[Lindeggs]

we went away for a few days this week so hung up a huge pumpkin just out of their reach with a small hole cut into the bottom to expose the flesh, when we got back a few days ago half of it had gone, i just went out to check what was left and the only thing hanging was the stalk! just about to put another one up now.

we grow lettuces for them in the allottment and let them go to seed  so they are huge, they eat better than me!!

I know a woman who grew loads of pumpkins.  Every day she broke open a pumpkin and left it in her chicken run so the chickens ate as much as they wanted.  Then one day her white chicken started to moult, and its new white feathers grew back yellow!   

I didn't believe that story when she first told me, but apparently it's true!  It's something called Carotenosis or Carotenemia where the carotene pigments change the colour of someone's skin (or a chicken's feathers)!  It is apparently harmless.

[joyfull]

yes they even say it can happen to humans who eat too many carrots - no more fake tans needed 

[New shoot]

Hi Lindeggs    Long time no speak. Lovely to see you back 

Mine love pumpkin, but never get that much of it.  Only wedges I can't use.  They get plently of overgrown courgettes and cucumbers that I have missed picking. 

They only get the small badly formed ears of corn on the cob, but go wild for it 

[RJR_38]

The primary school I have not long left (I am a teacher) has 2 battery rescue hens in the nursery dept. They were often allowed to come into the dining hall on certain days and do the initial 'clean' and removal of food scraps before the floor was cleaned down etc. They loved it and were desperate to get in.

Probably breaks so many rules but the hens and children were healthy and had been for years!

[JaK]

I seem to keep stumbling across articles about oregano a lot recently. It seems that it has a lot of health benefits for chickens if fed often enough. I'm thinking about trying to grow a big patch on the allotment for my chickens to snack on this year.

[joyfull]

it is good for their digestive system 

[compostqueen]

I really miss have hens to grow veg for    What to do with those piles of pesky weeds too. I used to love chucking a pile of weeds for the girls to sort through.  They do a really good job of helping out with the garden chores, especially scratting up moss in the lawn 

I used to grow Cima da Rapa for my hens, which is tops for calcium - for them and us - and they love it.   Any veg that runs to seed is fine for the girls, and as that happens all to often, means that it's not been a complete waste of time 

Hard stalks, and whole carrots, can be grated if needs be to make them easier for the birds to eat.

[Fifi]

My hens are on our allotment and I grow a bed of lettuces just for them. When I first offered them one they ran a mile and wouldn't touch it, now they almost have my hand off when I take one into the run. At this time of year the lettuce has to come from the supermarket but they don't seem to mind

[ActionFlack]

has anyone bred snails (or bought from a snail farm, if any exist in the uk?) to feed to their hens as a treat? I wonder if this would be difficult or expensive to do?

[ANHBUC]

Mine won't eat snails so it would be a waste of money for me.   

[Mrs Bee]

Hard stalks, and whole carrots, can be grated if needs be to make them easier for the birds to eat.

Mine turn their beaks up at carrot. They look at it with total disgust and kick it around a bit until it is clear that it is carrot or nothing

They go potty for sorrel tho'.

[joyfull]

remember slugs and snails can give your pets lungworm so make sure you use flubenvet very regularly.

[ActionFlack]

Lots of my potted vegetables/fruits have been overrun by weeds. I've let them keep growing and pop them in for the hens every few days - they love it! Each time my hens strip the pot empty I just take it out and let the plants regrow.
There's a strawberry plant somewhere in the pot in this picture!


Picture fixed by Aunty

[Sparkyrog]

has anyone bred snails (or bought from a snail farm, if any exist in the uk?) to feed to their hens as a treat? I wonder if this would be difficult or expensive to do?

sounds like a waste of snails 

[ANHBUC]

Lots of my potted vegetables/fruits have been overrun by weeds. I've let them keep growing and pop them in for the hens every few days - they love it! Each time my hens strip the pot empty I just take it out and let the plants regrow.
There's a strawberry plant somewhere in the pot in this picture!

Your photos are still showing up side down ActionFlack!!