I Planted some mixed leaves in the veg plot, with the girls in mind. Some have now turned out to be radishes. I dug up half the radishes and was disappointed to find that they had been nibbled by slugs. I decided to give them to the girls.
I first googled to make sure it was okay to give the girls radishes as I hadn’t done so before. It said that all root veg is good for chickens except for onions and potatoes which are part of the deadly nightshade family and have no nutritional value for chickens anyway. I already knew this but thought I would mention it for anyone new to chickens. It said the radishes may need to be chopped for the chickens to be able to manage them.
I decided to try them as they were first.
The mixed leaves we planted turned out to include radishes
I lifted half the radishes and was disappointed to find the slugs had got them first
As always top girl checks them out first while the little girls stay close to “mother hen”
The bigger girls check first while little girls look on
Rusty and Freckles are always the boldest of the little girls
Rusty and Freckles decided the leaves are good
At the end of the day the girls had pecked at the radishes but found them too hard. They ate all the leaves though. When I dig up the other half I will chop the radishes and give them the leaves with the chopped radishes and see if they eat them all.
Beetroot and beetroot leaves are also fine for the girls but expect pink poop after they eat them.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
The leaves look absolutely what they would love. It’s funny how some things they really take to with gusto and others they tend not to like. I know lots of people’s hens like tomatoes, but mine would only peck them as a last resort, even when I’ve broken the skins. Give them an over-ripe banana, however, and they relish it.
Mine like tomatoes but can’t get into them without help. If I chop them they all get eaten but if I half them they just eat the seeds from the middle. I have tried ripe banana from time to time and it has always been totally ignored. As you say it’s funny how they differ.
The pink/red poop could scare you if you weren’t expecting it I’m sure!
Ours were picky when younger, I tried all sorts and they ignored it, now they’re a bit older they will try things but still seem reluctant at if they don’t know what it is.
I still haven’t got round to trying them with some mash like you do. I will give it a go when I’m back this weekend!
You have to be aware that whatever they eat will show up in their poop. My girls have greens every day so there is always some green in their poop.
They are always reluctant at first to try new things but soon get used them. It makes me laugh at how Rusty stretches her neck out to new items as if she thinks the item may suddenly bite her. Once they are used to the new things there is no longer any hesitation.
Look as though they are enjoying them.
They ate every scrap of the leaves.