[viettaclark]

Do chickens get bored with food? Mine get the usual pellets and free-range for a few hours. Treats include a few mealie worms, oats and to get them back in I scatter a bit of corn and some lettuce in the run. Blow me if they're turning their beaks up at the corn and lettuce that they LOVED! I can still get them in but they stand around looking bored. Their crops have been pretty full, probably all the worms in this rain. But not eating their lettuce ........!!

[Vember]

So long as they are eating their pellets I wouldn't worry


Sarah

[judrop]

  I swear I must have the only chooks in the world who turn their beaks up at GREENS !! Fine if its growing , but once out of the ground , not interested !! LOL Ju

[chooksbury]

    Our girls are picky too.  They completely ignore any greenstuff I put in, unless I offer choicest dandelion or sorrell leaf by hand.  Then it's stand well back as they shoulder barge eachother out of the way to get in.  They did enjoy some pak choi suspended from their nommage chain .. this is a blunted hook on a chain from which we suspend a corn cob for entertainment.  I think perhaps it might be laziness.  If the greens are on the ground, they dont seem to be bothered to pick it up, but if it's held still and therefore easier to peck at, its a different story ?

[LittleRedHen]

Try fresh spinach leaves.  Put them in a big bowl, cut them with a pair of scissors into smallish pieces.  My hens never tire of them and they are chock full of minerals and vitamins - much better for hens than lettuce.  You can buy them in nice big bags in ASDA and TESCOs - not sure about the other chains, but I bet those too.  I have four hens and they eat a half bag a day.

[judrop]

Try fresh spinach leaves.  Put them in a big bowl, cut them with a pair of scissors into smallish pieces.  My hens never tire of them and they are chock full of minerals and vitamins - much better for hens than lettuce.  You can buy them in nice big bags in ASDA and TESCOs - not sure about the other chains, but I bet those too.  I have four hens and they eat a half bag a day.

Thanks Little red hen, fresh spinach leaves it is, would be good if they like it , great help thanks again Ju

[viettaclark]

I don't know if it's laziness or just boredom. Mine will eat greens from the hand or when I tie them in a bunch to the run mesh. They love pecking at their boredom ball if it's stuffed with greens and that's hard work....the ball flies about all over the place! They have sussed out how to eat a whole greens leaf on the ground by standing on one end to hold it down. I grow spinach, broccoli, pak choi, cabbage, kale and lettuce (in wired off raised beds) and I drop leaves for them as they follow me around BUT they got a passion for crispy (bought!) iceberg when foraging after a bbq which is why I've been using it successfully for months to get them in. Spoilt or wot!!
Tonight they came running when I shredded the lettuce inside the run then they gave me a LOOK and headed off in the other direction and didn't come in until it was getting dark. Only explanation.....they must be finding plenty of goodies in the garden judging by the full crops.
In some ways this is good....icebergs are getting expensive now.
I'm thinking a few mealie worms will be a good substitute to tempt them in and probably better for a winter diet.
They love THEM!!

[pink-chicken]

Try fresh spinach leaves.  Put them in a big bowl, cut them with a pair of scissors into smallish pieces.  My hens never tire of them and they are chock full of minerals and vitamins - much better for hens than lettuce.  You can buy them in nice big bags in ASDA and TESCOs - not sure about the other chains, but I bet those too.  I have four hens and they eat a half bag a day.

This is just what our girls love too and less 'watery' than lettuce, plus it doesn't give them the runs. I buy the largest bag available of baby spinach leaves and like LittleRedHen cut required amount into small pieces with scissors. Asda, Sainsburys, Morrisons all sell similar size bags so I know I can always get my hands on some wherever I shop  

Jan.x

[viettaclark]

Well, I tried the mealie worms tonight and 2 girls went in and stuffed their beaks but Phyllis didn't again. She preferred to carry on scratching in the leaves.
I've given up! I worry about Foxy Loxy (boo!) so I like to get them in a bit before dark but now they see themselves to bed and I shut the run and the pop-hole in the near dark.
Then I sneak round and catch Looby-loo kipping in the nest box and turf her out. The LOOK she gives me....!!
I'm sure a week or two of no bedtime treats will whet their appetites eventually and we might get back to normal! Naughty girls! (but they are still giving me eggs every day...)

