When I first brought Dominique home, she was accustomed to free ranging at her former home. Because predators had wiped out so many hens in such a short time, she was confined to the pen.
I have no idea what kind of chicken food she had before she came here. I gave her oats at first. She did not even recognize it as food, just ignored it for three days. When she was finally eating that, I gave her scraps and greens.
Today, I went to the yard to sit and cut my bangs with a mirror and comb and scissors. I took a large pan with the leavings of cantaloupe from yesterday. When I dumped all the luscious seeds, I looked and found an egg. All the while she was making her funny little sounds and walking around me. As I combed and cut my hair, she kept it up, coming to the fence to talk to me.
I used the hose to rinse the pan and kept watching her. Sometimes, hens complain and then eat when you are not watching. Of course, this rarely happens. Nope, Dominique was having none of the seeds.
Finally, I figured out what she wanted--oats. Usually my hens have gone for cantaloupe seeds before anything. Not Dominique. I was planning to give her oats later because my hands were full.
If my swing were not on the ground, I would sit and watch her more.
Your turn
Do your animals have food preferences and quirks?
My partner offered a cat avocado. The cat loved it. However, you needm't think you could palm him off with a less than perfect one. If it had brown spots he rejected it.
ReplyDeleteEC,
DeleteLOL...my hens will eat fruit going off. However, they can differentiate what has gone too far. I wonder how they know. Smart cat!
Had a wonderful Llasa Apso that we fed a dry dog food - one with different colored bits. He very carefully picked out every last one of the dark brown bits setting them on the floor and then ate the others. Tried putting them back in the bowl and not adding any others to it - refused to touch them. We changed dog food, he trained us well.
ReplyDeleteBellen,
DeleteDon't you wonder what was the difference. My friend would feed dinner scraps to her dog. The grandchild held his nose as he took the green beans to the dog. Even though the green beans were mixed in with other food, the dog would leave a neat pile of green beans at the side of the bowl.
I once had a Cocker Spaniel who would turn his back to me and make grumbling sounds when I wouldn't share my spaghetti with him.
ReplyDeleteVicki,
DeleteThat is so funny. I wonder what he was grumbling, saying, about you. Most animals watch the fork and look at your face. Thanks for that.
Linda - just read this in my local paper and thought of you and Dominique.
ReplyDeleteAccording to a new study by the CDC, the number of cases of salmonella spread by live-poultry has been steadily increasing due to the increased number of people raising chickens at their home.
"Currently, public health officials are identifying [live poultry–associated salmonellosis] outbreaks linked to backyard poultry flocks that are affecting adults and children."
"The first multistate outbreak where the association with backyard flocks was recognized occurred in 2007. Since that time, the popularity of backyard flocks has increased substantially," the report said.
The cause of the salmonella outbreak? Kissing or snuggling the birds.
"Most contact occurred at the patients' home, and high-risk behaviors included keeping poultry inside the house and having close contact, such as holding, snuggling, or kissing poultry," the report said.
Bellen,
DeleteThanks. It would be something extreme to cause me to hold Dominique because she is much faster than I and still wary of me since she grew up in a flock elsewhere.
OLO, no kissing here! I did snuggle Fancy.
I would think improper handling of eggs could cause salmonella. I put the eggs in a dish and wash my hands after handling them.
Thanks for the reminder.
I think Dominique sounds adorable. Now get that chicken some oats!! STAT.
ReplyDeleteSonya Ann,
DeleteShe is adorable. I had oats. Just did not give her any that time. Later, I did.
Wicked dog likes table scraps, and uses her most barbarous weapon to obtain them (her doleful eyes).
ReplyDeleteUrspo,
DeleteIt seems lots of dogs have those weapons--doleful eyes. Chickens will just peck my toes.