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  • #1

    Chickens off their food!

    My girls seem to be off their food - they are totally free range and have access to the entire garden to scratch about. We feed them corn - we tried pellets, but they were never touched and gave up on them ... they also get the kitchen scraps; although they also turned their noses up at hot mash too.

    All they seem to want is cat food - we are still having to keep the kitchen door closed to keep them off the cat's dinner! The food we are putting out for them is left sitting in a bowl - I keep changing it for fresh, but am getting a little fed up wasting it all the time and I am NOT pandering to fussy chickens!

    Any ideas?
    How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”
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  • #2
    More info needed,are they still laying,how old,have they started moulting.

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    • #3
      Think they would eat if hungry enough and if all of them the same wouldnt worry too much!!

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      • #4
        They are a mix of ages - I have a banty who came from the previous owner - we've been here two years, so I would say she is at least 3-4 years old. Dolly is big, yellow-legged and rather beautiful - she lays huge dark brown eggs, but hasn't laid in ages - her comb is pink so I would assume is not laying at all - haven't found any eggs in ages. She is about 12-14 months old. The last two are battery rescue girls, we got them early this year - so they are probably approx 18months-2 years...

        I think they are in moult - there are lots of feathers about and they are looking a touch moth-eaten, and we haven't had any eggs in about 2 weeks. Funnily enough, the most prolific layer is the banty - the eldest by a good two years!
        How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”

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        • #5
          I think going in to the moult is the answer,they might sulk for a while,but they will come round and start eating again.

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          • #6
            there just like teenagers in moult arnt they!

            bit worried about the only corn diet.(and the grass and things) corn is like chicken chocolate, good in small doses, unless your eating them and want this flavour. a handfull of corn in the afternoon or evening should be enough, if they eat it all the time they can get bloated and uncomftable, also its not a good balance of vitamins and minerals to keep them healthy long term. and they wont be getting any protien, which is why they are craving meat. training them to eat pellets can be hard at first but persevere, try them on crumbs first, dont give in to corn, there like cats who have been pampered they will sulk at first but get used to it, them move on to pellets, then reintroduce corn as an evening treat.

            the not eating could just be moulting but also do you free feed outside? if you do all the local wildlife will have been eating it as well, with most of the mice ect going into hibernation and the birds flying south it could just be that the wildlife isnt eating there share.

            pick them up and if there breast bone is protruding and you can feel it without probing then i would worry and a trip to the vets might be in order.

            otherwise just wait, cheak their weight regularly.
            try to get them on a more balanced diet, they will allways need protien as the slugs and worms get depleated quickly.

            good luck!
            Yo an' Bob
            Walk lightly on the earth
            take only what you need
            give all you can
            and your produce will be bountifull

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            • #7
              many thanks for the advice - I will get another bag of pellets and just put these out for a while and see how we go.
              How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”

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              • #8
                I believe a chicken should eat about 5 - 6oz of mash a day. If you think about it, its not alot really. If you then take away a bit for the bugs, slugs and grass etc its even less. It may be worth you weighing out this amount and seeing how much they are actually eating between them, just as a guide.
                The problem with corn apart from yoanbobs points is that it takes longer to digest, making them feel full up for longer.

                Have they got access to flint (not oystershell) grit? I know they are free range but it may be a good idea to have some at hand for them to take if needed.

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                • #9
                  they have oystershell - what is the flint for?
                  How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”

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                  • #10
                    does the same thing, we gave crushed slate tiles, seems to work, helps them to digest and "chew" in the crop.
                    Yo an' Bob
                    Walk lightly on the earth
                    take only what you need
                    give all you can
                    and your produce will be bountifull

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Flint Grit - sits in their crop and acts like teeth

                      Oystershell Grit - is an added source of calcium, stems from the days when people mixed their own rations. If you are feeding a good layers ration you should not need to add extra calcium to the diet.

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                      • #12
                        4 oz/115 grams per bird per day is plenty,especially if they are foraging and getting other stuff like scraps.

                        Pellets are better than mash because hens will pick at the big bits first,in a mash the proteins and minerals are the finer stuff,so if they leave that behind they don't get a balanced diet.

                        If you do want to feed mash make sure they eat up the old before giving any more.
                        Last edited by netherfield; 23-11-2006, 12:59 PM.

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                        • #13
                          Good news - I have bought some layers mash from our local feed store... and mix it with some boiling water and a handful of corn to give it some substance & the girls are eating Again! Yeh! Happy chickens, Happy me!
                          How can a woman be expected to be happy with a man who insists on treating her as if she were a perfectly normal human being.”

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                          • #14
                            thats great sunbeam, try weaning them on to pellets now and you'll have it sussed!
                            Yo an' Bob
                            Walk lightly on the earth
                            take only what you need
                            give all you can
                            and your produce will be bountifull

                            Comment

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