[silverteen]

Hello,

Ive been feeding my silkies a mixture fo layers pellets, mash, sometimes a little porridge and some fresh scraps.

everytime i go out into the garden they come rushing over to me for food, i always give them fresh pellets but the thing they go crazy is mixed corn... i only feed a small handful between 3 of them and they all love it. I know its not the best for them so was wondering what can i give them as an alternative that they will go crazy over which is also better for them?

any advice?

[helens-hens]

Hi. Their diet should be predominantly layers pellets but I don't think an occasional small handful of corn will do them any harm.

Luckily my girls still think they are having an incredible treat when I give them some pellet porridge (just pellets and some hot water - not too hot)!

[arugula]

A bit of corn scattered as a treat is fine, best done in the afternoon, but too much can cause health problems.

[New shoot]

My banties go mad for mixed corn as well, but as they only get a handful or so as a treat, I don't worry about it.

As an alternative, and just to keep them busy as it takes ages to eat, I also chuck in the odd handful of mixed budgie seed.  I have a local pet shop that does their own bags of what they call tonic mix and the chicks love it 

[pepsi100]

I used to give mine mixed corn, but my supplier stopped keeping it, now I mix up layers mash and maize for them, they seem to enjoy it (even more so when I boil it and mix up a few scraps with it

They have boiled rice for breakfast, warm 

They get to wander the garden, I geuss they are happy, none have complained or left home 

[Tony H]

on the "down the lane chicken keeping advice" it says a 50% mix of layers pellets and mixed corn should be used, but i know that a lot of keepers on here say that layers is best as it contains everythink chucks need  i feed mine mostley on layers but do mix peelings with layers mash, and in the afternoon i throw a couple of handfulls of mixed corn around the run they realy love to scratch arround for them  :blink:

[compostqueen]

If they get layers every day, and a little mixed corn occasionally that's good.  Each day I would also try and give them fresh greens, particularly brassicas

[Hen 1-0 Fox]

Bit of topic but I almost got knocked over today in a stampede of Geese, Turkey and Chickens all racing at full speed in order to get to.... wait for it ... dry bread ha-ha! I was at a farm not to far from home and the birds were being fed by their owner.... I know bread isn't really recommended as part of a well balanced diet but just goes to show that our feathered friends can end up getting a taste for some random things!

[bygrace]

Mine love corn as a treat, but I made a BIG mistake last week. Didn't get home till lafter dark and the feeders were empty. I figured the chooks had only just turned in and as it was forecast to be a few degrees below freezing I woke them up to give them a couple of handfuls of corn so they'd have a full crop through the night to keep warm (taking good note of advice on this forum!!). Bad move.

Now, even though it's dark and they're in bed, when I go to shut them up - out they all come wanting more corn - and can I get them back to bed? NO!

Silly me! Chook-chasing by torchlight is no fun! (Thankfully they're in a fox-protected run!)

Who said chooks were daft?!

[Tony H]

HE HE sounds like my silly girls typicle wimen never do what they are supposed to  still on the upside is that they always make me laugh i was makeing there run double the size i tryed to keep them the old bit while i put up all the fences and for the first time they were having non of it  kept looking in every hole i tryed to dig to find tasty worms, then looking at me in discust if ther wasnt any  :blink:

[nerdle]

I'm not the only one who loves to spoil thier girls.....  mine is retired from laying so must it still be predominantly layers pellets?  Can't seem to find this out anywhere.

[joyfull]

yes keep them on layers 

[pepsi100]

My hens shunned pellets, just wouldnt touch em, they do enjoy a bit of brown bread, but that dont happen often

I spilt some dry rice this morning, that did disappear a bit quick, seems to have done funny things to their crops though

[penninehillbilly]

I was told a bit of corn was good for them in winter, helped give them a bit of fat to keep warm, also it's a 'heating' food, helping as It's digested.
If I'm feeding outside I don't give anything after early afternoon, that gives the little wild  birdies time to hoover up any crumbs so I don't attract vermin.

[Lindeggs]

Mine have their staple food available all the time - it's a balanced blend either in the form of pellets or whole and cracked grains with added vitamins etc (the same ingredients as in the pellets, just not dried and compressed).

Mine also free range all day, and I consider their foraged greens as part of their staple diet too.  Obviously the nutrients they get from foraging varies according to the time of year but they always eat a lot of grass and weeds.

Just like helens-hens, mine think it's a great treat to have their usual feed either in a bowl with a bit of warm water, or just scattered about for them to scratch for.  The treat part comes from the delivery method rather than the content!

Occasionally they will get an apple core, or a piece of stale bread (just one slice between all of them), or the end of a sliced tomato.