Things to feed from home...

[JustOneMore]

On cold mornings we take out warm oatmeal to them. This morning I cleaned out the fridge and found a head of lettuce that was wilting ... that was a huge treat for them.

My favorite thing to give them is Ramen noodles. They'll jump up to take them from my hands. I credit Ramen with taming our wilder girls. Once they got hooked on noodles a few times a week they decided I was OK to be around. Now ALL of the hens come running when they hear me open the house door!

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Oh wow, I have lots of those things at home that no one really likes

Do you cook the needles first?

Is instant oatmeal ok?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Instant is fine. Just remember treats in moderation.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My friend gives her chickens Ramen noodles, isn't there alot of sodium in it?

 

[JustOneMore]

I do cook the noodles but I throw away the flavoring packet. They like their noodles plain ... avoiding the sodium issue.

 

[feathersnuggles]

Just check salt/sodium contents on stuff that you toss out there for them. Canned tuna also is high in sodium. I use canned sardines - canned without salt.

And like someone else said, moderation is key. Make sure treats you toss to them don't make up more than 10% of their daily dietary intake.

 

[spartacus_63]

I fed mine turkey scraps yesterday. What a hit!

 

[hallerlake]

I just gave the girls a piece of whole grain bread broken to bits. My hubby used to give them uncooked ramen noodles broken to bits.

 

[BrewedInNh]

For breakfast yesterday ours got leftover mac & cheese with cauliflower & ham scraps and oatmeal. I sprinkle on lots of crushed egg shell too.

 

[txliss]

Hi, I'm TxLiss and I'm a rule breaker.

My birds have laying pellets and water available at all times, but they get more from my kitchen and garden than from their pellets. I feed them any non-spoiled, but old, leftovers; all the unused garden greens, like carrot/beet tops, etc.; leftover dog/cat food; leftover meat, cheese; weeds from the flower garden/yard; hot oatmeal or ramen noodles mixed with scratch when it's really cold; old bread; crushed shell from their own eggs; you get the idea. During summer, all grass clippings go in the run with a scoop of grit. In fall and winter, all the leaves from the yard go in. I hang wildbird suet in their run if it's below freezing to keep them busy.

I do pay attention and make sure they are getting good percentages of protein and nutrition - they just aren't getting it from the laying pellets. I also supplement their calcium by adding oyster shell to the "slop bucket." The only things they don't get are onions and citrus - oh, and they hated acorn squash...

Not sure why, but they are healthier now than when I strictly fed them layena pellets.

I'll admit, though, that I have WEIRD birds.