Things That Chicken Eat That Surprised You

[plapato]

My chickens love ramen noodles. I used to cut them up to make it easier for them to eat, but now it's more fun to watch them eating the whole strand and others getting it from the other end, so cute. I make them a pack of ramen noodles every day, my husband thinks I'm crazy. They also love rice and beans! Some of mine are more particular about what they eat, but as soon as another one starts eating something, the others must have it too! I can't believe how much fun it is to watch these hens every day. Friends can't believe all of my chicken stories, now they ask every week what the latest story is.
Unfortunately, a neighbor's dog got one of our hens the other day and we thought he had killed her. A few hours later she came walking out of the woods, limping and with a bite out of her back, but she survived.

 

[Evernf]

had samon padies for supper the juse in the can is going in there milk tomorow heard samon wes good for chickens

 

[SteveBaz]

mother o' chicks72 :

Quote:
Portland, OR? i live in portland too and have been wondering how the chickens do in the rainy cold weather. I got my girls as day olds in february so they haven't experienced that much rain. does it give them any issues health wise?

The chickens feathers give them all the barrier they need for the rain. When a feather is grown a powder is developed and its a rain coat too.

Steve​

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
... and my chickens won't eat them at all! one bite and then they do this:

we had the Biggest Fattest most ENORmous hornworms on on my potato plants last year and they just went

oh. right, it's probably because the hornworms were eating potato peels... er plants...

 

[spacecowgirl]

About the chicken carcasses: I have given atleast four or five carcasses to my flock of four chickens, and have never once removed any bones from their pen!!

The whole thing just disappears! At first I thought something was making off with the bones, but the fence is about eight feet high, and the gate is closed....

I really am starting to believe they are eating it all!

 

[Cass]

Quote:
... and my chickens won't eat them at all! one bite and then they do this:

we had the Biggest Fattest most ENORmous hornworms on on my potato plants last year and they just went

oh. right, it's probably because the hornworms were eating potato peels... er plants...

Yeah...it's probably the potatoes. LOL

My chickens won't eat some of the things that other people claim are their chicken's fav....like cat food. I have a cat that leaves a little bit of each can in the bottom of the bowl. I put it in the scraps to feed to the chickens and it was the only thing they left on the ground.

In your case, drop the hornworms into a can of kerosene, gas or Soapy water (Blue Dawn works best). They will die. The worst part is wrestling them off the plant to drop them in the can. (Personally, I break off the whole set of leaves they are munching on and drop the whole thing into the pen for the chickens. I really can't stand to touch the things)

Did you know that the hornworm is the larvea (sp) of the Hummingbird moth? I love those things. Wish they had pretty little caterpillers instead of those ugly green things.

 

[zzGypsy]

Quote:
... and my chickens won't eat them at all! one bite and then they do this:

we had the Biggest Fattest most ENORmous hornworms on on my potato plants last year and they just went

oh. right, it's probably because the hornworms were eating potato peels... er plants...

Yeah...it's probably the potatoes. LOL

My chickens won't eat some of the things that other people claim are their chicken's fav....like cat food. I have a cat that leaves a little bit of each can in the bottom of the bowl. I put it in the scraps to feed to the chickens and it was the only thing they left on the ground.

In your case, drop the hornworms into a can of kerosene, gas or Soapy water (Blue Dawn works best). They will die. The worst part is wrestling them off the plant to drop them in the can. (Personally, I break off the whole set of leaves they are munching on and drop the whole thing into the pen for the chickens. I really can't stand to touch the things)

Did you know that the hornworm is the larvea (sp) of the Hummingbird moth? I love those things. Wish they had pretty little caterpillers instead of those ugly green things.

they totally creep me out... something about the slightly squishy way they feel. bummer about the beautiful moths... now I'm gonna feel slightly guilty about killing the creepy obnoxious voracious evil ugly ... and did I say creepy? ... things.
I end up flicking the things off my plants with a trowel... and then jumping around with shivers and making faces because they give me the willies. my hubby thinks it's hysterical

 

[CrestedGirl]

It surprised me when I saw one of my hen running with a dead garden snake in her mouth!!!

 

[real_redhead]

I wished they would get some of the chipmucks that run amuck in my yard! I saw that someone psoted earlier about giving left over wet cat food to the chickens is that ok? I have the same thing happen occasionaly and hate wasting the cat food. Is it ok to give it to the chickens?

 

[Reyvaughn]

Quote:
Maybe they are Meat N Potatoe Chickies

They are, in a way. They love most berries, sweet corn, cooked potatoes and spaghetti (with sauce and hamburger).