How do you spoil your chickens?

[Katherine Robertson]

I really like to hold mine like babies and give them scratches. They will often cuddle back <3

 

[SuziQ18]

After cleaning the coop each morning, I toss some cracked corn. Tie bundles of greens from my garden around the sides of their wire coop or hang garden broccoli/cabbage, etc. from the ceiling for them to play with and eat. Throughout the week, they get a variety of treats, from chopped up sardines in soybean oil, diced cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, yogurt with diced strawberries/white grapes on it (when I see any visible diarrhea present), and on 3-digit days here in Southern California, offer them cold watermelon and other cold fruits to chill their gizzards! They also get mealworms occasionally.

 

[The Phantom]

Mine go nuts for marshmallows and worms and minnows. Although I stopped minnows, I was afraid their eggs would taste fishey.

 

[GardenTillers44]

Seasonal fruit treats. Late afternoon I go out and sit in the "chicken yard". They gather round for whatever is the treat of the day. Lately, melons have been real good so they get the seeds and gooey mush plus the rinds. I love having a blueberry derby by tossing them and letting the girls chase them down. It is utter mayhem and they get some exercise in the process. Works with grapes and cheerios too! We harvested pears the other day and I tossed a few in the yard. It was like a school of piranhas descending, those pears didn't last 5 minutes.

 

[kesrchicky16]

I planted lettuce and other veggies just for my chickens. They won't step food in the garden so I have started pulling plants and taking them to the pen at dinner/go to bed time.

 

[karma33]

I planted lettuce and other veggies just for my chickens. They won't step food in the garden so I have started pulling plants and taking them to the pen at dinner/go to bed time.

i also planted a bed of lettuce and bed of kale for my chickens. they really love the kale, so as things are finishing up in the garden i just toss in some kale seeds to the empty beds. they will soon have a ton of kale.
i also make veggicicles with any leftovers, just keep an empty comtainer in the freezer and add any fruit/veggie/rice etc scraps to it. when full i add water and give it to them frozen. its big enough that they enjoy it for hours.
ive also made some planted "boxes" in the run for them. 6 inches high, planted with various grains, covered in wire that they cant fit their head through. works great, the grains grow so fast that the chickens have fresh greens every morning. ive got 2- 5x3 ones in main pen and 2- 3x2 ones in chick pen.

 

[shawthorne44]

My 7-year-old daughter calls the pulled plants that are hung up for them to eat Green Chandeliers.

 

[2 many chickens]

They eat our leftovers.. they're favorites are french fries tho. The other day they had some doughnuts. They'll jump in the
Air for a dorrito.

 

[AuntJamie]

They have nearly 8 sq ft per bird in the coop, 13 sq ft per in the run. Free range all day long and an LGD to keep them safe. Plus treats and lovins. I think my chooks have a pretty nice life.

 

[FlyWheel]

I'm not sure if it's spoiling them, as they do have to finish their FF before I give them any ("No desert until you finish all your dinner!"). But when they do I try and give them things they like that are also nutritious. Mealy worms are their favorite, naturally. Poultry or fish still on the bones (boneless meats the dogs get), leftovers that aren't too salty and any chicken safe vegetable remains (the parts we cut off before cooking).

Mine get all our slightly off fruits and veg, but they especially love fresh corn on the cob. <Snip!>

Have you ever tried giving them as a 'corn-yata?' Hang the cob from the ceiling of their run so it can swing freely and the center of it hangs at about beak height. Then just let them go to town.