Edible enrichment

[rosemarythyme]

I don't usually buy things specifically for chickens, so they only get the unwanted bits. But you can get a lot of bang for your buck that way. The leaves and stems of cauliflower, rinds and seeds from squashes and melons, carrot tops with a bit of the root. I tossed a carrot top from a carrot as long as my forearm and it took the flock 3 days to make it disappear.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Big ol' piles of leaves. Or the leftover alfalfa bits my divas - I mean goats - won't eat. Kale and sliced cantaloupe. Hanging anything - lol! Bean sprouts. Heads of sunflowers. Mashed up hard-boiled eggs. Salad shrimp. Handfuls of whatever is growing in the pasture. Wet mash made with their usual pellets.

 

[Poodlemum]

Budgie seed mix.
Tiny seeds for them to search, new and interesting. They are round, and chickens seem to love round things, this is why I wanna get more of those little play balls for cats, which are basically a cage with a bell inside.

Throwing them around and shaking them seems to be a fun activity.
Mung beans for making sprouts, cooked chickpeas are a nice treat.
I know most people use shaved carrots in the food, but have you tried whole cooked carrots for them to pick at?

Seeds from bellpeppers and chilli, normally kitchen waste, also seem to be liked, same as cucumbers which have been a bit too long on the vine and developed seeds.
Those mushy, seedy innards are loved by many.

Bushels of parsley might also be an idea.

The toys are a great idea, thanks! I think we have some similar baby ones that are in the donation tote and will be perfect

 

[Poodlemum]

I can understand that. Maybe you could start some growing from seed's in some pot's or something that would be away from any dangerous area's while you deal with that? I just bought some of those seed's off of Amazon, so I know that they are available. Here's a link that tells what the benefit's are for your flock:
https://www.fresheggsdaily.blog/2014/02/the-health-benefits-of-dandelions-for.html#:~:text=The entire dandelion plant is,fresh stems, flowers and leaves.

Alice the tort would love this idea, it would be great for winter as well. Thanks!

 

[Poodlemum]

Lots of wonderful ideas! They loved pumpkins and I can’t believe I forgot, squashes would be a great addition. We have so many allergies and conditions, I don’t keep much produce for us and most is prepackaged, etc. Lame, but it is what it is Thanks all!

 

[MrsTanner36]

I have been giving my chickens buckets of garden weeds in the last few days, when it's been nice enough to be out in the garden. They don't free range, so I bring the "range" to them.

Yeah, there could be some AI virus on the weeds; the possibility is there, as we have wild geese in the area. It's a very slight risk I'm willing to take. The chickens get a lot of entertainment scratching through the dirt and weeds, and if I find any grubs or wire worms, I throw them in the weed bucket too. But not earthworms. They have work to do in the garden.

What is Al virus? Sorry, new chicken owner.

 

[luckycluk]

Alice the tort would love this idea, it would be great for winter as well. Thanks!

Would wildflowers that grow in the grass, the white weed flowers(clovers?) that the bees land on ? Is my 12 day olds or 6-7 week olds old enough for cantaloupe or greens or red worms?

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't usually buy things specifically for chickens, so they only get the unwanted bits. But you can get a lot of bang for your buck that way. The leaves and stems of cauliflower, rinds and seeds from squashes and melons, carrot tops with a bit of the root. I tossed a carrot top from a carrot as long as my forearm and it took the flock 3 days to make it disappear.

Same here.

I don't give people food to my chickens, but they love all the trimmings from our food prep (and I'm going to grow them their own winter squash this summer).

 

[Sally PB]

What is Al virus? Sorry, new chicken owner.

@MrsTanner36, here's the thread with the most info, even though it says South Carolina.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ound-in-south-carolina.1507893/#post-25300864

The concern is HPAI (highly pathogenic avian influenza) which is usually lethal to chickens and other domestic flocks. It's spread by wild birds (ducks, geese, and others) and domestic birds. It can be spread through water (the infected ducks' saliva and poop), and through droppings on the ground. The latter can be picked up on shoes, equipment, and tires, and spread from one backyard or commercial flock to another.

To clarify something you'll see in lots of links in the above thread, they call backyard chickens "non-poultry," even though they are, in fact, poultry. It seems the government uses that term to differentiate backyard flocks from commercial birds that will enter the food chain in one form or another.

There is no cure, and so far no vaccine. The only offense is good defense, ie, cover and contain your flock and practice good biosecurity.

Also, welcome to BYC! Where are you? You can put your location in your profile, and then if you ask questions, people can tailor their advice to your climate. Your state is fine, and if you live outside the US, it helps to know that too. A lot of things we can get here in the states easily are hard to find in another country.

 

[Alagirl]

We do this for our tortoise and the kids go nuts lol. Unfortunately I’m too worried about germs for that right now. Usually the ladies are out foraging the yard and don’t need many extras, it’s such a weedy mess. But I’ve locked them down due to an outbreak a few miles away

dandelion seeds are commercially available as well! An old time thing that became quite fashionable 20 or 30 years ago. Salads are quite the thing in Haute Cuisine.