is hummingbird nectar safe for chickens?

[claraserena]

My husband bought hummingbird nectar for the bird feeder and the hummingbirds want nothing to do with it (back to making my own). The commercial nectar has added vitamins etc. Would it be ok to add some to the chickens' waterer?

 

[sannabelle]

Is it the red stuff? If so I would throw it away. The dyes are poison, basically.

If it is the more "natural" stuff, it probably has high sugar content I wouldn't give it to the chooks. They don't need all that sugar

 

[claraserena]

It's the red stuff--tossing it. thank you!

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

FYI---if you want to make your own hummingbird nectar simply dissolve one cup of cane sugar into four cups of water. Bring to a boil, cool, and it's ready.
That store-bought red stuff is not a good thing.

 

[claraserena]

agree. I always make my own. HUbby picked up the red stuff b/c someone at the store told him the birds "love it". I tried it--no takers. then put out one feeder with red stuff and one with my sugar water. Sugar water was gone in 2 days. No one touched the red stuff.

 

[sannabelle]

Smart birds!

 

[Smuvers Farm]

agree. I always make my own. HUbby picked up the red stuff b/c someone at the store told him the birds "love it". I tried it--no takers. then put out one feeder with red stuff and one with my sugar water. Sugar water was gone in 2 days. No one touched the red stuff.

Might also wanna wash the feeder that had the red stuff in it. It'll coat the inside and start to smell.... at least that happened to me.

 

[Smuvers Farm]

ALSO, on this note, pretty much don't give sweets, candy, chocolate, etc... to your chickies. They're processed all to hell and add no nutritional value. At least *regular* chickie treats DO have some benefits (kitchen scraps, fruits, mealworms, scratch, etc).

 

[Patinas]

I've fed hummingbirds for many years and early on, I tried the commercial red nectar and not once did I see a hummingbird drink it so I threw it out and have since, always made my own with sugar and water.

As for giving it to chickens, I agree with everyone else....don't give to them. There must be a reason the hummingbirds won't drink it so take that as a sign they know it's not good for them. Also, I don't see any benefit to chickens by giving them sugar water unless you're trying to help a sick bird to perk them up and even then, I'd buy a electrolyte packets.

What I haven't figured out is why they still make the commercial red nectar. I've never heard anybody that feeds hummingbirds say they use it and the birds love it. If you look it up online, it's mostly negative press on feeding hummingbirds commercial nectar with red dye in it.

 

[Chickassan]

That red stuff is nasty, even the yellow jackets and ants don't come after it. I don't understand why they make it either, if it needs to be red they make red feeders but my hummers don't seem to care about it being clear.