Chickens Fav Treats!!!!

[jalabtek]

Mine LOVE cracked corn!

 

[eggs and chicks]

mine love


worms

watermelon

corn on the cob

and one time we fed them fried chicken

 

[annanimal]

Any fruits, especially watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes and fresh figs.
Most veggies.
Sesame and sunflower seeds.
Boiled or scrambled eggs.
Yoghurt mostly in the summer.
Cooked oatmeal in the winter.
Sometimes spaghetti noodles because they think they are worms and it is hilarious to watch.
Plus they free range so worms and bugs.

 

[jtn42248]

Does the corn need to be cooked or can you just give it to the raw??

Either is fine. Mine like scratch grains which includes cracked corn and they go for the corn first. Just be sure you have grit available to help them digest it.

 

[jtn42248]

My girls loooooove watermelon...they fly up like falcons and perch on my arms to get their share of the watermelon...I laugh and laugh at their goofy sweet faces that beg and beg for their piece...Oh and I better be quick about sharing it out or I get the 'stink eye' right away too. My neighbors must think I am nuts with my arms full of hens and watermelon...giggling my butt off. (I am an old lady)

I never thought of giving the seeds out of the cantaloupe to them...thank you for that idea

they also love the lettuce I grow tor them and the organic baby spinach leaves the get everyday...but still noting tops the watermelon..

Be careful with spinach. It leaches the calcium out of their bodies that they need.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Corn is ' heating ' and should be avoided in the summer months.

 

[deacons]

Be careful with spinach. It leaches the calcium out of their bodies that they need.

Interesting, I have never heard this. Is this true of all dark leafy greens or just spinach? I give mine kale almost every day.

 

[Talikka]

My hens love corn-on-the-cob too! I've shared just cobs and corn on the cob and they love both.

 

[jtn42248]

Interesting, I have never heard this. Is this true of all dark leafy greens or just spinach? I give mine kale almost every day.

I am not sure about other leafy greens. It is something I read when doing the research before getting my hens. And, of course, I can not find the article not. However, I don't think it is an issue of toxicity but an issue of something in spinach that impedes the absorption of calcium. The article also said to not give them iceberg lettuce (don't recall why) but in changed the lettuce consumption in our family to romaine, butter, red leaf, etc. lettuce which means it is probably a conspiracy of the lettuce lobby to get us all to buy more expensive lettuce...just kidding. Mine had a "build your own taco party this a.m....left overs from last night with some ground meat, lettuce, crushed corn chips, etc. and one more time they were more interested in the meat than anything else in the dish. Oh well, at least they get the daily ration of nutritionally balanced crumbles and lots of free range with my ducks and geese.

 

[SavageDestiny]

My dogs eat a raw diet(mainly chicken leg bones) and the chickens can't get to it fast enough. The dog growls at them and they just come back for more. Now I've started giving them a bone for themselves as a treat. A grocery store gives me their clippings so I'm figuring out what they like and do not like. So far..

Watermelon - big hit
Cabbage - just so-so
Raw meat - nutso
Raw or cooked egg - nutso
Onion - no go
Anaheim pepper - no go
Banana - loved it
Sauerkraut - nutso (they jump on each other for it. I trained them to jump with this)

They also love the old cilantro and Swiss chard plant in the garden.

My dogs eat raw as well, so I always have meat around. I give my chickens any bones I don't want the dogs to have, just clean most of the meat off and chuck the bones out to the girls. Thinking about getting the ladies some ox tails next time I see them!