how can I make them (chickens) eat more veggies?

[CanadaEh]

I have started picking up spoiled produce from farmers market and I am disappointed with a ratio of how much I bring to how much they actually eat. Shall I limit their feed (currently 17% meatbuilder) to encourage more veggie eating?

Here is the list of what they eat and don't eat.

Don't eat at all:
- neither fresh or cooked: potatoes, beats, carrots, sweet potatoes
- lettuce
- pears
- oranges
- watermelons

Eat in moderation:
- tomatoes
- broccoli
- strawberries
- apples

Like a lot:
- occasional baked goods

Do you feed a lot of veggies to your chickens in quantities that can put a dent in the feed bill, or in much smaller quantities purely for variety/entertainment/supplementation purposes?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Chickens are exactly vegetable eaters. It's not a correct diet. Seeds, grains, some greens, fallen fruits, berries, and bugs make up a natural diet. Vegetables for the most part are given by humans and aren't necessarily a natural addition as most need cooking to be nutritious and not toxic like raw potatoes can be.

You would be further ahead to feed a good quality ration with a bit of higher protein and limiting extras, otherwise you may end up with deficiencies.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Okay....citrus not good for them please don’t give it.
Baked goods same thing they can cause crop issues that you just don’t need.
You have a quality 17% (protein) feed don’t push the scraps on them. Their feed is more important to their health than scraps.
A treat now and then is okay but to supplement more than 10% of their intake is actually not good for them.

It like having a child who when served a balanced dinner he only eats one thing. The feed is Balanced to provide ALL essentials needed for health.

 

[diamondsilkies]

Treats (including veggies) should only be about 10% of their diet, so I wouldn't worry too much. I'm pretty sure potato skins aren't very good for them, so it's good that they're not eating those. (Although that could be some myth I heard). I know citrus isn't very good for them, either. I'm surprised yours don't care for the watermelon, it's a favorite for my flock. I'd say that what they're eating now isn't really a problem, as long as you make sure it's not too much over the 10% rule. I would also make sure that the occasional baked goods are kept to very occasional. Good luck!

 

[Chickassan]

Baffled they don't like watermelon too, your chickens are weird! Try not giving veggies so often, maybe once a week. They're kind of like kids, if they always have it they don't want it.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Green skins of potatoes are toxic to chickens and humans. I used to just peel the green part of when making mashed potatoes. Wasn’t till I researched everything before I feed it to my chickens that I learned they’re not good for us either.

 

[Chickassan]

Yeah, cynaide is in green potato skins and in the eyes.

Green skins of potatoes are toxic to chickens and humans. I used to just peel the green part of when making mashed potatoes. Wasn’t till I researched everything before I feed it to my chickens that I learned they’re not good for us either.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I have started picking up spoiled produce from farmers market and I am disappointed with a ratio of how much I bring to how much they actually eat....
Don't eat at all:
- neither fresh or cooked: potatoes, beats, carrots, sweet potatoes
- lettuce
- pears
- oranges
- watermelons

Eat in moderation:
- tomatoes
- broccoli
- strawberries
- apples....

First feeding gross amounts of spoiled and old produce along with a 17% grower feed is guaranteeing that your chickens are on the verge of starvation if not suffering from actual malnutrition.

 

[CanadaEh]

First feeding gross amounts of spoiled and old produce along with a 17% grower feed is guaranteeing that your chickens are on the verge of starvation if not suffering from actual malnutrition.

just to clarify i meant 17% protein meatbuilder feed offered free choice (i.e. always present in the feeder)

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Yeah, cynaide is in green potato skins and in the eyes.

That's what I used to think, but I looked it up and it said solanine is the toxin.