Do treats cut down on feed consumption?

[Doc7]

I don’t feed treats much. I want my chickens feed to be their commercial Purina product and understand treats should be fed in minimal amounts. I also have no special desire to feed my chickens treats as a sign of affection; anything they get is for the reasons as outlined below.

I have been saving my strawberry tops (eat 6 per morning at work) and stuff like cracked hard boiled eggs that weren’t suitable to store in the fridge. The ends of zucchini from cooking, etc.

Does feeding this stuff to the chickens actually decrease their feed consumption? If not, I’d rather just save a trip to the coop / storing it and transporting it back home from work and toss the stuff in the trash. Particularly as most of the time I am just putting this on the run floor in the morning before I head to work; probably one chicken, whoever is out of the coop first a couple hours later when they get off the roost, is the only one who even gets any.

 

[TashaFrancois]

Yeah. Just like people. More snacking means less hungry later. Plus a little variety in their diet is always good.

 

[GC-Raptor]

YES, it not only cuts down feed consumption, BUT also egg production in my experience.
In the beginning with my first Flock, I worked my way up to giving treats 3 times a day and egg production dropped off.
I now treat once a day, mid morning, and egg production is good. GC

 

[Doc7]

YES, it not only cuts down feed consumption, BUT also egg production in my experience.
In the beginning with my first Flock, I worked my way up to giving treats 3 times a day and egg production dropped off.
I now treat once a day, mid morning, and egg production is good. GC

I think I’ve been convinced to scrap my scraps!

 

[centrarchid]

Here is how I think. The feeds we feed the chickens with have a lot in common with the high energy / protein bars people purchase as meal re-placers when on the go. The have a lot of protein and energy plus vitamins and minerals in a small volume with minimal moisture and fiber. The mix is nutritionally complete, but formulated to be just barely so at the lowest cost that is practical. When birds are kept solely on one of these least-cost diet formulations, care must be taken so as not to add too much of something that might compete with the balanced feed going the gut. If the treat provides a combination of nutrients that ultimately causes a nutrient or nutrient ingested to be limited, then you have a problem. If the treat is something like live insects or other animal fare, then you are likely providing eats that are more nutritious than the feed it might be competing with for gut space so not so bad.

I use "treats" a lot as a way to manipulate energy intake when it gets cold. To provide a buffer to the potential dilution / reduction of other nutrients coming from the feed, I use a more nutrient dense feed that had protein and other nutrients well above what the birds need when they are eating the feed alone. Flock raiser feeds get you in that direction, but higher protein growers and chick starters take you further. I do not want to use a layer feed when using the treat approach.

When the birds have access to quality free-range forage, then you can relax on all fronts.

 

[21hens-incharge]

In the morning they will be the hungriest. If you do give "extras" perhaps giving in the evening would be better.
My theory is that in the am they will eat their ration. In the evening anything eaten will be pretty much through the digestive tract by morning and they will be hungry again.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

One of the big reasons I GOT chickens is to eat "treats"...they are food waste consumption and composting MACHINES.

I've fed my chickens as much as 50% of their diet in food waste and never noticed a decrease in egg production.

Plus, the chickens just love it!