think the conclusion was unsoaked bread is bad as it expands in the crop.  So if people wanted to give bread it should be soaked.

[GrannieAnnie]

That's what I was always told anyway, and if you think about it, it makes sense.  They love a bit of soggy bread!!!!

[Poolfield2]

Ooops, I've been doing dry bread for 4 years, will be a reformed character from now on. Mind in this weather all bread is soggy within a few seconds :roll:

[nettynoodles1]

:oops:  :oops:  :oops:  been feeding dry bread here too :oops:  :oops:


i did ask for picsss

[bluebirds love chickens]

thanks for the advice, i will take some pics tomorrow if its not raining.
we have 2 warrens, 2 blackrocks, a speckledy and a bluebell
we have also been giving them a bit of bread, better knock that on the head :oops:
i am hoping to pick up another 2 chickens tomorrow as we have a henhouse for 8

[knittywittywoo]

:oops: Dry bread here too :oops:
I only use it at night or when I need to get them in.
Will soak it in future.