How many times/day do you feed your chickens?

[Nana D]

I found this list and wanted to share it with everyone. Hope it helps.
Common Foods and Plants Toxic to Chickens:
- raw potatoes and peels
- avocado
- citrus fruits
- rhubarb leaves
- chocolate/caffeine
- apple seeds
- onions
- garlic
- mushrooms
- alcohol
- potato, eggplant, and tomato plants/leaves
- salt
- mistletoe or holly berries
- raw beans
- nutmeg
- sweet pea plant
- tobacco
- stone fruit pits
- asparagus
Check with your veterinarian if you have questions regarding these or other toxins. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your animal has ingested any of the items listed.

 

[Beekissed]

I find parts of that list to be either inaccurate or depending upon scale. If apple seeds were toxic there wouldn't be an alive chicken in the world today except where apples are not available. When apples are unripe/green the seeds have more arsenic and can be slightly toxic if eaten in volume, but to say apple seeds are toxic is a misnomer. The same with citrus fruits, garlic, onions, chocolate, etc. All of these are regularly fed to chickens without any ill effects of any kind.

No offense, but I think that list needs to die a natural death and a more practical one based on actual results when these things are fed to chickens~not as a primary feed ration~but as the occasional, seasonal addition to the diet~should be comprised. I've seen so much confusion and needless fear over that list in the last 5 years that I feel it does more harm than good to post it.

 

[AmericanMom]

I find parts of that list to be either inaccurate or depending upon scale. If apple seeds were toxic there wouldn't be an alive chicken in the world today except where apples are not available. When apples are unripe/green the seeds have more arsenic and can be slightly toxic if eaten in volume, but to say apple seeds are toxic is a misnomer. The same with citrus fruits, garlic, onions, chocolate, etc. All of these are regularly fed to chickens without any ill effects of any kind.

No offense, but I think that list needs to die a natural death and a more practical one based on actual results when these things are fed to chickens~not as a primary feed ration~but as the occasional, seasonal addition to the diet~should be comprised. I've seen so much confusion and needless fear over that list in the last 5 years that I feel it does more harm than good to post it.

I was going to say the same thing, there are a few things on that list that I toss out to my chickens with no ill effects.. the apple tree's are in there run, they love the fallen apples, I give them potato peels all the time, not green tho, I have thrown asparagus, oranges and mushrooms to them also...

 

[Crzy Chi Lady]

I found this list and wanted to share it with everyone. Hope it helps.
Common Foods and Plants Toxic to Chickens: - raw potatoes and peels - avocado - citrus fruits - rhubarb leaves - chocolate/caffeine - apple seeds - onions - garlic - mushrooms - alcohol - potato, eggplant, and tomato plants/leaves - salt - mistletoe or holly berries - raw beans - nutmeg - sweet pea plant - tobacco - stone fruit pits - asparagus
Check with your veterinarian if you have questions regarding these or other toxins. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your animal has ingested any of the items listed.

I understand the concern. But I have witnessed my chickens trying to munch out my eggplant plant on plenty occasions. They don't like eggplants. They also seem not to be adverse to mushrooms. Although they don't get that very often. Also they do like very much tomatoes and tomato plants. I have also noticed that they love apples. I don't notice any adverse effects. Except maybe them remembering they are yummy

 

[Crzy Chi Lady]

I was going to say the same thing, there are a few things on that list that I toss out to my chickens with no ill effects.. the apple tree's are in there run, they love the fallen apples, I give them potato peels all the time, not green tho, I have thrown asparagus, oranges and mushrooms to them also...

I agree let's kill this list.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

garlic, salt and orange juice here. didnt know they dont like juice and no one told my chicken either. he had a little case of rickets and i bought a half gallon with added c and d and moistened his food with it.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree let's kill this list.

Kill the list! Kill the list!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

gonna be a riot here in a min.

 

[Beekissed]

 

[eggsellentfarms]

I totally agree that the list of "toxic" foods is not beneficial, at least in its current format. My chickens ranged for years in my backyard orchard without any ill affects.
Chickens are pretty good at avoiding harmful foods as long as they have plenty of good food available. So if you just throw out some scraps as extras they'll usually pick through it, eat what they like and leave the rest.
I don't think it's a good idea to feed table scraps to chickens. Unless you are in the habit of wasting a lot of food, your scraps are probably only good for throwing in the compost pile or feeding to a pig.