Fresh food...

[Eco-Chic]

I have 4 x 16 week Orpington Blue Bantams. They have ad-lib growers pellets in a large feeder which I haven't had to top up in 9 days since I filled it.

They're usually able to free range around the garden for 2-4 hours (tomorrow should be a slug and snail fest).

I'm wondering how much Greens, Fruit, Veg, Corn and seed mix to give them in addition? I don't want to feed them so much fruit and veg that they get diarrhoea.

[MaureenHall]

I wouldn't give them anything else in addition if they're free ranging and having pellets ad lib. They'll get enough fresh food by scratching around eating grass, weeds, seeds, slugs, snails, worms, grubs etc. They won't actually "need" anything else

[Bramble-Poultry]

Chickens are the best composter known to man but there is only so much they can take! At that age if they are free ranging a grubbing up grass and insexts as well as thier pellets then apart from maybe some occasional treats of corn or pasta or veg peelings a couple of times a week I wouldn't give them too much more. It would be different if they were penned or if they were older, but even so too much of a good thing etc....

If you want a good way to compost your veg peelings in a small space that is quite quick and effective may I suggest a worm composter - inexpensive too if you make your own (around £10)

[lynda66]

i feed mine whatevers available and they have adlib pellets .... they love cat biccies, plenty of brassicas, with attached caterpillars, grass, weeds, past its best fruit, veg peelings, and basically whatever they will eat including meat .... they always have their pellets first in the morning though.... and so far they havent had a days illness between them and the eggs are delicious

[Eco-Chic]

Thank you all.

I have horrible memories of feeding my puppies too much liver 7 years ago. It was not nice for any of us

I didn't want to give my girls the collywobbles by overfeeding them.Perhaps when they've finished weeding the garden and have cleared the slugs and snails I'll chuck them fruit and veg

Bramble, I have a tumbler and 3 compost Daleks hidden around a small garden as I compost my neighbours lawn clippings and the garden waste from a couple of gardens I do where there is no green collection. I'm picking up a dalek for the front garden on Monday, but that will only have privet (to save me dragging it through the house) and can go back around the base of hedge in due course.

[lynda66]

I'm picking up a dalek for the front garden on Monday, but that will only have privet (to save me dragging it through the house) and can go back around the base of hedge in due course.

top tip, run over the privets with a lawnmower and you get much more of it composting and takes up less room, add some grass too if you have any and it will work pretty well.

[Eco-Chic]

Thanks Lynda:-)

I've got one of those hedgegroomer things (eBay bargain) which crunch it all up but if it doesn't work properly I'll certainly try the light little mower.