Acorns

[3 Chicks]

So, I have an amazingly abundant supply of acorns....do chickens eat them? If so, do I just toss them in or crack the shells?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

http://www.themodernhomestead.us/article/growing-poultry-feeds-3.html

http://woodridge.wordpress.com/2010/10/07/acorns-toxic-feed-for-poultry/

I found two differing viewpoints when I looked into this. I have no experience feeding acorns.

 

[3 Chicks]

Very interesting! The first article definitely agrees they are okay. The second is full of controversy based on the bloggers who wrote in disagreeing with the source. I think I am going to experiment since they seem so natural. My chickens typically don't eat treats--they don't like them! So, my guess is that they won't eat them even if I offer them.

I guess I do have to break them open, though.

 

[debid]

We have a lot of different kinds of oaks. The chickens like some of the acorns but not others. I don't make any effort to gather acorns but when the chickens range, they check the driveway for smashed acorns and eat those. I had a rooster that would eat the small ones whole. And no, he didn't die from eating the acorns.

 

[3 Chicks]

Surprise! They loved them! I had my girls crack them open (which they enjoyed) and put them in a bowl. If this works, it would be a great suppliment that's free in my yard.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/565873/acorns
see post #5 and post #7 if you don't mind...somewhere I had read that they can make the eggs different somehow but I can't find it

AT Hagan is knowlegeable, and one of the other posters mentions eggs turning green when eaten in quantity.

If it were me I'd let them eat them, just to see!

I am glad your experiment went well.