Why are'nt my chooks eating greens???

[happyhippy]

Hi all,
I've kept chooks now,on and off for the past few years.I always fed them,apart from the usual pellets ect,a selection of greens,which could be anything from spinach leaves to dandelion leaves.We recently brought some new chooks which are point of lay.They are kept in a quite large "open"run,in other words a large area of our back garden.We've had them for just over 3 weeks now,and apart from the pellets and some wheat,they are not eating anything green????I have tried a few things,the spinach,salad leaves,chard,plus the dandelion leaves and so far they have not attempted to eat them and I have to then remove the spent food from their run the following day.Not sure why they're not touching it,every other chook I've owned usually go crazy for that type of food.Does anyone have an idea's?Thanks xx

[Thomzo]

I've had this problem with ex-batts. They simply didn't know that the greens were food so didn't attempt to peck at them. I would have thought it unusual in younger girls that are used to pecking. It seems a bit cruel but I removed all other forms of food for a day or so and desperation forced them to try the greens. It worked and after that they loved them.

Zoe

[Millymollymandy]

Mine wouldn't eat lettuce until the most recent newbie last year showed them it was nice! Prior to that the only green leafy thing they would eat was spinach beet and they would run a mile from a lettuce as they thought it was scary! I think it's behaviour/food they have to learn, not necessarily instinct, as that was two lots of hens I'd got from the market who wouldn't touch lettuce.

[happyhippy]

Thanks for the replies so far.Yes they are on grass,and maybe thats the problem!Come to think of it,the lady we brought them from,brought them in as chicks from a hatchery,then she had them in a large run without anything green to eat,so as you have suggested,maybe its a learned thing?I'm just worried they are'nt getting a varied diet as all my other chooks I've had in the past were also kept on grass,with pellets and wheat ect but also had(minus meat products)any leftovers from our plates(within reason of course)and loved their greens.

[Odsox]

I've found over the years that chicken even of the same breed are totally different each time.
I have had hens that strip all the grass and weeds off their run until it's just bare earth, and the next lot will just ignore it all and permanently have long grass the hide in.
Also had hens that fight over a cabbage leaf and others that don't even run over to see what it is you've just thrown into the run.
So don't worry about yours and I guarantee the next lot will probably be totally different again.

[Gem]

Try chopping or blending it and adding into their food, then introducing larger bits over time, I did it with my bantys and they eat anything now..

Gem