Thanks, everyone. I never thought chickens would be such hard work - everyone said they were easy to look after!
I think I'll give the layers' mash a try. What are chick crumbs? Are they any good?
Will it do them any harm going to bed with an empty crop? I'm worried they'd let themselves starve to death (as Bella nearly did) rather than give in and eat pellets.
Chickens are easy to look after if you throw all the books away lol....I thought it would be easy as when my uncle, and my nan had them they just used to give them scraps and corn and they survived very well thank you with loads of eggs.
Now if you read the books and stuff its terrifying lol....
I suppose they are brought up fussy as chicks lol and carry on into adulthood a bit like kids. In the old days chicks were just fed anything and had to survive.
I worry all the time mine arnt eating enough then have to remind myself that if they are hungry they should darn well eat what they are given lol.
You can buy the mash online and I had mine delivered the next day.
They do love their mash but they like it with bits in lol. Sometimes when i look at their food its really colourful and I think crikey i could eat that lol.
I free range my girls now in the afternoon and today I put a bit of speghetti out for a treat and some mealworm and they left most of it, so for me they must be getting enough foraging and in the morning but the sparrows were down on the mealworm quicker then that lol (fat sparrows).
Its funny isnt it why they wont eat pellets. Daft birds lol, but the eggs are worth it.
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