acorns

[biglar]

Can my reds eat acorns or cut the tree down. New to this don't know.

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

Reds meaning chickens???? No, they will not eat acorns, but lots of other things like acorns like the squirrells and such..I wouldn't cut it down.

 

[denim deb]

Wild turkeys will eat the acorns.

 

[sjh]

Yes they can eat them. They probaly will not eat them whole, but if you smashed them the chickens should eat them. They are safe to eat. Even you can eat them. You will find them bitter till the tannans are washed out by repeated soakings.

 

[swordgeek]

I read somewhere on the forum that sometimes people boil them, then store them for winter feeding. My kids have been cruising the yard, collecting buckets of acorns. Heh - payback to the squirrels and chipmunks that keep stealing my chickens' food... and so their chainsaw-happy father doesn't keep cutting down my oak trees because he doesn't like stepping on acorns.

Anyway, they're pestering me to boil them, and I'm tired of tripping over buckets of acorns in my house. Anybody have any idea how long they need to be boiled? And will I have to freeze them so they don't spoil?

 

[CoupeDeVille]

Funny you mention acorns...
I've seen a few in my coop and I wasn't sure if the hens carried 'em in or they just bounced in there. Seems like a banner year for acorns too, quite a bit in the yard it seems..

 

[TigerLilly]

I just tossed a few into my runs & the chickens came running. It took them a few tries to get into them, but they kept pecking away!

 

[Arty]

I would be very interested in any more info on acorns as supplemental chicken feed. We have just a few

kicking around the yard. Any preferences of white oak versus red oak? I need to pick some up before the deer eat them.

 

[billfields]

It would be great if they eat 'em. I'm building my coop right under a huge oak tree

 

[swordgeek]

Quote:
Yeah, just wait till the acorns start pelting the coop roof - and the birds, and YOU! - when they decide to fall. Some of those suckers are really SHARP when they hit you on the head! My poor birds live under a constant state of siege.