Cantaloupe and Cucumbers?

[ALJhappychicken]

Hi all! Just wondering, can chickens eat cantaloupe and cucumbers? I have many rinds of both and want to treat my gals. Thanks!:/

 

[lightchick]

Yes! They can! They'll love it!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Chickens, like humans, are omnivores and can eat virtually anything we should eat. We shouldn't consume diet soda or bon bons and neither should they.
Most vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, grain are ok. When in doubt, believe it's OK. They won't eat some things they don't like. They'll pick the soft fruity parts of rinds clean but they won't eat the outsides.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Those foods are perfectly fine to feed. For future reference, here's a feed guide.

Best wishes!

Foods that Chickens Love!

Berries

Greens Don’t give out iceberg lettuce, which is really just green-tinged, unhealthy water and don’t overdo spinach which can result in poor egg quality if fed to often.

Eggs and Eggshells-Remember to rinse and crush the shells and cook the eggs before feeding. Scrambled and boiled eggs are also a wonderful snack for chicks and molting chickens.

Fruits The fruits you give them can be damaged but never moldy.

Garlic-Garlic is very healthy for chickens and acts a natural wormer, laying stimulant, feather re-grower and boosts the circulatory system. It’s also helpful to put in the water or food when a chicken is sick.

Herbs Basil, thyme, comfrey, parsley, bay leaves, lavender, calendula, spearmint, lemongrass, catnip, sage, oregano, yarrow, chickweed, marjoram, cilantro, peppermint, clover, dandelions, dill, bee balm, echinacea, fennel, mint, feverfew, garlic, ginger, lemon balm, marigold, nasturtium, nettles, pineapple sage, rosemary, wormwood and cinnamon.

Dairy

Meat Scraps Don't feed them spoiled meat, as it’s poisonous.

Vegetable

Pumpkins and Squash

Spaghetti, Pasta, Bread and Rice

Bread, Cake, Cookies, Cereal, etc Scrape off the frosting on cake and cookies.

Garden or Yard Weeds Avoid feeding them yew, mushrooms or fungi.

Foods to Never Feed Your Chickens:

Alcohol

Moldy Foods

Anything Salty

Asparagus-This will change the flavor of a hen’s egg to a bad taste but it otherwise is not harmful.

Avocado-Avocado has a fatty acid in it called “persin” which sadly can be fatal to chickens and sometimes other birds.

Green Areas of Potatoes, Peels and Potato Sprouts-All are poisonous to chickens and you personally shouldn’t eat them either!

Herbs and Plants to Stay Away from-Azalea, philodendron, rhododendron, sweet pea, black nightshade, foxglove, oleander, castor bean, vetch, henbane, irises, lantana, St. john's wort, trumpets vine, morning glory, datura, clematis and honeysuckle. If any of the herbs you are wondering about are not listed in this book, look them up before giving to your flock.

Leaves from Tomato, Pepper, Potato, Eggplant or Nightshade Plants

Onions-Onions contain a substance called “thiosulphate” which will kill red blood cells, cause anemia and sometimes even result in death.

Potatoes-Surprisingly, potatoes contain solanine which causes diarrhea, heart failure and kills red blood cells. However, sweet potatoes do not contain this substance and are perfectly fine and dandy to feed to your flock. Sweet potato fries are also fine as long as they aren’t salted.

Processed Foods and Sweets

Raw, Dry Beans

Raw Peanuts and Other Nuts

Rhubarb leaves-Rhubarb leaves surprisingly contain oxalic acid which is poisonous to chickens.

Tobacco

 

[RonP]

They love the seeds also...