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RE: Chook Food

Posted 996 days ago

My chooks love left over spaghetti! They must think it's a big wad of worms and they go crazy for it, they also eat the mince if it's spaghetti bolognese. They really love silverbeet which gives lovely yellow yolks. Left over mashed potato is also big hit with my girls and they don't like layer pellets at all. I buy organic backyard layer mash (Country Heritage Feeds brand which you can get from the Newcastle growers markets from the Tilligerry Organics man). Rolled oats or left over porridge or muesli is also well received as are the kids bread crusts from vegemite sandwiches!
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RE: Chook Food

Posted 995 days ago

Thank you hattiehen I have the spaghetti on cooking.My girls dont like layer pellets either.Funny story,we came home from shopping late Dec.2007 and there was a chook in our yard.Took her across the road,put her in with other chooks,half hour later she was back, and has free ranged ever since.she got really broody last year,wouldnt even come out of the nest to eat,so I chased up some fertile eggs,she sat and sat and hatched 3 beautiful chickens.they are 20 weeks old now and a load of fun,cant wait to see the look on their face the first time they lay an egg!
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INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WITH CHOOKS

RE: Chook Food

Posted 983 days ago

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RE: Chook Food

Posted 969 days ago

Hi everyone :) could someone please give me reasons for my chooks going of lay..haven't had an egg for three weeks now. My chooks are all different ages and breeds. Would appreciate any help :)
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Green Blessings (O)

RE: Chook Food

Posted 954 days ago

My hens went off the lay for a while. They will have a pause laying during the cold weather but my solution was to make up a mash for them in the morning to warm them up. I have a container with a mix of oats, polenta, wheat germ, bran - pretty much anything goes - and I mix up a couple of cups like a porridge with warm water, a splash of milk. Seems to warm them up and a week later they were laying again.
Remember to worm them all regularly too, so they stay in good health.
Good luck

RE: Chook Food

Posted 947 days ago

Hi Dawn, that's great about your chook moving in at your place, how wonderful to have some baby chickens! A friend of mine had a stray chook wander into her yard while she was shopping and came home to her garden beds completely dug up and plants everywhere. She thought she'd been the victim of some strange garden vandalism until she heard the happy clucking sounds and found the rogue chook! Turned out it had also laid an egg each day under the house of another neighbour who was on holidays and came home to find 14 eggs under his house.
FaeryOne: I agree with huhana, I also gave my chooks some warm rolled oats (put hot water in with them and let them soak for a while) and seemed to make them lay again. It does depend on the breed of chicken, some don't lay in winter, but others like Isa Browns lay all year but back off a little in winter.
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RE: Chook Food

Posted 938 days ago

Don't forget they love greens lettuce etc. also chick weed and various other green weeds. I raised some chicks but ended up with half of them roosters so had to find someone to take them We just couln't eat our friends. The young hens are laying well but the 2 bantam ones are clucky . bantams don't lay for very long before they get clucky thats why they make good mums.
Hot weather also puts them off laying; also give them shell grit. also blue tongue lizards and rats will steal eggs.
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crazy gardener addicted since the age of 5 years old still digging it

RE: Chook Food

Posted 934 days ago

Just an update on my girls,They have both started to lay eggs,My brown chook lays blue eggs,(No im not mad!)they are getting bigger all the time,but have a definate blue tinge to the shell.does anyone know what type of chicken she may be. Thanks Dawn
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INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WITH CHOOKS

RE: Chook Food

Posted 934 days ago

To Jules Mid.I also ended up with a rooster,who stared to cookle doodle doo in the early hours of the morning.Worried about my neighbours,I tried every where to find him a home with no success.In desperation,as the noise was getting louder daily,I had to choose between my neighbours or TARZAN
I rang the RSPCA,who said they had no calls for roosters,but would put him down if i took him to them.
Well.I had this rooster since he was an egg,his name was TARZAN and there was no way I was having him put down.
After many many phone calls I finally found a fellow in Taree that was willing to take him.Had to catch him,put him in a box and post him!.He made it ok and is having great fun in a pen full of hens!
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INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WITH CHOOKS

RE: Chook Food

Posted 930 days ago

Blue eggs I've never heard of that colour. What colour is the hen? My girls were hand raised from a couple of weeks old after the hens had hatched them so are easy to catch and when i go to feed them one of the large black one tries to jump onto my arm holding the feed bucket.
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crazy gardener addicted since the age of 5 years old still digging it

RE: Chook Food

Posted 922 days ago

She is dark brown with lighter brown feathers and black feathers around her neck.She hatched from a blue egg.
I carry a photo of her blue eggs with me and people continue to be amazed by them.Mine are big sooks too,love a pat and a cuddle.Fascinating creatures.
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INTERESTED TO HEAR FROM PEOPLE WITH CHOOKS