Is it normal for them to go mad for greens?

[chris]

When i let mine out around the garden they go mad, running off flapping to get to a patch of weeds... Not sure of they wait until I'm back from work, knowing they're coming out or what- think they're eating layers pellets, but would they be waiting until I'm back to gorge on weeds to fill up on?

[Suechooks]

Mine do that since they've trashed all the grass in their run. Noticed it this morning when I arrived later than normal for their free ranging time on the allotment. You'd have thought they'd been starved since last week! They then hang around me begging for some of my banana assuring me they haven't had a bite to eat all day!

[chris]

ok cool - I may monitor their pellet consumption to make sure they're not holding on for weeds/wahtever else they can getout of one of my veg beds!

[Two_Sheds]

My parrot eats dry food pellets too, and she loves a bit of greens, esp. peas in the pod, kale stalks

[chris]

What kind of parrot do you have? I used to keep cockatoos!

[Two_Sheds]

Cockatoos? Beautiful but noisy.

Mine is a Congo African Grey

Here she is eating her veggies

[chris]

Cool Yeah, I'm a big fan of large birds... I was going to go into being an avian vet, somehow I went into programming (guh!).

I wanted to run a sanctuary at one point in my life, to breed Hyacinth Macaws... maybe some day when I live far out in the country - as they're really noisey! Macaws and Amazons used to fly wild where I grew up... probably where I stemmed from!

I even quite like it when one of our chickens perches on my arm - brings back good memories!

[MaureenHall]

Yes, perfectly normal Mine go crazy for cabbage, chard, spinach, outer leaves of cauli - in fact most things I do make sure they've had a good fill-up on pellets though before letting them loose in the garden and before hanging up any greens. (They make the egg yolks a lovely deep orange )

[polo]

Yes its normal. Mine go crazy for anything green, weeds included, even if they have just stuffed themselves with pellets.

Saves weeding ....

[gillian62]

I often pick up cheap veg at the end f the day in the supermarkets, 10p a bag of spinach, but often it is just stuff from the allotment that they use up.

[jessmorris]

My Peke and silkin growers who are on grass, go crazy for greens and half apples, but the free ranging gels on chips, paving slabs and earth in the garden just ain't bothered. What they like is CORN!

[elizajay]

I often pick up cheap veg at the end f the day in the supermarkets, 10p a bag of spinach, but often it is just stuff from the allotment that they use up.

Much better than the supermarket rejects!!

[chris]

Well I guess I should have really listen to what was said here (keep them away from anything you want to keep). They've stripped my carrot leaves bare - just stems now.

Dug under my recently mulched rhubarb, bath in the compost, and nibble on the leaves whilst doing it.

Eaten most of my radicchio

And pooed all over my decking!!!

Little blighters weren't brave enough to come on it before yesterday, as my daughter is usually banging on the glass at them there so they scamper off.

Decided to let them out later in the day now, rather than straight away - to make sure they're eating some pellets, because otherwise I just watch them bomb it out the run, straight over to the raspberries, munch on the weeds around them - of and any new leaves/suckers appearing, then take it easy for the rest of the day. what a life!

Shame they just look at slugs and don't do bugger all with them!!

[BUFFS]

i have been letting mine out into the front garden(after postie has been),and they dissappear into all the foiliage,have mad dashes round the veg patch,eating everything they can,rhubarb leaves included,when i have finished the daily coop area clean, i go to the front,make a clucking noise and they all come running as they know there is bunches of spinach and a few carrots hanging in the coop area,lady next door (86) comes to watch and laugh at them and the joy on her face has to be seen,she calls it the highlight of her day,they are "her" girls,its nice to see simple pleasures like this,not the usual bad news......

[buzzingtalk]

haha! chickens sound like so much fun