Cayenne Pepper - Got it - Now what!

[SallyF]

I wouldn't worry about a recipe for cornbread. Just get a bag of self-rising cornmeal. The recipe will be on the bag and you can just add the cayenne pepper to the batter.

 

[bigstack]

Yes a skillet or any other pan or container that will hold the mix will work. We always bake ours in a skillet. Just wasn't sure if everyone had a castiron skillet. I know not every one does. LOL

 

[Opa]

Well I baked a big skillet full of kicked up cornbread for my hens. I had a container of cottage cheese that was well past the use by date. It smelled okay but was rather dry so I added that to the mix along with about 3 tbs of ground cayanne and a few crushed red pepper seeds. Tasted a little and man was it hot. Gave it to the birds and they ate it right up. Hope I didn't melt their innards. If the eggs come out hard boiled I guess I added to much pepper.

 

[Doopy]

Hey, I just stumbled across this thread and I think it has solved a mystery (that I have not given much thought) from my childhood. My mother always had lots of chickens running around everywhere. Many times cleaning and repairing the chicken coop showed up on my chores list. I always saw a Mason jar of red peppers that she had ground by hand out in the storage shed with the chicken stuff. I never used it and never asked why it was there. I guess I was more interested in other things.

 

[raskusbo]

Please forgive me if i am being thick as i am new to chicken keeping but isn't Cayenne Pepper powder quite hot.

 

[Ms.FuzzyButts]

Quote:
Chickens are unable to taste spices. Meaning the "heat" does not effect them at all.

 

[peachlover]

Interesting thread, thanks for the great ideas. Yesterday I had plenty of leftover wheat pancake batter and remembered this thread. I added some crushed dried peppers and it turned out great, chickens devoured them. You can even throw them to the chickens like a frisbee, but they will not bring them back. I could be wrong, and it may be the warmer weather factor, but it seems like they are a little more active today...???? Maybe I should eat some wheat cayenne pancakes.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Following your lead, I used buckwheat flapjack mix, Eagle Pack dog food pellets, water, and a LOT of cayenne pepper to make a large, thick PANCAKE. I sprinkled RED PEPPER flakes on top to catch their eye. Unlike you, I was not selfish; thinking only of chickens, I did not taste mine because that would only be depriving them of every delicious morsel. I broke it up into about one-inch-square pieces. They wolfed down all that I gave them today. I set the remainder aside to be used for the next three days.

EDIT: And to think that there are people who think that I can't cook...

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

So just to clarify-
The crushed red pepper is good to rid the coops of mice and other rodents, but doesn't so much help with the egg production.

Cayenne pepper in powder form will help jumpstart your laying hens, but you have to cook it into something for the hens to eat it.

Yes?

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Yes, that's the way that I understand it. I'll soon know if some of my ingrates start laying.