Chicken food chart idea....

[Buff Hooligans]

Hi Food Chart Friends, I just finished adding more things to the chart and have posted the updated chart. Here is the link - https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

I need comments and opinions. I know I'm not the most well-versed one here about treats. I especially need help at the bottom of the page where there's a list of things you definitely should NOT feed your chickens (like why certain items are bad).

Thank you!

Also Nifty, I just now saw your Learning Center "How To" list. It is terrific, and I never even knew it existed. Can you make it a bigger feature, like a direct link from the Home Page?

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Friday 4:15 PM EDT

Nifty, can you take a look at the chart and if you think it's ready for the BYC public, go ahead and launch it. I copied a post from DHLunicorn (giving her credit), and a quote from you regarding your chickens liking styrofoam (in the bad-food section).

Nifty, I'd like the chart to be something people can comment on so that I can revise it and make it a vital page on BYC. Can you add a blurb on the its page to that effect? (And maybe create a Sticky Thread of "Chicken Treat Chart Feedback"?) I don't want the chart to be a static tribute to my limited knowledge of poultry nutrition!

I won't be on a computer again until Monday morning, so you all have a great weekend. Extra grapes for everybody!

"Final" Chart as of 4:30 PM EDT: https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

 

[3peeps]

Buff Hooligans this is simply awesome! Thank you so much.

I apologize...I have simply had my head up my you know what and have not come back to this post until now. But now that I'm back and have seen all your hard work, I'm so impressed! (And embarrassed at my forgetfulness and stupidity...)

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!

 

[3peeps]

Ok, after reading through it...and pardon me if I missed something already written:

Maybe add green beans as a type of bean, i.e., green vs. dried. And is milk on there? I probably missed it. Anyway, I have a friend who had a lactating goat and her chickies loved the extra goat milk.

I regularly throw handfuls of dandelion greens from the lawn (we don't spray or use any fertilizers) in the run, which is a total gourmet salad to them.

My daughter throws in pansies, calendula flowers, petunia blossoms and any edible flower petals which keeps the potted plants deadheaded. As baby chicks they'd just flip out if we dropped a few blooms in the brooder, although we did it in moderation.

Not sure of a repeat here...flax seed. I've heard it can increase the Omega 3 fatty acids in eggs? Correct me if I'm wrong, here.

Also, speaking of Omega 3's, I had also heard that the formation of Omega 3's is associated with leaves or leafy foods in the diet, such as grass-fed beef and free range chickens, fish that eat vegetation, etc. (And for anyone interested, and sort of off topic, the redder the salmon flesh is, the more Omega 3's it contains.)

And of course this is implied with the cheerios, but my chickens help me recycle all that wasted soggy cereal and milk my daughter leaves in the morning.

And has anyone mentioned frogs, horse manure, and mice???? EEEEEWWWWW! They seem to love all these wonderful treats all on their own, no human effort involved!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Dear 3Peeps: I just saw your note this morning, and I've written down your items so I can add them to the list this morning. Thank you!

 

[rooster-red]

Heres something you might want to add:

Cat food is a good source of protein, needs to be given in moderation due to salt content.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Rooster-red, I know my girls love wet catfood, but what about dry? How much to feed per bird? etc.?

 

[Varisha]

Looks great and I have a question.

"Beans
Cooked, never dry
"

Why never dry, what kind of issue does it cause?

Edit: ok I read down and found out why. maybe add that info to the top list as well

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Varisha, I did the initial research to get the chart done, but I didn't save every document I got the info from. As I mentioned a few times, I'm not an expert on this, just somebody compiling a list with some general opinions. I do need feedback if you think that dried beans are okay.

Whatever document or source I got the dried bean info from, it was pretty definite about the "no dry beans" thing, or I wouldn't have used the word "never".

 

[Varisha]

I should have refreshed

... see my edit above.

*grin* I don't expect you to be an expert so no worries. I just wanted to know, and figured others would too.