The temperatures are here for the summer! Cold treat ideas!

[Jaime918]

So I have recently move my oldest 5(10 weeks) outside full time(my other 10 to follow in a couple weeks) and our temperatures are now averaging in the high 80s. As things get hotter, what are everyone's go to treats to keep everyone cool and happy? I've already premade some frozen fruit and water cubes I plan to hang as things get warmer but I need other ideas! So far they haven't been to picky on anything I've given them except for they won't touch apples. I plan to try watermelon, but that also leaves a question for me. Should I aim for a seedless variety or are the black seeds okay for them?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Cold/frozen melons are an excellent idea, seeded melons are fine (often cheaper, and taste better, besides). Cucumbers and summer squash/zucchini also popular. I just bought a "pepino melon" to try myself, never had one. Plan on planting the seeds, see what happens...

grapes are also very popular on my grounds, but I don't pay for those - we have wild muscadine, so if anything, its an effort to keep them from gorging and their diets in balance. Same with the wild blackberry...

Frozen water jugs in a kiddie pool, as well.

 

[Jaime918]

Cold/frozen melons are an excellent idea, seeded melons are fine (often cheaper, and taste better, besides). Cucumbers and summer squash/zucchini also popular. I just bought a "pepino melon" to try myself, never had one. Plan on planting the seeds, see what happens...

grapes are also very popular on my grounds, but I don't pay for those - we have wild muscadine, so if anything, its an effort to keep them from gorging and their diets in balance. Same with the wild blackberry...

Frozen water jugs in a kiddie pool, as well.

Thank you! I keep forgetting grapes, I'm so stuck in the mindset of no grapes for the dog. I don't believe I've ever tried a pepino melon. I will have to look for one, we are big melon fans. Also, another that just came to mind. Pineapple? Is that okay? I see a lot of contradicting information on citrus fruit but some say pineapple is fine? Wouldn't that fall into that same category?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thank you! I keep forgetting grapes, I'm so stuck in the mindset of no grapes for the dog. I don't believe I've ever tried a pepino melon. I will have to look for one, we are big melon fans. Also, another that just came to mind. Pineapple? Is that okay? I see a lot of contradicting information on citrus fruit but some say pineapple is fine? Wouldn't that fall into that same category?

I have yet to find a good "list" - lots of bad information out there, and very little solid research on a number of common human foods. I'm going to plead "I don't know" on this one, though a quick glance at the internet suggests its fine in small quantity (high carbs), and honestly, not an expense I'm willing to pay to entertain my chickens. Maybe if I grew them myself in quantity....

 

[3KillerBs]

I don't give special treats for summer -- on principle I don't feed people food to animals -- but, instead, just give them the scraps and trimmings from our meals. So they get more melon guts and rinds, etc. in the summer just because we're eating more of them ourselves.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

 

[Jaime918]

I have yet to find a good "list" - lots of bad information out there, and very little solid research on a number of common human foods. I'm going to plead "I don't know" on this one, though a quick glance at the internet suggests its fine in small quantity (high carbs), and honestly, not an expense I'm willing to pay to entertain my chickens. Maybe if I grew them myself in quantity....

Completely understandable. I appreciate your help and input. We buy them occasionally (usually a good store sale) and typically never go through the whole thing so I wanted to be on the safe side if I had extra I could give them.

 

[AGeese]

Early on as chicks I tossed mine a grape and a cherry tomato, they were more curious about them than hungry for either.

 

[Rldad1]

I have yet to find a good "list" - lots of bad information out there, and very little solid research on a number of common human foods. I'm going to plead "I don't know" on this one, though a quick glance at the internet suggests its fine in small quantity (high carbs), and honestly, not an expense I'm willing to pay to entertain my chickens. Maybe if I grew them myself in quantity....

Check this list out.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens.47738/