Topic of the Week - Feeding Treats

[Show Sebright]

Yep, it is near the chickens and they get what it left.

Hello,
I am a first time chicken owner and am having a a blast! This might be a dumb question, but has anyone ever got a bug zapper and fed their chickens some fried bugs for added protein?

 

[Tashua]

not good at outlines
We give mealworms nightly
Leftover fruits & salad makings that don’t go to compost .
I may be the crazy one ,but I actually catch or collect live bugs to give to them in addition to the fact they free range for 2-5 hours a day .
Also wild bird seed in the morning usually before I go to work …..
Never sugary food or breads
—————————————-

 

[Jonidoodle]

Great thread, thank you all. The one thing we have is a tub of meal worms. We ordered 2 thousand of them online and have been feeding them for a month or so in anticipation of having treats for the girls, very exciting times. BB

How often and how much do you feed them mealworms?

 

[Silviaschicks]

I give my chickens treats 2 times a week and healthy treats too. My family and friends on the other hand are always feeding them tortillas and bread

 

[heatherdevito1]

Many of us like to give our flocks a little treat now and then, besides their usual feed. So this week I would like to hear your thoughts on feeding treats. Specifically:

- At what age can you start offering your chicks treats and how do you go about it?
- What treats do you give your flock?
- How much, and how often do you feed treats?
- What treats should NOT be given to chickens, or given in moderation?
- What are your flock's favorite treats?

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I feed our flock their regular 16% layer feed, but I supplement their diet with fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, peanut butter, honey, really anything healthy except citrus fruits, raw potatoes, and tomato. Citrus fruits have too many conflicting articles to be worth the risk with so many other viable options available, and potatoes and tomatoes are fine so long as they're cooked or contain no green spots if raw

I also treat my babies to fruit-filled waffles a couple of times per month, but moreso in the colder months when there is less to forage for. Here's what I put in the food processor in any given day, mixed with some scratch and black oil sunflower seeds:
Apples
Carrots
Spinach
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Kiwi
All sorts of berries
Squash
Yams
Zucchini
Brussel sprouts

Any combination of 3-4 above and if I'm feeling saucy, I'll drop a whopping dollup of peanut butter or honey. I always add cinnamon and oregano, but I also give them, ginger, thyme, cilantro, or dill. I get creative and I have fun giving them the best of what I can give them.

 

[heatherdevito1]

Can you feed chickens cilantro stems... or is it bad for them?

Should be fine. Cilantro is good for them and I put fresh cilantro in the food processor now and then, stems included

 

[SueT]

Fruits and veggies and various people foods can give chickens loose stools, not to mention dilute the nutrition they need to grow or produce eggs, so I keep treats to a minimum.

 

[Swbertrand1]

I've heard that Apple and tomato seeds are toxic to chickens. I give cut-up apples to my flock if I've made salad for the bearded dragon, but even then it's been cored so no seeds. I don't give them tomatoes at all (because I'm not going to the trouble of seeding a tomato) but I'm sure they would love it if I did. Is this a real thing or am I being paranoid?

Ours eat tomatoes treats year round and usually get at least a little bit of tomato each evening during their free-ranging.
In the spring, month old chicks love to eat the seeds out of cherry tomatoes and will almost fight each other to get to them.
If they're harmful to chickens, ours are unaware of the risk and show no ill effects from years of tomato-eating...

 

[Addy09]

I feed our flock their regular 16% layer feed, but I supplement their diet with fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, peanut butter, honey, really anything healthy except citrus fruits, raw potatoes, and tomato. Citrus fruits have too many conflicting articles to be worth the risk with so many other viable options available, and potatoes and tomatoes are fine so long as they're cooked or contain no green spots if raw

I also treat my babies to fruit-filled waffles a couple of times per month, but moreso in the colder months when there is less to forage for. Here's what I put in the food processor in any given day, mixed with some scratch and black oil sunflower seeds:
Apples
Carrots
Spinach
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Pineapple
Kiwi
All sorts of berries
Squash
Yams
Zucchini
Brussel sprouts

Any combination of 3-4 above and if I'm feeling saucy, I'll drop a whopping dollup of peanut butter or honey. I always add cinnamon and oregano, but I also give them, ginger, thyme, cilantro, or dill. I get creative and I have fun giving them the best of what I can give them.

My chickens will not eat pineapple I dont know why but they wont I would love to try this my chickens usually get fruit every two weeks in the summer but in the winter they dont get much treats and that makes me feel bad, My chickens love bagels but I am not sure if that will make them fat so they get those once or twice every two months.

 

[heatherdevito1]

My chickens will not eat pineapple I dont know why but they wont I would love to try this my chickens usually get fruit every two weeks in the summer but in the winter they dont get much treats and that makes me feel bad, My chickens love bagels but I am not sure if that will make them fat so they get those once or twice every two months.

Try watermelon, cantaloupe, or kiwi. My chickens go nuts for it on hot, summer days. I am actually more inclined to give them additional fruits and veggies in the winter because the ground is frozen and there's not much to forage for. I scatter the food all around so at least they're occupied with something to do.