Topic of the Week - Feeding table scraps to your flock

[GC-Raptor]

My girls are carnivores. They don't like spinach, Apple's, cucumber pealings. A couple will eat grape tomatoes if I cut it into quarters. The only veggies I've seen all the hens eat is wide blade grass and fresh leaves. If it doesn't hop, crawl, run or fly. They want nothing to do with it. I've never fed them meat, fish or chicken. No cat, dog food. No junk food. No bread, pasta. Fortunately, they scoff down pellets and scratch grains. What they don't know is the pellets have alfalfa and kelp as the fourth and sixth ingredient and the scratch has 4 or 5 grains?
I believe my hens are direct descendants of velocirapter. Can you imagine if I tossed a T-bone into the pen. ;-). GC

 

[sebloc]

I was feeding mine scraps at 16 weeks they are laying now. It is important that you still feed them grower (if lot laying yet) then the scraps (as previous posters have stated). This way they are getting the proper nutrition. I tend to feed layer in the morning then scraps a couple of hours before roosting time.

What age did they start laying at? Thanks.

 

[JDisme]

About 6-7 months. They are EEs

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Giving daily table scraps to the flock is a great way to bond with them and, of course, make them very happy. But remember, any kind of treat should not take up more than 10% of their daily diet.

Here is my handy-dandy list of foods to and not to feed the flock.

Okay to feed

Berries

Greens Don’t give out iceberg lettuce, which is really just green-tinged, unhealthy water and don’t overdo spinach which can result in poor egg quality if fed to often.

Eggs and Eggshells-Remember to rinse and crush the shells and cook the eggs before feeding. Scrambled and boiled eggs are also a wonderful snack for chicks and molting chickens.

Fruits The fruits you give them can be damaged but never moldy.

Garlic-Garlic is very healthy for chickens and acts a natural wormer, laying stimulant, feather re-grower and boosts the circulatory system. It’s also helpful to put in the water or food when a chicken is sick.

Herbs Basil, thyme, comfrey, parsley, bay leaves, lavender, calendula, spearmint, lemongrass, catnip, sage, oregano, yarrow, chickweed, marjoram, cilantro, peppermint, clover, dandelions, dill, bee balm, echinacea, fennel, mint, feverfew, garlic, ginger, lemon balm, marigold, nasturtium, nettles, pineapple sage, rosemary, wormwood and cinnamon.

Dairy

Meat Scraps Don't feed them spoiled meat, as it’s poisonous.

Vegetables

Pumpkins and Squash

Spaghetti, Pasta, Bread and Rice

Garden or Yard Weeds Avoid feeding them yew, mushrooms or fungi.


Not okay to feed

Alcohol

Moldy Foods

Anything Salty

Asparagus-This will change the flavor of a hen’s egg to a bad taste but it otherwise is not harmful.

Avocado-Avocado has a fatty acid in it called “persin” which sadly can be fatal to chickens and sometimes other birds.

Green Areas of Potatoes, Peels and Potato Sprouts-All are poisonous to chickens and you personally shouldn’t eat them either!

Herbs and Plants to Stay Away from-Azalea, philodendron, rhododendron, sweet pea, black nightshade, foxglove, oleander, castor bean, vetch, henbane, irises, lantana, St. john's wort, trumpets vine, morning glory, datura, clematis and honeysuckle. If any of the herbs you are wondering about are not listed in this book, look them up before giving to your flock.

Leaves from Tomato, Pepper, Potato, Eggplant or Nightshade Plants

Onions-Onions contain a substance called “thiosulphate” which will kill red blood cells, cause anemia and sometimes even result in death.

Potatoes-Surprisingly, potatoes contain solanine which causes diarrhea, heart failure and kills red blood cells. However, sweet potatoes do not contain this substance and are perfectly fine and dandy to feed to your flock. Sweet potato fries are also fine as long as they aren’t salted.

Processed Foods and Sweets

Raw, Dry Beans

Raw Peanuts and Other Nuts

Rhubarb leaves-Rhubarb leaves surprisingly contain oxalic acid which is poisonous to chickens.

 

[FullMetalChikn]

Did not knowthe tomato and pepper leaves were on the do not feed list. Thank you for letting me know

 

[JDisme]

I think moderation is key?...I have 11 chickens and feed a small bag 4x a week of everything including potatoes asparagus, foods including onion and garlic. When they free range they eat honeysuckle. Eggs taste the same ..I dunno..works for me

 

[JDisme]

And they eat tomato vine clippings

 

[olivigus]

Garlic-Garlic is very healthy for chickens and acts a natural wormer, laying stimulant, feather re-grower and boosts the circulatory system. It’s also helpful to put in the water or food when a chicken is sick.

This is great to know. I have an EE hen who's lost some feathers around her neck. I can see new quills emerging but they don't seem to be filling in very fast. I will try giving her garlic.
Do you just chop up cloves for them?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

This is great to know. I have an EE hen who's lost some feathers around her neck. I can see new quills emerging but they don't seem to be filling in very fast. I will try giving her garlic.
Do you just chop up cloves for them?

Yup, just peel or chop the garlic and put them in the water or food.

 

[itgirl]

I don't know if you could call what my chickens get "scraps" since it's almost all fresh fruits and veggies. Some stuff I buy just for them, but because I live alone and am always trying out new recipes for myself, I have plenty of extra to share. Their favorite foods are blueberries and corn - they will follow me anywhere if I have either of those in my hand. They also get kale, spinach, lettuce, arugula, fresh herbs, tomatoes, zucchini, greens from root veggies (beets, radishes, turnips, carrots), shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, broccoli, grapes, other berries, cantaloupe, watermelon, plums (I have a tree, and they eat what falls on the ground), and apples (also from trees on the property).

They get their layer feed in the morning, then come out to free range / forage for 6-8 hours, then go back in the coop with a bowl of fruits/veggies. I like to joke that it brings a new meaning to the phrase "chicken salad."