Cheese and Yogurt: How Much Is Too Much?

[TheRealFowlLove]

I have two chickens approximately 4 months old (just about laying age) who's highlight of the day is getting a hard boiled egg some cheese (usually Swiss) and larger spoonful of yogurt.
Recently, a friend of my mother's who also raises chickens says that feeding them these things everyday may cause health problems.
She says I should only be feeding the cheeses and yogurts every 3 days or even more sparingly.
My girls absolutely love their daily treats and are becoming confused as to why they're not getting them, so my question is: how often should I be speeding feeding them Cheese and other dairy-oriented treats?

 

[Kiki]

Treats are usually not to be feed daily.
You may want to read through these:
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production
and this:
Sudden Death LAB report

 

[TheRealFowlLove]

The articles were very useful,
I'm still confused as to how often I can feed them their treats? Is it like a once-a-week thing?

 

[Kiki]

You can feed it to them daily...
I would not feed them more that what would fit in a small size spoon though.
A very small amount.
I personally would not feed cheese...ever.
Chickens can not digest dairy.

 

[TheRealFowlLove]

Thanks! Even with chickens it takes a village, eh?

 

[Kiki]

Thanks! Even with chickens it takes a village, eh?

Yes! Everything is better with a village.

 

[Kiki]

Yes! Everything is better with a village.

Or the world!
We have members here from all over the world!

 

[guyvstewart]

I feed my girls cheddar cheese or yogurt on occasion as a treat in the morning when I let them out to free range. Been doing that for over two years, and haven't had a problem yet. I guess it all depends on the amount???

 

[AJKinville]

Or the world!
We have members here from all over the world!

That’s a huge modern village that we’ve created then!

 

[Doc7]

Just remember that any kind of treat, whether it’s kitchen scraps, yogurt, plump fresh red strawberries, or anything else, is something that takes them away from the perfect formula of macronutrients used to create chicken feed.


Treats are for the chicken keeper’s enjoyment, not the chickens health.