food amounts

[Dave]

i feed pellets.
book said 4.5 oz per bird -more if free ranging
15 birds =just over 4 pounds
if i put out that much it will last for about 3 days
they also get mixed corn
so today i thought i could mix some mash with the pellets and see what happens
the birds have spent all afternoon standing by the feeding
tray eating the mash
wonderfull !
having just bought a 25kg bag of pellets question is is it ok to
blend up the pellets ?
i know this sounds a stupid question i have just done a small pot full and it looks the same
is the same?
i thought the birds were looking a bit thin and not eating much
is it possable that they just dont fancy the pellets or am i just being a bit poofy(no ofence ment to anyone)with them ?

[wendy]

Hiya Dave,
If they are young or ex battery. Then I think they will be used to mash rather than pellets. So therefore do not recognise pellets as food yet.
My lot are on pellets now, as I mixed them together to start with. If one of mine is off colour I do grind them down and feed that to them, so I personally don't think there is any difference.
I really don't think they are seeing them as food. So don't think you are spoiling them.
Wendy

[Mo]

Mine are a bit funny about the pellets sometimes. I used to divide the days ration in half and throw it down, morning and evening, watch them come running.
Now I notice that they sometimes want to have a wander round, pecking at the grass or whatever lives in the grass, when I let them out. So rather than leave the pellets for the crows I just give them a bit first thing, then come out later and they run up to see what I've got. Maybe there are good things around for free range hens at this time of year.

[melons]

Mine have always eaten mash from day one, then I had it too near the netting in June in all that rain, & it was then wet mash, they loved it, but it goes off really quickly, so I now give them mash (dry) & another hopper with pellets & corn in, to tempt them to eat that too, two love it, the others look at it as though I've lost the plot
Pellets are easier, but i'll just continue giving them the choice, spoilt trollops

[PK]

I fill up the feeder with pellets and let the hens eat them ad hoc. Late afternoon I will throw in a few handfuls of corn. I think when it comes to it the pellets are not the first choice of food for hens but will readily eat them if nothing else is available. Pellets contain a balanced diet and will help boost egg production but I find they will ignore them if anything else is going. That's why I leave it till later in the day with the corn and some greens.

[Willow]

I've found the same PK, If they have a choice it will be corn everytime, so I have the pellets in a feeder which they rush to every morning as soon as they're let out and I then scatter a good amount of corn for them in the afternoon / evening..
They free range all day and have just discovered ripe rose hips which they absolutely love!
The first few days I had them, they'd go mad for slugs and chase each other round the garden for them.. but now they wont touch them at all :cry:

[Richard]

I think that's it.

Corn, pellets etc., have become their 'usual', but in the summer they appear to be less interested and love pecking and scraping around for seasonal delights.

I mix corn and pellets 50/50, about a handful each in the morning and if they want some, a bit in the late afternoon.
But I do notice they don't finish it all in the mornings during summer.

They have a large space, but enjoy me throwing over not needed vegetable leaves and dandelion leaves especially. Indeed they are frugal and plentiful.

[Dave]

the wife went to let them out this morning
and the feeders were almost empty
she put out more mash i have just got up (i do work nights i am not just lazy!)and gone to check and the birds are still all standing around the feeders eating and hanging around them
just like in the kitchen at partys(we know a song about that!)
so i think i will coarsly gind some pellets and add them to the mash
and see if they eat the bits as well

[Morgs]

I keep pellets in the feeder in their house all the time, give them corn scattered around in the mornings, handful of mealworms when I get home from work and also mixed dried fruit. Then handful of corn just before bed. Mine won't eat anything else except grapes- not bread, not veg or anything!

[wibble5]

Mine eat pretty much anything and everything. It's amazing, it's as if they would just keep on eating forever if I kept on feeding them. All sorts of greenery, veg, fruit, biscuits, pasta, rice, leftover curry (not too hot!) - they come running at breakneck speed into the kitchen and look at me imploringly for anything I have left. The only thing they insist on is that the food is soft, as they don't really go for crispy or hard stuff. And I never give them meat. I think I've spoiled them as they only eat their pellets as a last resort (when Mum is being nasty and not giving them any treats), though they do like corn and barley. They'd spend all day in the kitchen looking at me if I didn't kick them out every now and again! And then when I do, one of them does this cute little whimpering sound just like dogs do when they want something. Oh dear, I really have turned into a mad chicken woman... :wink:

[Willow]

I've not really tried mine on left overs, they love beetroot raw and cooked - nothing quite as gory looking as a chicken with its beak dripping red ... .
I'm a bit scared of them putting on too much weight through incorrect diet, apperently this can lead to problems such as being egg bound etc..
They seem quite happy eating everything and anything they can find outside besides their corn and pellets.. at the moment they have all the berries they can find and reach.. and insects, worms grass and other vegitation including our fresh peas!!

[sunny]

Does anyone know if they like cauliflower? The slugs have had mine (eeeuchh). Also should I cook them first? I haven't given them mash before and not sure how - is it left overs boiled or baked? Someone mentioned their chickens liked spagetti but is this with or without the tomato & basil sauce?!

[T_Steadman]

Hi, all I know from reading around various websites, is that as a treat now and then, they like cooked pasta and rice, a little of and to stop them being too bored in a run, hang cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce and parsley for them to peck at. I'm presuming by this that you don't cook them. (Imagine hanging a whole, cooked cabbage? slimy!! urgh!!!!)
But I think that Richard wrote somewhere on this site to cook leftovers (carrot tops etc) and someone else has said that their hens don't like hard food.
So (after all that rambling) I think it's best to just try them with whatever you like and see what they prefer.
My dog won't eat spaghetti without the tomato sauce, but I'm not sure about the chickens!!

Let us know what yours prefer.

[AnnaB]

Hi Toni
I think you will find the 'mash' that is referred to is layers mash.
I thought it looked like mashed potato but it is actually ground pellets (powder).
I give cauliflower leaves raw that I get from the supermarket (they 'trim' their cauli's to make them look pretty!) They love cabbage and at present they are having the big outer leaves that the slugs have started to devour.
I have heard that you can give them too many treats and, when they are bored and full up they will get their kicks pecking each other.
I think you have to play it by ear, raw food is good don't cook it specially (except pasta) You will soon know what their likes and dislikes are.
Anna

[sunny]

I thought mash was something totally different, whereby you cooked up potato peelings or somesuch, wasn't sure if it was boiled or baked. I hadn't thought of cauliflower leaves - will def. give those a go. I tried hanging a cabbage when the girls first arrived, before I could start letting them out into the garden and they weren't interested in it at all.