Adopted skinny pullets don't recognize feed

[Chubbicthe2nd]

I bought nine six month old pullets that look like they're three months old, as they were free rangers with just a little bit of kitchen scraps before. They were also from an enormous flock of over 40 free ranging hens, and I think the majority of them were at the bottom of the pecking order in their old home.

I'm trying to fatten them up and get as many of them as possible to the point of lay in the next three weeks or so if it's possible, before the winter kicks in.

They're in a run right now and can't really free range as we have some exceedingly horny young roosters (6 month old cockerels) that can't seem to understand that these pullets are prepubescent and terrified and just don't know how to squat no matter how much they're attacked. Things got violent and I was worried they would accidentally kill the pullet (grabbing her by the neck, etc.) as she was too immature to know she was supposed to squat and they were getting angry. My alpha rooster who is the most mature seems to be aware of this, when he tried to protect her from getting killed, the other rooster attacked him badly. (It wasn't a possessive thing, I've seen them fight over actually mature hens, this was more like Alpha roosters understood that this pullet was too small and should be left alone after being intimidated multiple times and attacked and she was just clueless. I don't want my pullets getting killed by my bachelor flock, and I don't want my most sensible alpha rooster getting injured just because he's trying to stop a pullet from getting killed. (Animal sexuality is a bit traumatic to watch. Thank God we're humans made in image of God and not just animals...).

Anyways, we're planning to butcher most of our bachelor flock and only keep two roosters for the 13 hens total. But at that point I need my pullets to get sexually mature so the roosters won't attack them, so they need to eat.

I gave them tons of feed and they just kicked it around on the ground like it was dirt. Whenever I throw them some kitchen scraps they go nuts for it. It's like they don't recognize commercial feed. Right now I'm emptying out my pantry feeding them food that I want to eat (I just used up all my cracked wheat and molasses making them a porridge... And gave them all my sunflower seeds....). They look so hungry and pathetic. I don't know what to do, I've tried two different types of feed and they've stared at both (Purina layer & nature-wise all flock 20% protein pellets).


I wish these new adopted pullets would be able to eat the feed that my hens we raised from chicks, they're all the same age but my hens are twice the size and have been laying for a month.

 

[Squawkers]

Try wetting the pellets and smashing them in a pile. That might seem more appeasing. Or maybe just smashing them so they are crumbles.

 

[theoldchick]

Since they are eating chicken scraps, I'm wondering if they are simply being picky. My chickens, if fed to many scraps, will not eat the pelleted feed. So I cut back special treats to once a week. However, make sure your chickens are healthy before attempting to change their feed. Make the change slowly as to not stress them anymore than they already are. You can add chicken vitamins to the water to help balance the diet.

 

[Papaye]

Hi.

Pictures of your new hens would actually help...
And if you could tell also us when, exactly, you brought them home...?

And what do you know about them?

(...What breed are they?
Had they started laying eggs before you bought them?
Are they molting?
...what you can think about...?)

 

[MysteryChicken]

I bought nine six month old pullets that look like they're three months old, as they were free rangers with just a little bit of kitchen scraps before. They were also from an enormous flock of over 40 free ranging hens, and I think the majority of them were at the bottom of the pecking order in their old home.

I'm trying to fatten them up and get as many of them as possible to the point of lay in the next three weeks or so if it's possible, before the winter kicks in.

They're in a run right now and can't really free range as we have some exceedingly horny young roosters (6 month old cockerels) that can't seem to understand that these pullets are prepubescent and terrified and just don't know how to squat no matter how much they're attacked. Things got violent and I was worried they would accidentally kill the pullet (grabbing her by the neck, etc.) as she was too immature to know she was supposed to squat and they were getting angry. The most mature rooster seem to be aware of this, when you tried to protect her from getting killed, the other rooster attacked him badly. (It wasn't a possessive thing, I've seen them fight over it's actually mature hands, this was more like one of the roosters understood that this pull it was too small and should be left alone after being intimidated multiple times and attacked and she was just clueless. I don't want my pool it's getting killed, and I don't want my most sensible alpha rooster getting injured just because he's trying to stop I'll pull it from getting killed. (Animal sexuality is a bit traumatic to watch. Thank God we're humans made in image of God and not just animals...).

Anyways, we're planning to butcher most of our bachelor flock and only keep two roosters for the 13 hens total. But at that point I need my pullets to get sexually mature so the roosters won't attack them, so they need to eat.

