Soaked, dried cranberries as a treat for silkies

[Veb]

My silkies love cranberries, watermelon and bread treats, what would be considered to much, too often I’m a new member and my three silkies are more pets than egg layers. Also I give them scratch mix, and when the weather is good they free range. They are malting at the moment so gave them extra sunflower seed for protein. I don’t want to overdo it.

 

[Chookchicken]

I give my silkie watermelon rind (as in the stuff we don’t eat and cut off) when we have watermelon, which is usually only is summer. I don’t give my silkies bread as it is not very good for them. I’d say don’t give it regularly though it is okay on some accessions. I have never heard of someone giving cranberries to chickens so I don’t know if it is good or not. Do you give your chickens veggies? And/or greens?

 

[Veb]

Yes, lettuce grass peas cooked. They love dried cranberries that have been soaked. Tried strawberries but they didn’t much like. Occasionally they get a boiled egg which they like. I better not give them too much bread even though they like it. I don’t know they know what’s good for them. Recently stopped free ranging them because too many Currawongs around. They were spending the day under the wattle tree. So thought I would keep them in their yard.

 

[Chookchicken]

Yes, lettuce grass peas cooked. They love dried cranberries that have been soaked. Tried strawberries but they didn’t much like. Occasionally they get a boiled egg which they like. I better not give them too much bread even though they like it. I don’t know they know what’s good for them. Recently stopped free ranging them because too many Currawongs around. They were spending the day under the wattle tree. So thought I would keep them in their yard.

That all sounds very good.
Chickens in general don’t know what’s good for them, that’s why they love styrofoam.

One of my silkies loved strawberries and would make a pile of them and protect it with her life
She’d spend the next 10-20 minutes eating every single one.
She died last year and none of my other silkies are that fused on strawberries, though they do love stepping on them. It goes to show different silkies have different tastes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

what would be considered to much, too often

There is no absolute rule, just a general rule of thumb. Some eat faster than others or some may not even eat it. That rule of thumb is how much can they eat in 10 to 15 minutes. And no more often than once a day. If you stay within those limits you should be fine.

 

[KelseyBoxer]

What is a currawong?

 

[Folly's place]

Here dried cranberries have sugar added, delicious, but don't overdue, they don't need that added sugar.
How many extra goodies are they getting? They should be eating their regular diet, with very small amounts of everything else. Do you also have oyster shell in a separate dish for them? Hope so, and an all flock diet.
Mary

 

[Veb]

That all sounds very good.
Chickens in general don’t know what’s good for them, that’s why they love styrofoam.

One of my silkies loved strawberries and would make a pile of them and protect it with her life
She’d spend the next 10-20 minutes eating every single one.
She died last year and none of my other silkies are that fused on strawberries, though they do love stepping on them. It goes to show different silkies have different tastes.

How true that is about them liking different treats, just as they have different personalities. Funny little things.

 

[Veb]

That all sounds very good.
Chickens in general don’t know what’s good for them, that’s why they love styrofoam.

One of my silkies loved strawberries and would make a pile of them and protect it with her life
She’d spend the next 10-20 minutes eating every single one.
She died last year and none of my other silkies are that fused on strawberries, though they do love stepping on them. It goes to show different silkies have different tastes.

How true about them liking different treats. Just like them having different personalities. Funny little things

 

[NatJ]

My silkies love cranberries, watermelon and bread treats, what would be considered to much, too often I’m a new member and my three silkies are more pets than egg layers. Also I give them scratch mix, and when the weather is good they free range. They are malting at the moment so gave them extra sunflower seed for protein. I don’t want to overdo it.

A common rule of thumb: they should eat 90% chicken feed, 10% everything else.
(Not right for ALL situations, but it is a common guideline.)

Of course then it gets more complicated:
Plus unlimited access to water, oyster shell for calcium, and grit.

But grass & bugs & other things eaten while free ranging sort-of don't count, partly because you can't measure them anyway

And I would probably allow unlimited watermelon, because it's mostly water.