Dandelions

[Reurra]

My chickens are absolutely nuts for dandelions. Each day I go around and pick a bunch to throw in the run, and they devour them ravenously! I have tried feeding them grapes, and they don't even pay any attention to them. However, one dandelion on the ground will get devoured like a cow in a piranha tank. It's amazing.

Does anyone else have chickens with a serious taste for weeds?

That sounds like my girls.

They will eat:

Dandelions
Watermelon
Grapes
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach

They wont touch:

Cabbage of any kind
Strawberries
Honeydew/Cantelope
Pumpkin
Zuccini
Any type pf gourd
Banana
Broccoli


I never feed them meat products.

 

[EggieRowe]

It never dawned on me until I saw this thread on the front page, but we have no dandelions in our yard. NONE and we were covered in them two years ago. I guess the chickens eliminated them, which really makes no difference to us. Now if I could just get them to clean up the sticky, messy white mulberries. My 3 turkeys spend all day eating them, but the chickens don't seem to care for them at all. We end up with a huge bloom of ants when the fruit starts falling and it tears me & the dogs up!

 

[redrstr29]

lol, I thought only I had stalker chickens, They notice me on my hands and knees picking them clover and dandelion leaves

and all start gathering near the fence pacing back and fourth yelling at me "hurry it up, we're dyin ova here" lol as Im making my way toward them with a wicker laundry basket full they become quite roudey, jumping in the air pecking each other all trying to get that "first green leaf" they sound like a pack of wild hyenas

lol

Aldo

 

[BLT79]

do they eat the actual flower? stem? or just the leaves like you feed rabbits? thanks! will be getting our chickens soon!

 

[redrstr29]

They could eat the whole thing if they want, mine go crazy for the leaves, I tie em up or chop em up and throw em in, for some reason mine didnt like the flowers, funny you said that about rabbits, I just (5 min ago) went in my neighbors yard were I spotted some nice tall and wide dandelion leaves picked a bunch and gave em to my preg. Flemish giant rabbit lol, she was happy, the chickens got jelous so I gave em some clover I picked

 

[Dawna]

My chickens liked chinese cabbage that I grew over the winter. I would pull up a plant and they ate every thing that looked green on it. Also go crazy for grapes, cherries, raisins, cat food.

 

[cofast]

ok just tried dandilions they looked at me like I was crazy then I noticed in their pen they have about ten of them growing I have five birds in a area about 30 by 40 most of it is grass I throw scratch down only on the part that is bare they very seldom degrass any other area don't ask me why they eat the grass but don't scratch it up I told each one as I introduced them I love my grass mess it up and your dinner. any idea why my wife would not let me name our last chick three piece ,endless enjoyment!

 

[lawnbirdman]

I don't want to be negative but I can't believe the lack of research a lot of these people have done before getting chickens. They are omnivores, so yes they eat almost everything, the favorite of which being animal meat but also including: weeds, grass, fruits, some vegetables but most leafy greens, grains, noodles, insects, worms, eggs, egg shell, old leftovers (without mold and rinsed), bread... Limiting your hen to meat free pellets or what have you is not natural. Giving them random treats all of the time will make them fall in love with you and save on your feed budget. People warn about not having the correct nutrient ratio and it affecting laying productivity. This may be true but they are not egg factories, they are pets that bless you with eggs when it is healthy for them to do so, I get 5 good sized eggs a week from each hen and they barely eat any feed. Just be sure to have oyster shell or baked or boiled and crushed egg shells out constantly to keep calcium levels up.

 

[redrstr29]

lol, Some people just dont like feeding them meat, I on the other hand feed them all my left over steak ( we make steaks on sundays and I usually have 2 or so left over by tues,wed) I chop it up and throw it in their run, they go WIld, I love watching them, But I did feel funny about feeding them left over fried chicken and turkey,,,,lol.... it made me feel funny like hannibal lol, but I did end up giving it to them, the picked it clean

 

[BirdbyGavin1103]

Most of mine have eaten everything they have tried (so far). I have them out free ranging most of the day and they will eat just about anything. Thankfully I didn't put in a garden this year, although I've warned my son to keep a close eye on his blueberry bushes for ripe berries, or else he won't get any this year. Good thing the wild black berries come in soon.