Emergency food!

[dianefairhall]

Just back from holiday and the layers pellets I ordered before we went away haven't arrived. I can't get anything on the island until Monday. What can I give them in the meantime?

[valeriebutterley]

Mixed corn, mine would go mad with delight, porridge, greens, even the odd crust of bread. and of course, if you have them at the moment to spare scrambled eggs or cooked rice, cannot think of much else in the situation for maybe very hungry hens.
Your post reminds me that I forgot to order my sacks of layers pellets in preparation of a sudden downturn in the weather situation, thanks for the timely reminder!!

Hope all is well and that you manage to feed the girls.

[Marigold]

Anything wheat or grain based eg Weetabix, brown (preferably wholemeal) bread cut up into little pieces, mixed bird seed?
It sounds as if you've had a lesson in island living! Round here the shops stay open all day on Sundays.

[dianefairhall]

I've got plenty of porridge oats. Would it be OK to put in some sunflower hearts that I get for the wild birds?

[Margaid]

Yes. Not too much by way of oats and may be better made into porridge with just water. Do you have any corn (maize)? Although sunflower hearts and corn are "fattening" one day won't hurt them. Have you any green veg - cabbage or cauliflower leaves or apples? That will keep them amused.
The worst that will happen is they won't lay (if they're still laying).

[dianefairhall]

They are not laying yet so that bit doesn't matter. I'll make them some porridge and give them some apples.

[Marigold]

i wonder how much of their pellets they are eating, and how much you are inadvertently feeding to the wild birds and various rodents. Lovely as it is for chickens to free range, it's a problem if other creatures can get to the food, of contamination as well as depletion. Some people use a treadle feeder - though you still have the problem of food getting damp, clogging up and going mouldy if feeders of any type aren't under cover. The Omlet ones you use on the sides of their run are pretty good, but I wonder what else is getting in there during the day?
Did your holiday helpers work out OK?

[dianefairhall]

Yes, the help was fine - they even texted us to say everything was OK! The growers pellets lasted until yesterday but the layers pellets should have been here on 1 Nov, the day we went away. The Omlet feeders are under cover, no problems there. I don't think I'm giving them too much - they seem to self-regulate and eat morning and evening free-ranging the rest of the day (which isn't long at this time of year). I gave them porridge and apples with some sunflower seeds but they weren't sure what to do with the apples. They like the sunflower seeds though. I have seen the odd starling at the feeders but nothing else. I have several wild bird feeders and those usually keep them occupied. If the feed doesn't arrive tomorrow we'll go into town and get some.

Since I wrote this I have found the new food. We have had fitters in while away installing a new shower room. They must have taken delivery of the food and left it in the chaos of their stuff piled in our kitchen at the mo. They were supposed to be finished before we got back! Emergency over!