We have a 12 mixed breed chickens, who up until last week seemed fine. They have since stopped eating. Their feeder is 3/4 full after 6 days, which normally lasts only 2 day. We have them on 20% layer ration, and give them scratch and table scraps in the morning. Egg production is stable.

Their last bag of feed got wet and moldy before it was finished (we didn;t feed the moldy stuff to them), but their feeder is full of good fresh feed now. Any help would be appreciated.

-- Greg Coffin (gcoffin@peakpeak.com), May 31, 2000

Answers

Is it hot and or humid where you live? Sometimes warm, sticky weather will hinder their appitites, just like it does to humans!

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), May 31, 2000.

If you cleaned and dried the feeder after the moldy feed incident and started fresh, it probably isn't the feed. Have they gotten extra scraps? Are they drinking adequate water? They must be eating something or they wouldn't keep laying. Maybe the scraps are enough. Mine won't eat their high quality pellet feed when they think I'll give them extra scraps or scratch.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), May 31, 2000.

Are they pinned constantly (with run of course) or do you let them rome during the day pinning them at night? If you let them rome in the day they may be getting enough to eat from the local bugs. Chickens reguardless of breed are great bug hunters. I also agree they could be holding out for treats, or the heat is getting to them. It could be a combination of all of this. Also check for preditors. One might be scaring them away from their food.

Good luck

animalfarms

-- animalfarms (jwlewis@indy.net), May 31, 2000.

Greg, I sure don't see a problem! You don't say if they are free range chickens, but my first thought was that it is now bug season, and worm season, and they prefer those. My ladies are eating much less grain now that the snow is gone. If you have eggs, and they seem alright, I wouldn't worry.

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), May 31, 2000.

Greg: How are the chickens doing? Are they still laying and not eating much? If so, the others are probably correct, and the girls are getting enough other feed that they don't need it. Mine don't seem to be eating as much of the pelleted feed right now, either. Jan

-- Jan B (Janice12@aol.com), June 05, 2000.