Q : My chickens spend a lot of meter outside the coop in my backyard . I sometimes see them eating hemipteron , worms , grass and even a humble mouse once . Is this normal ?
A : chicken are omnivores , meaning they can and do eat vegetables and meat . Wild chickens eat on caryopsis , seeds , flora , worms , insect and occasionally pocket-sized rodents .
contribute your backyard or loose - ranging Gallus gallus the chance to affix their dieting with weed , weeds , herb , edible flowers , bug and worm is very good . Not only does it provide the chickens a varied diet and something to do so they do n’t get bored , it form their eggs more nutritive and try out well .
Generally , chickens know what ’s all right for them to eat and what ’s not , so I would n’t worry too much about dispatch any poisonous plants such as azalea , oleander and the corresponding , but consider planting extra herb such as oregano , sage , Petroselinum crispum and basil for them to munch . Some eatable flowers such as nasturtium , marigolds and roses are great , too . As long as they have plenty of options , Gallus gallus normally steer clear of the toxic plants .
However , do n’t do by your grass with plant food , pesticides or weed killer that could be harmful to the chickens . Among the benefits of free - grade is that the volaille will do a full job eating the bugs and even some of the weeds for you . Of course , they also supply nice lifelike fertilizer — chicken poop — for the yard .
Although liberal - range and bring home the bacon supplemental treats are swell , these should come in moderation . You should still put up commercial-grade level feed for your chickens as well as squelch eggshell and oyster shell ( for calcium ) , and some grit , which helps with digestion .
Ana Hotaling
Even though they ’ll eat far less feed if they ’re satiate up on the honey oil and hemipteran , I still put the feed out . Chickens wo n’t engorge their feed , so you do n’t have to vex about obese birds .
Eggcess
Q : Last yr , our chickens laid more egg than we could wipe out . We made as many Quiche and adust goods as we could , and we gave away many eggs . What other ideas do you have for our excessive amount of hen fruit ? !
A : Did you know that eggs are a A-one treat for your chickens ? A complete protein , scrambled eggs make a alimentary addition to their diet ( as well as yours ) .
Be sure to save the shells , too . you’re able to crush them and feed them back to your poulet for a bit of supernumerary calcium .
Ana Hotaling
All that say : check that your wimp do n’t know they are exhaust orchis . You do n’t want them essay to corrode their own egg flat from the nest box . This could lead to disaster . As Phillip Clauer , a poultry extension specialist at Penn State , writes in “ Prevention of Egg Eating , ” “ Egg eating by hens is a drug abuse formed over clip which is super hard , if not impossible , to break . It is important you be after and negociate your facilities so that the hen never gets the first taste of a confused egg . ”
Be certain to ruin the carapace into tiny pieces and exhaustively cook yolk and Edward Douglas White Jr. , so they look like a dainty rather than something a hen just lay .
Keeping Cool
Q : I ’m worrying about keeping my chicken cool in the summer , as last year was brutally hot . What are some thing I can do to facilitate them beat the upcoming summertime heating plant ?
A : While chicken can abide cold temperature very well , once the mercury starts to rise , they can start out to suffer the impression of heat enfeeblement pretty quickly .
To keep your chickens cool , check that your cage has lots of window and vents to tolerate a nice duck soup in the even while the chickens are catch some Z’s . Also , allow lot of shady spots for them to hide during the heat of the day , as well as access to sweet , cold H2O . If you exploit away from menage during the day , consider freeze water in a loaf pan or large dish aerial and then putting the frappe blocking into a tub of water for your chickens so the water stays cooler longer .
Putting electrolyte in the pee is also a good idea during a heat wave . Cooling , water - laden treats — such as cucumber slice , Citrullus vulgaris or berry — are good choices . Freezing chopped veg , berries or fruits in water using ice - cube or gem tins also makes a nice cooling indulgence .
If you do suspect estrus exhaustion — if you see laboured heaving , chickens holding their wing out from their bodies , wan combs , torpor , or unsteady standing or walking — take the suffering poulet into a separate cool region and brook the bird in a pan of cool water . The water level should be deep enough to overcompensate only her legs and foot .
chill the foot and wattle is the quickest means to take a hen ’s body temperature down , so put your flock ’s water in a rich tub in the summer allows the birds to dip their heads in or even stand up in the tub to cool off . Incidentally , a crybaby ’s comb acts as a radiator , letting the body heat outflow .
electronic mail domestic fowl - colligate question to Lisa at chickens@chickensmagazine.com , subject : “ Flock Talk . ”
This story originally appeared in the May / June 2018 issue ofChickensmagazine .