I gave them tons of feed and they just kicked it around on the ground like it was dirt. Whenever I throw them some kitchen scraps they go nuts for it. It's like they don't recognize commercial feed. Right now I'm emptying out my pantry feeding them food that I want to eat (I just used up all my cracked wheat and molasses making them a porridge... And gave them all my sunflower seeds....). They look so hungry and pathetic. I don't know what to do, I've tried two different types of feed and they've stared at both (Purina layer & nature-wise all flock 20% protein pellets).


I wish these new adopted pullets would be able to eat the feed that my hens we raised from chicks, they're all the same age but my hens are twice the size and have been laying for a month.

Try a Wet Mash? Wettened chicken feed, they may like that.

 

[Chubbicthe2nd]

Hi.

Pictures of your new hens would actually help...
And if you could tell also us when, exactly, you brought them home...?

And what do you know about them?

(...What breed are they?
Had they started laying eggs before you bought them?
Are they molting?
...what you can think about...?)

I bought them the day before yesterday, the seller told me they were all six months old as she hatched them out herself and bought some of them from a hatchery. She remarked on how odd it is that they were different sizes, as this had been a 40 plus herd, and the majority of them had already been sold off, I showed up at the very end after everyone else had already bought their choice of hens so I think I got the runts of the litter so to speak -- really just the chickens at the bottom of the pecking order who get less food.

They are:
5 barred Rocks (two of them are almost full size, three of them are smaller)
3 red and blue laced Wyandottes
1 buckeye (definitely at very bottom of the pecking order, she looks like she's only 8 weeks old even though she's 6 months)

She thought none of them had started laying eggs. To me, two of the barred Rocks look like they're at the point of lay, once they settle in here I guess we'll see. But all the rest of them look like their months younger than they are.

I doubt they're molting, I thought chickens only molted at 18 months, and these ones aren't even close to that age. If anything, I think they might be a little younger than 6 months.

 

[Chubbicthe2nd]

Try a Wet Mash? Wettened chicken feed, they may like that.

I just did, and put some molasses on it for appeal. (Pretty grumpy too, I love my molasses and I hate sharing it with anyone, let alone chickens). Right now all but two of them are huddled up at the other side of the run. Of course the two ones that are near the food are bigger.

I think I'm going to try to divide up the food into multiple feeding locations and see if that helps.

 

[Squawkers]

I bought them the day before yesterday, the seller told me they were all six months old as she hatched them out herself and bought some of them from a hatchery. She remarked on how odd it is that they were different sizes, as this had been a 40 plus herd, and the majority of them had already been sold off, I showed up at the very end after everyone else had already bought some hands so I think I got the runts of the litter so to speak -- really just the chickens at the bottom of the pecking order who get less food.

They are:
5 barred Rocks (two of them are almost full size, three of them are smaller)
3 red and blue laced Wyandottes
1 buckeye (definitely a thought bottom of the pecking order, she looks like she's only 8 weeks old even though she's 6 months)

She bought none of them had started laying eggs. To me, two of the barred Rocks look like they're at the point of lay, once they settle in here I guess we'll see. But all the rest of them look like their months younger than they are.

I doubt they're molting, I thought chickens only molted at 18 months, and these ones aren't even close to that age. If anything, I think they might be a little younger than 6 months.

That’s interesting. Yeah, they usually don’t go through a full molt that young. But unless I’m mistaken they can have mini molts

 

[Chubbicthe2nd]

Since they are eating chicken scraps, I'm wondering if they are simply being picky.

Sorry, I corrected my typo. I meant to say *kitchen* scraps not chicken scraps. I don't feed them chicken. When I'm tired I use chicken and kitchen interchangeably, it's a mental short that I've had since I was a kid.

I would be really surprised if they were picky, as they are so skinny. My four hens (Sussex, Sussex/Welsummer mix, two dark Cornish/EE mixes) that are the same ages as them are big and fluffy and fat. These guys look pretty slim and underdeveloped. If I had the guess, my four hens I raised look like they're 6-8 pounds each, and these new guys generally look to be 1-3 pounds each, except for two of the barred rocks that look to be about 5 lbs.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I just did, and put some molasses on it for appeal.

Be aware that molassas can cause diarhea.

As others have suggested, put out a wet mash and put your kitchen scraps (sunflower seeds, etc) on top of it (short term).. they may accidentally get some in their beaks and make the connection.. at least they will start to notice the "feed bowls" as where the feed is.

Multiple locations is still a good idea.

Hope they adjust quickly!