Below are the notes I left, for my housemates, to look after my chicken, Alpha, while I’m away in Europe, for MFRU.
Alpha feeding
What she’s supposed to eat, as a chicken:
Maize, sorghum, sunflower seeds, leftover vegetable scraps, and enough calcium for egg shell development. So, crumple some egg shells in the garden occasionally.
But she’ll only eat maize and sorghum if she’s really hungry. She likes sunflower seeds.
Her faves in decreasing order are:
Superworms
Live Larvae
Dead Larvae
Bread
Cooked rice
(De-shelled) Sunflower seeds
There’s various grains and pulses like millet, rice, lentils, which she’ll eat, if it’s cooked.
When she does the loud alarm noises, or jumps on the table outside Chris’s room, it’s usually the black and white cat. But sometimes it means she’s looking for a place to lay an egg. 95% of the time, she will go back and lay the egg in her box/bed. I think when she crouches down, when you approach, it’s a similar vibe.
Her house has a few features, which need adjustment occasionally. There’s two waterproof umbrella cloths on top, for the rain, usually held in place by a branch, and there’s some polystyrene directly above the box. The box is raised, because she prefers to be higher off the ground, when sleeping. It’s not necessary but after about 6:30pm, when she’s in bed, you can put the ‘satanic apron’ over her box. But first have a quick check for mosquitoes in the box. If there’s lots of mosquitoes, make sure there’s not some sitting water with mosquito larvae in the backyard somewhere. The apron offers a bit more protection from the cold, and light. The chicken house could use some work, but usually it’s fine unless it’s been very windy or rainy.
I change her bedding once a month or so, or if it gets wet in there, after a rain, or if she poops her bed, I’ll take the poop out. Straw or that Alfalfa/Lucerne in the plastic bag works for bedding.
Um… what else… when you steal the eggs, try not to let her see the egg, or she’ll make disapproving sounds.
I change the water every day or two. There doesn’t need to be as many water containers as there are, but just make sure there’s some water around, that the little rat doves haven’t shat in.
Alpha won’t eat the maize, so you can throw a handful in a spot, and the little doves will eat it.
The worms and larvae are pretty good at hiding but there should be a few hundred of each left. Just throw some wet scraps in, occasionally. They’re eating melted instant coffee, and cardboard and grass at the moment.
Alpha will eat as many worms as you give her, so try limit to 10. Internet says 2/day. But that’s for normal, not-spoiled chickens.
She’s picky, until there’s no choices, and then if she’s hungry, she’ll eat whatever’s going. The internet usually knows what she can eat, if you’re going to feed her something new. Usually if it’s grainy or pulsey, or crumby, or anything meaty, or insecty, she’ll give it a try.
Leave some sunflower seeds on top of the bucket where the little rat doves can’t see.
She doesn’t understand pointing at things, or English. But she will usually understand food in hand, or food put in front of her.
Ok that’s the gist. Thanks.