Oranges or no oranges?

[Shoonell]

So we are really new to this chicken thing. We have 1 silver duckwing roo and had 2 silver hens until the dogs down the street jumped the fence. Anyway we are attempting to hatch out some eggs we'll see how that goes. On the site there is a list of "treats" for chickens and a section of "do not eats" which lists cirtus as a do not but does not list why they should not have it. My roo loves oranges, should I not be feeding them to him? and also is it ok to give them a bath, if so what type of soap if any can you use?

 

[Blisschick]

I was not aware of the citrus thing, so I have no idea why they can't eat them.

As for shampooing, you can use baby shampoo or dog shampoo. I like to use dog shampoo because it will kill any parasites on the bird. You don't need a whole lot, just enough to suds up the feathers. If you have white birds, you can use the kind with bluing to help make them whiter.

When you dry your bird, us a hair dryer set on low and use back-and-forth motions to keep from burning it. I generally start at the front, drying the neck, under the wings and between the legs, then moving to the parts that take longer, like the back and the behind. Even the most unfriendly bird usually will stand still for a dry.

 

[Shoonell]

Thank you blisschick!! I would have never thought of blow drying a chicken!! I hope he (roo) likes it.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I made the Treats Chart. I have heard from a few sources that it's not advisable to feed citrus to chickens, but so far have not uncovered the reason why. I was hoping my "post your feedback" request would turn up the reason, but so far, nobody knows, or isn't telling.

 

[hooligan]

When bathing my chickens I use baby shampoo. Its gentle and you don't have to worry about it stinging so much if it gets in their eyes. I don't use a blow dryer to dry, simply bc I don't have one but I do use a space heater to get them dry.

I feed mine oranges and grapefruit and they seem to love them. Its not an everyday thing, just every couple of months. Vitamin C is good for them.

 

[Churkenduse]

I have tried to Google this subject but obly get recipes for chickens cooked with oranges

I gave my girls oranges but they did not do the same job of stripping them clean as they do with other fruit. I am not going to waste oranges on them.

.

 

[opihiman911]

We have a tangarine tree nearby and noone picks it so all the fruit drops. There are always wild chickens under the tree eating. Plenty of moms showing their babies where the tree is and the babies eating the split open fruit.....no dead wild chickens around here. They also spend alot of time scratching the rotted fruits and eating the bugs that are in and under the fruit.
I have given my cooped chickens the tangelos and the just peck here and there at it without too much interest and it normally ends up rotting in the botton of the coop, so I stopped feeding it to them.

Cory

 

[Dodgegal79]

my House CHicken ate oranges when she was laying her eggs. She is now sitting on them. She loved them, so I can't see there being anything wrong with feed them some once and a while.

 

[fallenweeble]

i feed mine oranges off of our trees in moderation.
i've heard the "don't give birds citrus" thing but i've never been able to get a reason as to why it is bad. i did read that it may make the eggs taste different . . .