What snacks DON'T or chickens like???

[bruce89123]

I have Delawares, Anconas and Wyandottes. Of all the different snacks I've given them I've found that they really don't like apple-sauce or bananas.

What snacks have you found your flock to be not-so-fond of???

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Pumpkin. We bought a little deco pumpkin for Halloween and when festivities were done we cut it open and gave it to the girls. My layers took to it after a few hours of dubiousness but my banties just looked at it and avoided it.

 

[redsoxs]

That's interesting - mine will knock each other over for bananas! Mine seem to ignore carrots - even the peeling which they should be able to slurp down like spaghetti - they won't touch.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Ditto on Carrots & any thing citrus.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

Citrus isn't good for chickens, so steer away from that.



Carrots, cucumbers and zucchini--- not yummy

Peaches, pears and apples--- to-die-for

 

[Puddin Fluff]

We don't give it to them because they don't like it but why is it bad for them? I had only heard not to give potato skins, and onions and peppers, the latter two because they affect the taste of the eggs.

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Something in citrus is poisonous to them. There's a thread around here somewhere with a complete list of no-no foods and why. Also, alvacado skins are toxic to them too.

 

[JerseyGiantfolk]

We don't give it to them because they don't like it but why is it bad for them? I had only heard not to give potato skins, and onions and peppers, the latter two because they affect the taste of the eggs.

Citrus is very acidic. People can get heartburn if they eat too much, so imagine you can kind of imagine how harsh it is on chickens.

Here's a great article with a treat chart:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Thanks Jersey for the chart. We have mostly done ours by trial and error. We try to feed them "natural" stuff and I did do a search early on to see if anything was a no no and that is where I got the afore mentioned items but never saw anything on citrus. We just never give it to them because the once or twice we tried, they didn't eat it. Guess we just have smart birds.

 

[Farmer kev]

My flock loves everything I have offered to them, pumpkin, eggs,carrots,tomatoe, cucumber, zuccini, melons, squash, they love warm oatmeal, banana, apples, pears,plums... Mixed veggies cabbage,lettuce they are the excess scrap eating machines.. I call them my spoiled feathered ladies,, guess just lucky... I did read once no,citrus because it can,be poisonous...