no idea what im on about but its a start.

[littlefeathers]

Hi all, im no expect on chickens, this being our first one, silkie white hen. But id thought id start a subject on what she loves to eat and what she doesnt.
she started off loving layers pellets and corn, then threw the layers pellets out and now just eats the corn.
she loves tinned sweetcorn and will run to you if she thinks you've got some, she loves sultanas and currents, all hand fed, and ive just bought her some black sun flower seeds. She dislikes chopped up veg, lettuce carrot, anything like that, she even turned her nose up at a fat worm i found in the garden Its all trial and error but its fun finidng out what she likes and dislikes.
She even taps on the back door with her beak to let you no she's there and wants her tit bits. ;D

[Admin]

Flippin eck,your Silkie will be sitting at the dinner table next lol ..
Mine get layers pellets,corn and some veg..Better not show this thread to my Chucks' or they will be wanting what you give yours!!They will be on Layers strike lol

[Sandy]

Feeding corn will just put loads of fat on the hen.. and in summer you may not be happy if she keels over.. just a word of warning

If you want eggs then you really need to be feeding her a good layer diet.. I know this more than likely sounds really boring.. but it doesn't have to be

Try and get her back to eating layer pellets and green feed

If you really want to spoil her .. mix up the layer pellets with some hot water.. add a quarter of a cup of cooked noodles .. make sure you cut them up small they could choke her.. birds usually love them.. cut up a bit of tomato and add that to the mash.. just put enough water to make the pellets go soft and crumbly not like runny gruel .. has to be nice to eat

When my girls are molting I add extra protein.. really helps the feathers re grow and also improves the quality of the eggs and you get more of them and they are much heavier

Try grating the carrots and apple and put out lettuce leaves for her.. grating is much better for them than cutting them up.. espcially for those hard vegetables.. they can and do stick in their necks.. grating you never have this problem

Just some ideas

Sandy

[littlefeathers]

many thanks sandy for your advice, looks like she will be sitting up at the table like admin said, if she's going to get mash and grated carrot. Any way advice taken, and no we dont want a fatty of a chicken, so looks like shes on a sensible diet along with the rest of the family
We only have the one chicken little girlie so i suppose she gets spoilt a bit, we've just bought her a new house, it needs a bit of conversion but as soon as its up and running i'll post a picture if admin let me and tell me how.
looks like im back down the shop tomorrow to get some layers ...... guess who's eating carrot and mash over the weekend

[Doris]

Hi,

I'm afraid i spoil my girls a bit too, so your not alone..lol, they do still have their pellets in the morning and mixed corn at night , but they also love lettuce, sweed ,cabbage, wholemeal bread'with marmite', their fav has got to be fresh corn on the cob or mashed potatoes...not to mention nice freshly dug up worms. If they see you with corn on the cob they come running which is one of the funniest things i have seen, they also get most kitchen scraps, but i only give them all of these in the afternoon as a bit of a treat.

D xxx

[Sandy]

Hi Doris

Make sure you soak the bread before giving it to them.. it can cause impacted crop.. this can happen if they really eat too much and it is dry and it soaks up all the moisture in their crop.. and then impacts

Very sad to see happen and not an easy thing to try and fix.. in a lot of cases people don't notice it has happened until it is too late to do much for the bird

I guess we all love to spoil our chickens.. me included

Also Doris.. be careful about the amount of salts your feeding your chicken with the marmite.. salt is a big killer if given too much over a period of time

Once again only suggestion

Sandy

[Sandy]

Hi Little feathers

I will look forward to seeing the new little coop for your hen.. if you can't post here maybe you can send me a picture

When I first got chickens I did all the wrong things and my girls had things happen that I now try and help others avoid

So if I post something.. please take it as a suggestion.. please don't think I am saying you must do this or that.. I'm not.. everyones chickens are their own and each of us have ideas on how we want to look after them

I only ever give suggestions.. it is up to each person if they want to use the suggestion or not.. I don't take offence if you don't

Sandy

[littlefeathers]

Hi Sandy,
your advice is always more than welcome to me, as i have no idea what so ever about keeping chickens, most of it is just trial and error and asking advice .
The more advice available then the less likely we have of our chickens going sick or suffering accidents etc.....
Our new chicken house will be converted from a wood bike shed we've just bought from B&Q, i cant wait for the weather to ease off enough so we can get out their and assemble it . I'll post/email a piccie as soon as its done.

[Doris]

Hi Sandy,

Thanks for the advice

I'll make sure i soak the bread first from now on !!...no worries about the marmite, they only really get it as a special treat, whats the things i should really really avoid giving them?, as i try most things , some they like some they dont even touch..lol..hens!!!

D xxx

[oouche]

i find almost all birds like cooked rice as a treat not to expensive if you buy big sack just cook extra with dinner
i feed my chucks layers in am and wheat at night
anyone have peacocks if so what do you feed them
anything special or the same as chucks
i feed mine mixed wild bird seed and layers and wheat

good luck to this fourum

Bill

[oouche]

wow i always wanted pea thingys

[onymee]

Several of mine also refuse to eat the layers pellets. They will literally starve rather than eat them. If this is the case, feed a varied diet and include other things like pigeon conddition seed, and cooked pulses which are high in protein. You could also try getting layers meal and adding warm water to make it into a mashed potato consistancy. Even my pellet haters, relish warm mash.
It is possible to help hens lay well without using pellets, it just means mixing other higher protein stuff with the mixed corn. Don't forget a supply of good oyster shell grit too for calcium levels to stop them getting egg bound.

[Ash]

Hiya Littlefeathers,
i give my choosk frozen corn defrosted of course lol , as it doesnt contain any salt , tinned corn contains salt which isnt good for chooks as there bodies arent able to get rid of the salt .

[littlefeathers]

thanks Ash, i didnt give it a thought about the tinned sweetcorn containing salt etc, looks like its frozen/defrosted sweetcorn from now on ;D

[Ash]

mine also love veg , brussel sprouts , cauli , cabbage , all cooked of course lol . There not keen on tomatoes , but will eat them if there isnt another treat on offer lol .
They also love live yougurt with some oats mixed in.