My chickens do not like corn

[tygrysek75]

Hi Guys
A little advise needed.I have 12weeks old and 7 weeks old chickens.They on growers pellets now and lots of greens.I try to give them a hanfull of corn in the evening but they not interested.Are there to yung for it?

 

[Chuck]

They should start showing an interest in corn at this stage but they'll take it when they're ready. They will need grit.

 

[ncotb]

I dont tend to give my growers corn til they are in with the main flock. growers contains all they need really though dont overdo it on the greens else they wont eat their growers . Are you giving them chick grit?

 

[tygrysek75]

Yes ,they have grit from the beggining and roam the garden when I'm in as foxes regular visitors in our garden.Most of the time are in their run on the grass and have a planter inside with lots of difrent herbs and some nasturium flowers.They love it so much I have to raplace salads every few days.They just seems not interested in corn at all,maybe to hard for them.Saing that they have no problem with eating steemed sweetcorn, sugar snap pea(fresh),boiled rice ocassionally or boiled potato.I try to give them fresh carrot peelings but also did not wanted to eat those.This is my main flock.

 

[Marigold]

No problem over their not liking corn, as it really isn't necessary for them, and too much will encourage them to put on unwanted fat. If you want to try something they are sure to love, to help get them to come to you and become more tame, try a sprinkle of hulled sunflower seeds. Get them from a bird food supplier, not a health food shop, as they'll be a lot cheaper. Sunflower seeds are very high in protein and unsaturated fats, so they're good for the birds, and a suitable supplement. I'd go easy on the sweetcorn, which is maize, and the potato, so also fattening. Just stick to growers pellets most of the time, especially as they're lucky enough to free range your garden.

I do wonder why they don't like the corn, though- they're certainly not too young to eat it, and I thought all hens went mad for what is, after all, their natural food. Has it got a lot of chopped maize in it? Or is it mainly wheat? Wheat is better for them than maize, and so long as it's fresh and not tainted in any way, I can't think why they'd not want it. Has the bag been open a long time, or was there an expiry date on it when you bought it?

 

[tygrysek75]

This was my assumpsion too that they should like it.It is nice mix of wheat and maize and other stuff which I do not recognize but when you scater them for scratch they can chose whathewer they like.I think that they not used to so hard and dry food and maybe thinking that is not for eating.I wonder if soaking in water would make any diffrence?

 

[Marigold]

I wouldn't bother. All they need to grow steadily and strongly is in their growers pellets, plus small amounts of fresh greenstuff or grass. Actually the 7 weeks old chicks should really still be on chick crumb until 8-10 weeks, never mind anything else. When they're older, maybe try again, if you want to use up the corn.. They don't need mixed corn, it's just a treat for those who like it, like sweeties for kids.

Do be very careful with the little ones when they're out loose in the garden - at only 7 weeks and 12 weeks they are still liable to problems with cats as well as foxes.

 

[tygrysek75]

Thanks Marigold
I did soak the corn today and they have been very happy to feed on theese.It seams to me like they did't like it as was to hard for them.I have only give them really smal ammount as know to much is not good for them.I have move them to growers pellets as they been managing those really well,but still have a mixture of both.As to the foxes they come regullary in to my garden so I'm very aware of them.My chickens allowed in the garden when I'm arround and waching them.So at the moment they very safe and have also nice long run to roam around

 

[chrismahon]

Hi. Agree with Chuck, they will take it when ready but without grit some it won't digest. Started ours at 20 ish weeks because it isn't that good for them but does help colour the eggs. It is also very useful as a routine in case they need to be rounded up into a run. All our flocks have the same problem with anything new -they all wait for someone else to try it! Ours hate carrots and love Yorkshire pudding, grapes and sunflower hearts -sooo spoilt the fat little things.

 

[Rebelodicus]

Mine have been on corn mix scatter for over a week, but they have sand and grit too. They wont touch the lettuce the older ones go mad for though. (11 weeks on Monday). Most are as big as the hens that layed the egg allready ! The chap next to me has his younger birds in with his ducks and they are doing fine on Spagetie ?!(sp? to early to spell right) I am going to clip wings and let them join the others soon. To Hades with "The right amount of weeks" .... If the time seems right and the birds are big and happy, so am I (That's big and happy
)

 

[tygrysek75]

I have noticed than the earlier you introduce difrent types of food there more likely to be less picky and have no problem with eating.So after I had soaked grains,next day given them dry to see if recognize those as food,and it did worked.At least started to be more interested in theese and try to eat.The soaked grain eat all but dry just a few bits and pieces.It was same story with greens.My older choks got them later then yunger and not as crazy with them as yunger chickens.My obserwations ;the more varieted food the more likely to eat and the earlier you start more likely to try