Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Organic Chicken Feed Mash

Look! The hens are in love with the organic pellets after I mixed them up with warm water. They finished all the food. Amazing change of attitude.

I didn't let the hens out of the pen so they would be sure to take a look at the bowl of mash. If I open the coop door the hens are gone. I think there must be good things to eat out in the woods and that's why they turn their noses up at the dry food.

I've looked around under the leaf litter and I don't see anything to eat. The chickens have much better eyesight than I do.

I'll add a bit more water to the pellet mix tomorrow until the mixture clumps. I think I will add some oyster shell too. The hens like the bits that are soft and hold together. They even peck bits off each other's beaks.

I have 15 chickens so I put 15 handfuls of pellets in the bowl and added warm water and presto... chicken delight.

I stood around in the pen and watched the hens chow down on the mash. It was very interesting watching how the pecking order worked.

Poor Lonely (she was banished to the corner,) Curly the Cochin, and the two Buff Brahmas had to wait until the other hens were finished eating. When the hens were full they went for a drink and then sat down in a sunny spot. I finally let all the chickens except for Lonely and the Buff Brahmas out so the three hen could get something to eat.


Tomorrow I'll divide the feed up in more bowls and hope that will cut down on the competition. Probably not.

I'll continue hanging the regular dry pellet feeder in the pen all day so if any of the hens are hungry they can come get a snack.


Here is a sight I don't see too often... the gate is open.

 I love this nippy Fall weather!


Peek at the Past
(September 20, 2009)

[2 eggs today]

~:>
Smiles

10 comments:

DevonMaid said...

I do something similar with pellets - but I make the 'porridge' fairly thick so I can scatter it round the run in lumps, then everyhen gets opportunity for at least a taste!

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

I'm glad everyone has had a good meal and is happy--I usually am when I have one too!! :-)

lisa said...

Glad the new feed is working out! I agree the fall weather is great and to bad we couldn't have this kind of weather all year around!

diane b said...

They 'll explode.

LindaG said...

Congrats on getting them to eat the pellets!
:)

Chicken Boys said...

Nothing nippy here. HIgh of 92 degrees today. I might take a dip in the pool before it gets too late.
~Randy

Jim said...

So chickens can be just like humans! Or is that the other way round? When we're hungry, look out!
Jim

Jen's Farmily said...

Chickens crack me up with how picky they are.

That's neat that you're doing the organic feed!

Anonymous said...

Glad you finally got them to eat their pellets. It's good that you spend the time to make sure everybody gets to eat.

Teresa

Verde Farm said...

I've done something like this before--added warm water to the pellets and they really did love it. I called it petllet mash :) It was a hot menu item here.
Amy at Verde Farm