too many sunflower seeds?

[NuthatchKnollChickens]

Now that my chickens free range during the day, they've learned to make a bee-line from their coop to the wild bird feeder where they can dig up lots of spilled black oil sunflower seeds. Is this something I should try to prevent? Could the sunflower seeds cause them to develop a weight problem?

 

[arlee453]

My girls do the exact same thing.

Many here (myself included) give sunflower seeds as a treat for extra protein and oil.

Unless there are just pounds and pounds of them there, I'd think they'll be OK.

 

[ears73]

Ha! Mine do the same and I was just looking here to post about it..... I hope it is ok. I was thinking this morning of making a fence so they wouldn't get at the patio where the seed drops, but they go for it in earnest and it is sooooo cute!

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I just got done giving my chickens some sunflower seeds. I throw a handful on the ground, and they love it. They search for hours. lol.

 

[Wildsky]

Mine get a cup of sunflower seeds, morning and night. Its their summertime "scratch"

 

[NuthatchKnollChickens]

Great! One less thing to worry about. Thanks everyone!

 

[cmom]

I give them treats of scratch, (oats, sunflower seeds, once in awhile bird seed, cracked corn etc.), in small quanities as these are treats. I also give them vegies, fruits, most everything that I can grow. I do grow a lot of corn and watermelon especially, also tomatoes, squash, root crops, the list can go on. I feed them everything except potatoes. I figure they will eat what they want. I do free range them.