Cheap or free treats

[bonder]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

I've found this treat chart to be helpful.

 

[zazouse]

hot air popcorn

 

[JustOneMore]

The suggestions here have been great! Yesterday I bought some Ramen Noodles ($.15/package at Walmart) and gave the girls a package last night and again today. Last night a few started taking food from my hand for the first time. Tonight they were crazed for them and were jumping off the ground for them. Such entertainment for birds and person!

 

[Skip]

Some veggie growers will let you have their day-old sweet corn, because right after it is picked the sugar in it turns to starch, and very quickly, they loose their value. It won't be very tasty human food, but chickens LOVE it! I let my goats have the husks too.

Offer to pick pest insects, like Japanese beetles, off your neighbor's gardens (if your neighbors are close enough.) Chickens love all insects. Whenever I dig in my garden, I have a little pail I drop all the grubs into. I pick grasshoppers off the side of the house, and at one point I even grew mealworms (you can grow them for close to 0.01$ a thousand, I've heard, if you do it right. Nutritious treats, if a little tedious to raise.)

You may even be able to ask restaurants and grocery stores if you can have their leftover food. Free!

 

[Gallo del Cielo]

My chooks go crazy for mealworms; once you have a colony set up, they are virtually free and a great source of protein. Check out my BYC page to see how easy it is.