Topic of the Week - Feeding Treats

[Red Door Coop]

What is this "thing" that you put weeds in? It looks like a great idea! Better than pecking each other Red Door Coop

 

[Bawkbawktll]

It's a basket for washing baby bottles and stuff in the dishwasher

 

[newkfarm]

What is this "thing" that you put weeds in?  It looks like a great idea!  Better than pecking each other   Red Door Coop

Looks to me like the basket you buy in the baby section to clean bottle parts in the dishwasher.

 

[perchie.girl]

you can use a suet cage as well...

 

[rosemarythyme]

- At what age can you start offering chicks treats and how do you go about it?

I started offering broken pieces of mealworms as a training treat at around 1 week of age. Chick grit was provided as well.

- What treats do you give your flock?

They enjoy dried mealworms, strawberries, peach, corn, melon, parsley, carrot tops, kale, spinach, gray squash.

- How much, and how often do you feed treats?

I give them a little bit of mealworms and/or scratch in the morning and a little in the evening, only about 1-2 Tbsp total for 4 birds each day. If I have things like veggies to offer them I just hand those out when they're available, maybe every other day at most, depending on availability. Since my chickens enjoy their treats it's also an easy way to distract them or to get them to move between runs, if I'm doing work in the area and need them out of the way.

- What treats should NOT be given to chickens, or given in moderation?

This sounds weird but it seems chickens and rats have very similar "do not eat" lists so I actually use my rats' food list to determine what to avoid feeding them. So I would not feed them onions, garlic, avocado, raw potatoes, uncooked beans, citrus, junk food (salty, fatty, sweet).

- What are your flock's favourite treats?

Same as above under "what treats do you give your flock."

Also wanted to note, I love the suet cage the above poster has - they're the perfect size for flock blocks and so easy to use. For those of you who want to hang up treats via other methods (i.e. "stringing up" a head of cabbage) keep in mind that string is really not safe to use as birds can confuse it as a food item and end up choking on it. Sturdy wire or chain is a better choice as the chickens cannot accidentally tear through it, but do inspect it for any sharp edges or pointy bits and keep those out of their way.

 

[Cynthia12]

It's a basket for washing baby bottles and stuff in the dishwasher

I was going to ask also..what is that...lol...good to know, I love this idea. I would just lay it on the ground for them. Full of nice greens in the winter.

 

[Red Door Coop]

Thank you I'll give it a try Red Door Coop

 

[nikkers390]

I got a huge chuckle from the picture on the home page. 4 hens politely eating out of a small bowl like little ladies. If I put something like that out for my chickens it would be a frantic rush to hog the whole bowl, resulting in everything on the ground with each hen taking as much as she can. I just wish my hens were polite, well mannered ladies.

 

[ChxLadyCass]

Hello.....

I am not a big treat giver to my Birds......

Things I never feed is spinach, wild bird seed, sunflower seeds, yogurt, garlic, or ACV.....Bread also is never is given....


Cheers!

Can you elaborate why? Yogurt, ACV and bread are all occasional treats I give my girls.

 

[nikkers390]

Can you elaborate why? Yogurt, ACV and bread are all occasional treats I give my girls.

Lets see, for years my chickens have gotten: bread, wild bird seed, sunflower seeds ACV, yogurt, herbs, veggies, fruits, pasta, cheese, leftover chicken and what ever else is leftover in the refrigerator or after meals. They get their layer feed, the rest are treats. I have yet to experience any negative results. In many parts of the world ALL chickens get is what they can scrounge from the soil or leftovers. Chickens are opportunistic omnivorous and utilize everything edible.