Cheap or free treats

[lleighmay]

After Halloween I pick up leftover pumpkins from the store for next to nothing, and sometimes luck out and get extras from the residential center where I work. I put away several in the root cellar last fall and used them until they ran out. All you have to do is drop one on the ground to break it open and within a VERY short time you will have nothing left but the stem (the eat the rind, pulp, seeds, everything!). Mine also get any leftovers my parents or I have (pasta, meat, birthday cake, vegetable trimmings, you name it.) The only thing they've refused to eat so far was a slightly dry head of garlic....

 

[swordgeek]

So it's OK to feed them acorns? There's nothing toxic in them when raw? We have so many of those around here - and hickory nuts, too. Should we crack them open first, and leave them out of them to pick at? I figure hickory nuts are fine - I ate them all the time when I was a kid, and I'm still breathing.

 

[Amyh]

Quote:
I read in a blog that acorns are fine for chickens, so I'm gonna give it a go this Fall. We have about a hundred oak trees, so this will really help our budget for feeding the chickens. I've also heard that many acorns contain worms and the chickens love them as well. You do have to crack them first. I'm planning to collect them with a tarp, dry them in the sun for a few hours and store any that are not cracked for winter treats. I'm sure while they are free ranging they will eat plenty, but there is no way they will be able to eat them all. We have thousands and thousands of acorns in the Fall.

 

[kla37]

Quote:
What is a bloody dock plant? I've never heard of that...?

I noticed you are in NC! I am right down the road in Graham!! Are you by any chance a mommy I know from another forum?

Bloody dock is a type of Sorrel. It has a really tart, citrus taste. Great in salads and makes a great soup. I am really close to Graham, I'm not on any other forums though! This is the first one I've ever really participated in.

 

[suzettex5]

Quote:
I read in a blog that acorns are fine for chickens, so I'm gonna give it a go this Fall. We have about a hundred oak trees, so this will really help our budget for feeding the chickens. I've also heard that many acorns contain worms and the chickens love them as well. You do have to crack them first. I'm planning to collect them with a tarp, dry them in the sun for a few hours and store any that are not cracked for winter treats. I'm sure while they are free ranging they will eat plenty, but there is no way they will be able to eat them all. We have thousands and thousands of acorns in the Fall.

If you do decide to feed acorns, please do alot of research first! While there are many types of edible acorns, most must have the toxins leeched out of them by soaking several times in fresh water,or by repeated boiling. I wouldnt trust one blog as a source for information. Make sure you positvely ID the type of tree the acorns are coming from and the right time to harvest. I dont know if dried or raw acorns can transfer the toxins to the eggs, I just know some acorns have toxins in them that are bad for humans. If you find out, let us know- its always nice to know another source of free food for our flocks!

 

[mickistoy]

Quote:
I read in a blog that acorns are fine for chickens, so I'm gonna give it a go this Fall. We have about a hundred oak trees, so this will really help our budget for feeding the chickens. I've also heard that many acorns contain worms and the chickens love them as well. You do have to crack them first. I'm planning to collect them with a tarp, dry them in the sun for a few hours and store any that are not cracked for winter treats. I'm sure while they are free ranging they will eat plenty, but there is no way they will be able to eat them all. We have thousands and thousands of acorns in the Fall.

If you do decide to feed acorns, please do alot of research first! While there are many types of edible acorns, most must have the toxins leeched out of them by soaking several times in fresh water,or by repeated boiling. I wouldnt trust one blog as a source for information. Make sure you positvely ID the type of tree the acorns are coming from and the right time to harvest. I dont know if dried or raw acorns can transfer the toxins to the eggs, I just know some acorns have toxins in them that are bad for humans. If you find out, let us know- its always nice to know another source of free food for our flocks!

there is a member by the name of crossedwire on here and seems to be very knowledgable in this area....maybe he knows?

 

[JustOneMore]

I thought I read a post this morning on "egg conditions" that mentioned green yolks caused by eating acorns. Just a thought before you make breakfast for company ....

 

[Mrs. Feathers]

Quote:
Always wondered where Dr. Suess came up with green eggs and ham!

 

[shopchicks]

They love lamb's quarters, and it grows as a weed in the graveled part of our driveway. Just pull up the whole plant, throw it in the run and they strip it bare in no time.

Also, they get the vegetable peelings (not potato peels), the cobs from our corn on the cob that they pick clean, overripe fruit, stale bread, etc.

And they will eat squash bugs, so I finally have something to do with the ones I pull off my squash plant, since I hate squishing them, and drowning them is kind of nasty, because then there are these soggy bug carcasses to deal with.

 

[missred871]

Quote:
Cucumbers, and they like the red of the melon not the rind, they want the actual fruit not your compost. They like the tasty stuff as much as you do. Not the left overs. Also if it isn't edible to you, in most cases it isnt edible to them. With the Cucumbers, cut them longways in half or in quarters and the you can cut them in half again too if you want to put them fruitside up though. They wont eat the rind they will eat the seeds first then the meat. they love soldier fly maggots, meal worms (if you really really want em to love you go get em some meal worms from your local bait shop) thawed frozen peas, cooked oatmeal (when it is cooler outside obviously) blue berries, strawberries, you CAN feed them squash but mine wont eat it. Boiled eggs crushed up. If you make deviled eggs or something you can crush up the shells and give them to them. I hear tell of lots of people feeding them cake (NO CHOCOLATE) ummm, i think that covers enough lol

happy chicken raising