What is your Chicken's Favourite Food? (List 3 only)

[Gold Coaster]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for sharing all your favourites and least favourites with us. It really helps chicken newbies like myself learn about new foods to try.

Do you reckon I should make up a tally and keep count? I'm hoping that it could serve as a good future reference for those who are new to keeping chickens.

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[PtitePouleRouge]

Chunks of unrendered pig, bear or deer fat (or any other kind I am sure, these are just the types I can get free). They love suet, especially in the cold of winter. Also I throw them the carcass left over from butchering a deer (spine and ribcage) and they go nuts picking the little bits of meat and suet off. Although I have found sometimes if the head is still on it can be a bit scary to them.

Any kind of fish. We net smelts in the spring which I give whole. Larger fish such as salmon or trout we fillet for ourselves and give the leavings to the chickens.

If the squirrels get too pesky we shoot a couple and if you slit open the belly to give them a start the chickens will be occupied for hours by picking it apart.

 

[Gold Coaster]

Chunks of unrendered pig, bear or deer fat (or any other kind I am sure, these are just the types I can get free). They love suet, especially in the cold of winter. Also I throw them the carcass left over from butchering a deer (spine and ribcage) and they go nuts picking the little bits of meat and suet off. Although I have found sometimes if the head is still on it can be a bit scary to them.

Any kind of fish. We net smelts in the spring which I give whole. Larger fish such as salmon or trout we fillet for ourselves and give the leavings to the chickens.

If the squirrels get too pesky we shoot a couple and if you slit open the belly to give them a start the chickens will be occupied for hours by picking it apart.

Hello PtitePouleRouge,

First of all, welcome to Backyard Chickens! I noticed that this is your first post and just wanted to pass on warm greetings to you from here in Australia!

You post was very interesting. I don't have access to all the animal proteins you mention but I can see by your avatar, that your chickens have lovely, glossy feathers! It must be doing wonders for them and keeping them entertained with picking off the bits and pieces.

I'd never heard the term suet before, but after a quick search on the net I discovered that it is raw, hard fat usually beef or mutton fat. As long as your flock is free-ranging then I'm sure they simply run and burn it all off, but I bet the extra weight also keeps them snug in winter!

Again, welcome to the forum and thanks for adding your chicken's favourite treats. Do they have any least favourites?

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[americana-lover]

my 5 Americana girls love

1.) dried meal-worms

2.) yogurt mixed with seed

3.) fruits, such as strawberries

 

[MonsterMom]

Wow! That's interesting. I never thought about giving suet, but if we give it to wild birds in the winter, I can't imagine my chickens wouldn't appreciate some, too. And fish sounds like it should be healthy for them. Loads of omega3s and whatnot.

It's nice to know the hens will have snack options.

Chunks of unrendered pig, bear or deer fat (or any other kind I am sure, these are just the types I can get free). They love suet, especially in the cold of winter. Also I throw them the carcass left over from butchering a deer (spine and ribcage) and they go nuts picking the little bits of meat and suet off. Although I have found sometimes if the head is still on it can be a bit scary to them.

Any kind of fish. We net smelts in the spring which I give whole. Larger fish such as salmon or trout we fillet for ourselves and give the leavings to the chickens.

If the squirrels get too pesky we shoot a couple and if you slit open the belly to give them a start the chickens will be occupied for hours by picking it apart.

 

[LIBERTYNY]

Grapes , and what ever I happen to be eating - they have to have a taste

I live by a small grocer, and spoil mine out of the dumpster _ and yes the food is safe, I even eat some.

 

[Aschenfire]

1. Eggs
2. Warm cooked oatmeal
3. Mealworms

 

[SierraView]

watermelon
tomatoes
corn tortillas

 

[texas75563]

Mr Rooster R.I.P.
1. butterfingers
2. cheeze its
3. grapes tore into small pieces

Of course all of it fed out of your hand.

6 week old barred rock chicks
1. cabbage torn into little pieces and hand fed.
2. worms
3. bugs

I never knew you weren't supposed to feed chickens chocolate until I came here. There is only a light coating on butterfingers. Mr Rooster loved them. Bought packages of them just for him. If I sat down on the bench, he would hop up on it and expect his treat. He wasn't a happy a camper if I sat down and then showed him my hands were empty.

 

[dragonlair]

Absolute favorites:

raw meat and fat scraps
goat milk
hard boiled eggs

Don't like:

citrus fruit
oats
dairy cow pellets