# Vegetables



## Paula 53 (Aug 16, 2021)

Any advice on how I can get my 3 month old hens to eat vegetables they are just not interested in any kind of veg they eat plenty of fruit , they love grapes also love bread just not vegetables I’ve tried and tried to introduce different kinds but not interested at all thank you


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The fruit attraction is the sweetness. Just like us, sweet wins everytime. 

Start small, iceberg lettuce was the one I went with. Mine never liked many greens but they did like mustard greens. No potatoes or onions.


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## lovely_chooks (Mar 19, 2021)

robin416 said:


> The fruit attraction is the sweetness. Just like us, sweet wins everytime.
> 
> Start small, iceberg lettuce was the one I went with. Mine never liked many greens but they did like mustard greens. No potatoes or onions.


I thought chickens can’t taste sweet


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## Paula 53 (Aug 16, 2021)

lovely_chooks said:


> I thought chickens can’t taste sweet


Tried lettuce still not interested


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Paula 53 said:


> Tried lettuce still not interested


Patience, a little at a time. Make shreds and toss it out. 

I could cut a head of lettuce in half and have it disappear within hours. Everything, core included.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

lovely_chooks said:


> I thought chickens can’t taste sweet


Yep, they can. And the too much sweet can cause them to have loose droppings.


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## imnukensc (Dec 5, 2020)

Chickens are very leery of new things. Many people think chickens are supposed to automatically like some foods like vegetables. They don't because they don't know what it is. They've never seen it, eaten it, or seen other chickens eating it so they don't know it's food. Think about it like this: whether you like oysters or not, would you just automatically eat a raw oyster? I don't think you would unless you had seen someone else eat them (and even then you may not try them.)
My chickens love things like tomatoes, squash, cucumber, fresh corn, etc. but when first introduced to them they show no interest. Heck, even baby chicks don't automatically eat meal worms, but once they get started on them it seems as if that's all they want. Older chickens don't like black oil sunflower seeds until they know what it is. Just keep introducing vegs to them. They'll get the hang of it once they're familiar with it and know what it is.


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## lovely_chooks (Mar 19, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Yep, they can. And the too much sweet can cause them to have loose droppings.


But they lack the "sweet" taste receptors, so what tastes sweet to us, won't taste sweet to a chicken.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

imnukensc said:


> Chickens are very leery of new things. Many people think chickens are supposed to automatically like some foods like vegetables. They don't because they don't know what it is. They've never seen it, eaten it, or seen other chickens eating it so they don't know it's food. Think about it like this: whether you like oysters or not, would you just automatically eat a raw oyster? I don't think you would unless you had seen someone else eat them (and even then you may not try them.)
> My chickens love things like tomatoes, squash, cucumber, fresh corn, etc. but when first introduced to them they show no interest. Heck, even baby chicks don't automatically eat meal worms, but once they get started on them it seems as if that's all they want. Older chickens don't like black oil sunflower seeds until they know what it is. Just keep introducing vegs to them. They'll get the hang of it once they're familiar with it and know what it is.


You know, you reminded me of a couple of things. The bright color of tomatoes is a draw. The seeds inside of sliced cucumber would be a draw.


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## Animals45 (May 11, 2021)

Mine are very picky also, they won't eat anything besides the chicken food I give them, maybe apples SOMETIMES, and bread, My other chickens I used to have LOVED corn but I've tried with these ones and they won't go near it..


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

Try using soft vegetables with the chickens regular food embedded in it, otherwise, it just takes time for the birds to get used to it.


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## ChickenMom24 (Feb 14, 2021)

My chickens love overgrown cucumbers and zucchinis. I slice them down the middle and they pick out the seeds. In the winter they love those spring greens. They seem more likely to munch veggies when there is snow on the ground and they can’t get their daily greens from ranging.


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## danathome (Sep 14, 2020)

ChickenMom24 said:


> *My chickens love overgrown cucumbers and zucchinis.* I slice them down the middle and they pick out the seeds. In the winter they love those spring greens. They seem more likely to munch veggies when there is snow on the ground and they can’t get their daily greens from ranging.


The favorite of mine too.


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## ChickenMom24 (Feb 14, 2021)

Another one I remember they like is dandelion leaves! Don’t spray the weeds in your yard, but pick them and toss to the chickens!


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