On the scrounge!

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Just wanted to post a wee picture of Millie from yesterday when the girls were out having a run in the garden. Have decided to take the feeder out the run and bring it in the house when they are out foraging in the garden so that they follow me back to their run when its time to come in i put their food in there at chill time before bed. Working well so far! :D But Millie followed me back into the kitchen a short time later when i was making dinner looking for something for herself! :lol:

Kim

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Hello, good to see they have settled down already! - be careful, they will soon be moving into the house :lol:
and well done on mastering the picture posting!
regards, David :)
 
Hi, Kim,
Great photo - it took me ages to work out how to get a pitucure in. I think my camara must take huge photos as I have to reduce them using Powerpoint to be able to upload them. Anyway, well done.

As for taking the pellets in during the day, I think they should be left out so that your hens can get them whenever they might need them - this is my understanding, anyway. I move my water and feed hopper out into the garden when mine are free-ranging.

If you're worried about getting them back in at night, don't be. They will normally just put themselves to bed.

If you need them in the pen at other times, eg. you are lighting the BBQ, or you want them in when you go out, then a quick shake of a plastic continer with mixed corn should bring them running once they are used to the sound. Having shaken the conatiner, you must always give them a little treat- this is how they learn.
I only give treats within the enclosure so that I can get them in when I need to. Mine come running when I shout "come on, girls" and often beat me into the enclosure waiting for their treat. Today, we are going to try chopped spinach (when it defrosts).

Your hens look really nice and well cared for. I know you'll enjoy them - mine have given me a lot more than eggs (well, they're not really much up to that, either).

Keep up the good work.
;)
x
 
Thanks for the compliment on the picture, it seemed to take forever to get the pictures on here, but i got there in the end! :P

Thanks for the advice on the pellets, i do always keep their water out in the garden so they are never without that. I normally give them an hour in the morning with their water and pellets before i let them loose for a bit. But now you have told me that i will keep the food and water out with them. Just aswell i've got everyone here to keep me right. ;) :D Still learning. :oops:

Will need to get some mixed corn in, You will need to let me know how the chopped spinach goes :) good luck. Had heard that chickens like nettles hanging up? Is this right?

Thank you for your compliments on the girls, loving having them and they bring a smile to my face whenever i see them. Just the same as my dog Molly does too :D

Kimxx
 
Hi Kim, they will not eat nettles- i think only turkeys will and then only when the nettles are young- and go easy on the mixed corn- straight wheat is better as a treat - don't want them getting too fat- fat hens don't lay many eggs and suffer from problems- you know the saying " killing them with kindness" :lol:
regards, David :)
 
Cheers David, seem to have found out more in the time that i have been on here than i did in the weeks spent on tinterweb and reading all the books i could get my hands on before the girls arrived ;)

Another question to pick your brains guys :? ...., i was told that if you have your girls on the layer pellets they get everything that they need in them and if you give them more than just a few treats of mixed corn it can start to dilute the goodness out of the pellets that have been eating.

Thanks Kim
 
Kim,
Pellets are all inclusive - you don't actually need to give them anything else, except perhaps some grit/oyster shell.
The wheat/corn or whatever is purely a bit extra - a treat.

I have an much older friend who nags me telling me I should be giving all my kitchen scraps to the hens. If they eat a lot of "other things", then they won't have room in the crop for the balanced pellets. So I stick to pellets and a bit of a treat most days, but not every day.

Apparently, a hen can only consume about 100g a day, so you need to make sure that that 100g is of good quality.
I think that the limit is 20-25% extras and other than that it should be pellets and/or grass and grubs etc. from free-ranging. Mine don't actually eat a lot of the pellets, which is probably why they don't lay very much, other than them being pekins, of course!

Giving them little treats is nice for both of you - the hens love it and you get to feed them out of your hand which cements the bond. For me, it's a nice quiet time with my girls.

Take care.
x

Oh, and they hate spinach!
 
Hello Kim, yes, layers pellets contain a balanced diet-(as long as it is a good brand- you want about 16% protein- some free range pellets are lower in protein- you get what you pay for!) they don't need anything else. You can give them a handful of corn in the evenings (especially in winter) as it takes longer to digest and lasts them through the long cold winter nights. If free ranging they will eat grass and whatever bugs/slugs/worms they can find.
regards, David :)
 
bridgemontbelle said:
Kim,
Pellets are all inclusive - you don't actually need to give them anything else, except perhaps some grit/oyster shell.
The wheat/corn or whatever is purely a bit extra - a treat.

I have an much older friend who nags me telling me I should be giving all my kitchen scraps to the hens. If they eat a lot of "other things", then they won't have room in the crop for the balanced pellets. So I stick to pellets and a bit of a treat most days, but not every day.

Apparently, a hen can only consume about 100g a day, so you need to make sure that that 100g is of good quality.
I think that the limit is 20-25% extras and other than that it should be pellets and/or grass and grubs etc. from free-ranging. Mine don't actually eat a lot of the pellets, which is probably why they don't lay very much, other than them being pekins, of course!

Giving them little treats is nice for both of you - the hens love it and you get to feed them out of your hand which cements the bond. For me, it's a nice quiet time with my girls.

Take care.
x

Oh, and they hate spinach!
Click to expand...

Liz, a nice quiet time with my girls !! When I give mine corn all hell breaks loose and anything between them and the corn is trampled in the rush - including one large sleeping tom cat yesterday. He still hasn't recovered from the indignity of being walked over quite literally by 3 pekins.
 
Davidd said:
Hi Kim, they will not eat nettles- i think only turkeys will and then only when the nettles are young- and go easy on the mixed corn- straight wheat is better as a treat - don't want them getting too fat- fat hens don't lay many eggs and suffer from problems- you know the saying " killing them with kindness" :lol:
regards, David :)
Click to expand...

Mine love nettles!! but I think my girls are strange :D

Love of photo of the light sussex bantam, so sweet!!!!
 
Hi, well i have never known any of mine in over forty years of poultry keeping to eat nettles :shock: I wish they would, or the ducks and geese- save me spraying them with Grazon 90 :lol:
regards, David :)
 
Davidd said:
Hi, well i have never known any of mine in over forty years of poultry keeping to eat nettles :shock: I wish they would, or the ducks and geese- save me spraying them with Grazon 90 :lol:
regards, David :)
Click to expand...


You are showing your age :lol:
 
bridgemontbelle said:
Kim,
Pellets are all inclusive - you don't actually need to give them anything else, except perhaps some grit/oyster shell.
The wheat/corn or whatever is purely a bit extra - a treat.

I have an much older friend who nags me telling me I should be giving all my kitchen scraps to the hens. If they eat a lot of "other things", then they won't have room in the crop for the balanced pellets. So I stick to pellets and a bit of a treat most days, but not every day.

Apparently, a hen can only consume about 100g a day, so you need to make sure that that 100g is of good quality.
I think that the limit is 20-25% extras and other than that it should be pellets and/or grass and grubs etc. from free-ranging. Mine don't actually eat a lot of the pellets, which is probably why they don't lay very much, other than them being pekins, of course!

Giving them little treats is nice for both of you - the hens love it and you get to feed them out of your hand which cements the bond. For me, it's a nice quiet time with my girls.

Take care.
x
Oh, and they hate spinach!
Click to expand...

Hi, Been up until today giving the girls their water, grit and their layer pellets everyday which are always on supply for them but bought the grain today and gave them a little bit of that tonight to get them in and it worked.
Thanks for the advice on the spinach i was going to get them some this afternoon so glad i never now!

Thanks for all your good advice, Kim
 
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