How can I encourage a hen to eat more?
What is in chicken food?
Hens need carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water to live. As they grow from a chick to an adult they need different proportions of each nutrient suited to their particular life stage. That is why poultry diets are formulated as starter, grower and laying hen rations.
When might hens need nutritional support?
Poorly birds may might require additional nutrients to support their hard working immune cells or specific targeted supplementation. Often, unwell birds eat less than usual so their feed consumption is reduced. This means they have fewer available nutrients inside them. They may not have enough nutrition to maintain their body or to support their immune system to aid recovery. Metabolic hypoglycaemia can even be fatal.
Bird's intestines are also very short, designed to be light for flight as intestinal content is heavy with food and water. They improve digestion by shifting the content of their intestines forward as well as back, thus increasing the time for digestion and absorption. However, there is a risk associated with this clever mechanism. Birds have two caecae, a pair of little blind-ending sacs at the end of their small intestine. These are little fermentation tanks and contain masses of bacteria that have evolved to break down plant material like cellulose, which the bird cannot do by itself. However, some of these bacteria can actually cause disease if they accumulate in the small intestine, even though they help the bird when in the caecae. Disturbances in intestinal fill due to irregular or reduced appetite can cause a change in proportions of gut bacteria which can predispose to enteritis which in some cases can be fatal in the case of haemorrhagic necrotic enteritis. It is essential that recovering birds are kept well fed.
How can we appeal to their senses?
Feed consumption can be increased by appealing to their senses (sight, taste and smell), social behaviours.
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Warming food up helps to release scent, and adding fragrant herbs can pique their interest.
The following article provides an interesting summary of olfaction in hens: Krause E. Tobias, Schrader Lars, Caspers Barbara A., Olfaction in Chicken (Gallus gallus): A Neglected Mode of Social Communication?, Front. Ecol. Evol., 09 August 2016, Sec. Behavioral and Evolutionary Ecology, https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2016.00094
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Hens are naturally attracted to the colour red and reflective surfaces. Provide feed in red and reflective vessels and try adding slices of bright fruit to attract them.
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Hens that remain within a social group will experience the excitement of other birds at treat or feeding times and are more likely to join in. Isolated hens will often eat more when reintegrated if it is safe to do so.
Should I change my hen's diet?
Often, the more regular the diet the better for them, however the type of feed offered can be changed to increase the amount ingested. Mash diets are made of small particles so birds have to spend a lot of time and energy eating to ingest the same quantity of food from pellets. Therefore, are used to a mash diet, try offering some pellets alongside as an alternative. It is important to note that rapid changes in feed are not advised as they do not give the gut bacteria time to stabilise, in which case a quality poultry-specific probiotic should be given.
What can I give my hens to help them eat more?
Feeding specific supplements that have been shown to improve feed consumption. Extracts from the following plants have been shown to promote growth in poultry, including Withania somnifera, Phyllanthus emblica, Allium sativum and Anise. These effects can be direct, for example via stimulation of taste buds and digestive enzyme release, or indirect by decreasing bacterial and oocyst counts.
When purchasing any nutritional supplements, it is important to ensure they are safe, based on scientific evidence and produced to a high standard by using batch testing for quality control.
We will soon be adding an appetite stimulant to our product range.
Preparing food for your hens
Be aware that food destined for your birds should never have entered your kitchen, unless your household is 100% vegan and that includes your pets. Prepare your food outside, in the shed or keep a designated chicken cupboard outside your kitchen for them instead. Ensure you use utensils that have never been in contact with products from animal origin in order to protect your birds.
IMPORTANT
If your hen is going to bed with an empty crop, then please contact a vet as this shows they are not eating enough and may need veterinary attention.
References: Dhama, Kuldeep et al. “Multiple Beneficial Applications and Modes of Action of Herbs in Poultry Health and Production-A Review.” International journal of pharmacology 11.3 (2015): 152–176. Web.)
