Is it okay for chickens to eat suet cakes?

[Sandbellie]

I was in the feed store today and saw all the wild bird suet cakes and I was wondering if it was okay for my chickens to eat them.
Will it harm them at all? I bought some meal worms for them instead because I wasn't sure. They love those!

Thanks.

 

[youngjedi32002]

I just put one of those suet cakes in my coop. It was basically beef suet, dried berries, corn, and oats. I felt that they needed something special because we built a new run and raised the coop off the ground and though it is better for them, they were very upset! i read that chickens don't like change but, wow!, did they let me know!!! They sounded like they were growling and crying yesterday when we moved them in, although they did get the hang of the ramp right away! Today, they were better but I felt they needed a treat! Comfort food for chickens? I figured it was the equivalent of a pint of Ben & Jerry's for me!!!

 

[BellevueOmlet]

They have a lot of less nutritional things in them that are geared towards other birds. It will not hurt them but you would be better off getting some BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) as they are good for them and your chickens will go nuts for them.

 

[emys]

They are OK as an occasional treat in very cold weather. They are mostly fat, not much protein.

 

[Blooie]

I give mine suet blocks in the winter. They love them, and since I hang then in suet cages it keeps helps alleviate boredom. I make my own suet. In the summer I stuff the suet cages as full as possible with watermelon, tomatoes, kale, spinach - whatever I can cram in there.

 

[NewChickadee1]

there was a lot of helpful things in this thread. I have only been keeping chickens for about 3 months I'm fairly new at it, I also work at Tractor Supplyand have been wondering if these cakes would be safe for my chickens however nobody could tell me. This is my go-to site to learn things and help other people that come into my store with questions.I appreciate everybody that posts on this site with information to share with everybody this site is awesome

 

[Celtic Chick]

I give mine one occasionally in the wintertime during cold stretches for some extra fat & calories.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

A suet cake wouldn't last too long and it is basically rendered beef fat with bits of seeds floating in it. Purina makes a big Flock Block that is formulated just for poultry. Our local TSC carries it.

Or, you can try your hand at making your own:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=111647

 

[MimiChick]

I give the girls suet cakes occasionally for a treat too. Mostly in the winter, but sometimes in early spring or fall. I look at the protein content and make sure to get the ones with the highest protein. There's one that's made with meal worms that's 10 percent. That's the one I usually get. There's also some with sunflower seeds that are about 8 percent. Check the ones advertised for woodpeckers. Those tend to have the higher percent of protein.

 

[Sandbellie]

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