I have noticed an odd thing with Emerald. Emerald can’t see sunflower hearts. We have had the new girls for two weeks now. I have the habit of giving what I call the “scratch treat” in the morning and evening. In the winter they get corn in the evening as digesting it helps keep them warm and in the morning they get sunflower hearts or dried meal worms. In the summer it’s the reverse with corn in the morning and sunflower hearts or dried meal worms in the evening. They also have greens mid morning and fruit mid afternoon.
Emerald very quickly sussed out the treats system and is the only one that jumps to the coop roof as soon as I open the store cabinet where the treats are. But on the days when I throw out some sunflower hearts she bounds out eagerly and then while the other girls tuck in she looks around as if to say “where are they?”
If I then throw out some dried meal worms or corn she is straight on to it. When I told my husband he said that perhaps she didn’t like sunflower hearts. I explained that it wasn’t that because she has never tried them as she can’t find them. I demonstrated to him several times and the same thing happens every time.
Today I thought I would see if I could show it in photos. I took these photos in quick succession.
I throw out the sunflower hearts and all the girls hoover them up except for Emerald at the back of the photo
I can almost read her mind saying “where are they?”
Emerald doesn’t see the sunflower seeds
I then throw out some dried meal worms and Emerald joins in straight away
Now Emerald can see them
Emerald happily joins in
It is exactly the same each time. If I throw out sunflower hearts she runs out eagerly with the other girls then looks around in total confusion. As soon as I throw out either meal worms or corn she falls straight on them.
I really don’t think she can see the sunflower hearts. I wonder if anyone else has come across anything like this.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Interesting. I had a hen who I thought couldn’t see well once. So it’s entirely possible. I also had a hen who didn’t like worms. Would not touch them. So it’s also possible that she doesn’t like sunflower seeds. I know, it’s a reach. But chickens are fickle creatures and anything is possible.
I don’t think it’s a case of not liking them because I have never seen her pick one up and she looks so confused. She appears to be looking for them.
That is interesting .Have you tried putting the sunflower hearts on a dark background?
If she cant see them it could be the background colour is similar. Corn being yellow and mealworms brown and more noticeable .
That is a good point. I have thought that she doesn’t see them against the dirt or patio because both are the same pale grey colour. I will experiment with putting them on something dark. Watch this space.