[looe-looe-belle]

hello everyone - i will be starting work full time in 2 weeks time and wondered what is the best way round things? What i mean is normally  i give the girls their mixed corn and greenstuff in the afternoons so because i will be at work should i put all their food down before i go to work? I am new to this area so dont know anyone also i wont be back until after 6pm so will be too late then! Would it be ok to put all their food down for them before i go to work? I must admit i will miss looking at them during the day

[Lastcast]

Hi Looe-Looe-Bell, shouldn't be a problem, they can only eat so much at a time, it will be their choice what will be first on the menu  understand how you feel about not getting to see them before bedtime !! good luck with your job.

[hillfooter]

Hi Looe-Looe-Bell, shouldn't be a problem, they can only eat so much at a time, it will be their choice what will be first on the menu  understand how you feel about not getting to see them before bedtime !! good luck with your job.

It's important with layers that they eat the pellets as their staple diet so I personally wouldn't give them any treats until evening in anycase.  As long as it's still light they will eat a handful of corn each so at the moment 6pm is fine.   Of course later into winter it will be dark by 4pm so you can give them a small handful in the morning and if they don't get any greens during the day in their run greens in moderation are OK too.  Leave other treats till a weekend late afternoon.

Corn is very low in nutritional value and doesn't contain all the minerals chx need so from a nutritional point of view it's not as essential as pellets and feeding too early will reduce the bulk of pellets they eat so cut it out if they don't seem to be eating as much of their main layers feed.

Best wishes and good luck with the job.
HF

[Pertelotte]

First of all, congrats on the job!

You can buy feed bowls with timers on them (downside not cheap) so it might be an idea to put the treats in one of those and set the timer for the afternoon so they eat their dinner before starting on pudding. My girls are like kids: terrible for filling up on treats and then not having room for their main.

If you don't want to do that you might be able to get a neighbour or a responsible child who would enjoy fussing over your girls. You never know; you might convert them to chicken ownership!

Good luck with whatever you decide.