Suet for chickens- good idea?

[augustwest]

New to chickens. This is our first winter with them and we have only 2 hens in the coop at this point. They are doing OK in the cold (-12 this am!), but I'd like to keep them as happy as possible.

Can I give them suet? Can it be free choice?

Thanks!

 

[Zoomom]

yes, they can have suet. There is a thread on making your own suet cakes.I just did this and my girls loved it!

 

[hencam]

Chickens are omnivores. They eat anything and everything! They'll love suet BUT you want to be very careful about meat products that you feed your birds. The suet in those bird food blocks comes from non-food grade sources and can be a source of disease. Also, pet chickens are often too fat! It interferes with their egg laying, and, like any obese animal, is not good for their health. If you want to up the calories during this cold spell, extra cracked corn will do the trick - or table scraps. Mine were very happy about pasta and olive oil they got yesterday.
Terry @ www.hencam.com

 

[crazyhen]

I feed mine scrambled eggs with olive oil too sometimes. They love the spinach i give them too. Suet if you make it is fine but be aware that some of it is from bacon or rendered from meat with nitrates in them which are not good for hens. Esp the salty ones. If you have fresh pork or fresh beef untreated or no additives you can render that out and use a little of it. Thats more of an occ. treat than a good source of food for them.

Gloria Jean