The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: bigchicken on July 22, 2014, 11:19:06 pm
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What treats do you give to your poultry, I give them some sunflower seeds, mealworms and sultanas not a lot just a tiny amount.l
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A few mealworms, a little corn, sometimes a hentastic stick (has corn and spices) in a hanging feeder for them to peck. Hanging up a bunch of nettles or sticky buds (cleavers) also keeps them amused for a while.
Helen
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I don't now they are free range in the summer. In the winter they get a bit of mixed grain along with breeders pellets-maybe some mealworms and some sprouted grains if the weather is really horrid.
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I used to hang a cabbage up (either by stalk or in a hanging basket) or corn on the cob for mine just at head height so they had enrichment/something a bit different
Treatwise - mealworms, grapes, bits of cooked spaghetti (cooked specifically for them), mixed corn and sweetcorn, peas and on cold days - layers mash with a bit of hot water with any of the above mixed in in a porridge sort of thing
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Mine get overgrown courgette at this time if the year! I cut them in half, and in no time I am left with just the skin! They love them!
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Melon seeds and skins and in winter cook them some spaghetti they love it
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Any kind of veg peelings, soft veg or fruit that's past its best, mixed corn in summer. rolled corn in the winter and plenty of veg peelings as we eat more roasts in the winter than in summer. I do hang up the odd cabbage. Our neighbour is also my partner's brother and a brassica farmer, quite often we cut our own cauli and they love the leaves that we trim off.
I did make them some treat balls made from porridge oats, mixed corn, raisins, bits of veg and molasses, baked them in the oven on strings- they didn't last very long!
This morning they had a couple of lettuces, spinach, courgette and peppers past their best :)
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Every afternoon they get a handful of corn and any leftover fresh fruit and veg, skins and seeds. During winter when bugs are scarce mealworm are added to this.
During late autumn to late spring they free range the allotments clearing spent veg plants and fertilising the plots. In winter during bad weather the spent plants of broccoli or cabbage and caulis which start setting flower and seeds are hung up in their run above perch height so they have a hop swapping game to pinch bits off.
The annual event of the carved halloween pumpkins is a show to watch. It takes them a few days to stop spooking at them before devouring the contents ;D