[judrop]

Try fresh spinach leaves.  Put them in a big bowl, cut them with a pair of scissors into smallish pieces.  My hens never tire of them and they are chock full of minerals and vitamins - much better for hens than lettuce.  You can buy them in nice big bags in ASDA and TESCOs - not sure about the other chains, but I bet those too.  I have four hens and they eat a half bag a day.

Thanks Little red hen, fresh spinach leaves it is, would be good if they like it , great help thanks again Ju

  Large bag bought and cut with scissors and duly IGNORED ! As I said I have the only chooks in the WORLD  who wont eat greens !!
They have their good side mind you , they put themselves to bed every night about 4:30 , all we have to do is close the pen and pop them, to keep Charlie (FOX ) out!

[chooksbury]

   Hmm .. got them to bed with a corn trail last night.  Spinach ?  Ignored it.  Will try a bit of my curly kale later.. They did enjoy the end of a raddichio on their nommage chain (perhaps it's the red colour ?)

 And I noticed somebody .. chicken unknown .. is kipping in the egg laying area as there's a big pile of poo in there.  I need to discourage this.  Any ideas ?

[joyfull]

just try to block the nesting box off and also after they have gone to bed gently lift her onto the perch 

[scrappydoo]

   Our girls are picky too.  They completely ignore any greenstuff I put in, unless I offer choicest dandelion or sorrell leaf by hand.  Then it's stand well back as they shoulder barge eachother out of the way to get in.  They did enjoy some pak choi suspended from their nommage chain .. this is a blunted hook on a chain from which we suspend a corn cob for entertainment.  I think perhaps it might be laziness.  If the greens are on the ground, they dont seem to be bothered to pick it up, but if it's held still and therefore easier to peck at, its a different story ?

  Hi all
      Like Chooksbury I also suspend usually half a cabbage on a line from the run roof about 3-4 inches above their head height which gives the girls numerous hours of pleasure & exercise

Best Regards

Steve

[viettaclark]

Well, I just let them get on with putting themselves to bed tonight then went down and closed the run and pop-hole. There were TWO in the nest box! I quite enjoy lifting them up and pushing them through...gives me a chance to stroke them and say goodnight.
Maybe they like it too even though they're completely zonked......
I haven't gone as far as bedtime stories or lullabies (yet)

[chooksbury]

Try fresh spinach leaves.  Put them in a big bowl, cut them with a pair of scissors into smallish pieces.  My hens never tire of them and they are chock full of minerals and vitamins - much better for hens than lettuce.  You can buy them in nice big bags in ASDA and TESCOs - not sure about the other chains, but I bet those too.  I have four hens and they eat a half bag a day.

Thanks Little red hen, fresh spinach leaves it is, would be good if they like it , great help thanks again Ju

  Large bag bought and cut with scissors and duly IGNORED ! As I said I have the only chooks in the WORLD  who wont eat greens !!
They have their good side mind you , they put themselves to bed every night about 4:30 , all we have to do is close the pen and pop them, to keep Charlie (FOX ) out!

YAHEEEYYY  it must be about the mixture.  Tried again snipping watercress spinach and rocket leaves with scissors, adding a few seedless grape halves .. just in a little bowl.  Went back out .. three very contented girlies having a communal dust bath .. matilda upside down, legs akimbo ..     and all signs of their salad gone . Well really .. b**gered if I'll be adding blue cheese and walnuts to it though    Now lets see what else you people on here can fix !  Thanks again .. you and your experience .. AMAZING mwah