Treats and not allowed to eat

[MsSilkie0905]

Hi! I am new to raising chickens :3 so I was wondering what foods aren't good for them and what make good treats? (I have silkies) And I do not raise them to eat but for pets since I know they are not good egg layers...

 

[BantamLover21]

Hi! I am new to raising chickens :3 so I was wondering what foods aren't good for them and what make good treats? (I have silkies) And I do not raise them to eat but for pets since I know they are not good egg layers...

Some foods that should not be fed to chickens include: avocados, rhubarb leaves, chocolate/caffeine, apple seeds (only in large quantities, though), onions, alcohol, raw potatoes or potato peels, tomato plant leaves, mistletoe or holly berries, raw beans, tobacco, stone fruit pits, and asparagus. Also, avoid particularly salty foods.

Good treats include: mealworms, fresh fruit (strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, blueberries, etc.), insects, moistened feed, applesauce, yogurt, wet cat food, dandelion leaves, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce leaves, and much more.

 

[something witty]

*edit (post deleted)

 

[BantamLover21]

Why no eggplant? My girls love it. They get all the irregular shaped eggplants that come out of the garden. No adverse effect yet.

Well, I could certainly be wrong. I was just getting the information from another post I found on BYC. I'll go change it.

 

[Wyandottes7]

BantamLover21 has provided a good list of foods not to feed chickens. I'm just adding that raw meat isn't a good idea either, as it can harbor harmful bacteria. If you eat the eggs, don't feed large quantities of garlic, onions, or other strongly flavored foods, as these can make the eggs taste strange.

As for good treats, my chickens love tomatoes, mealworms, yogurt, applesauce, crickets (and other insects), watermelons and other melons, sweet corn (they really love this!) and raspberries. Whenever I have overripe gardnen vegetables, I just give them to my chickens. They do not like carrots, celery, most lettuce, or other harder, tougher foods. Moistened feed or a scratch grains mixture are also good treats, but don't give too much scratch, as it can make them fat.

Hope I've helped!

 

[Sandstorm495]

Meat is a good food for chickens as it helps with their eggs and is nutritious. You should feed it regularly to your chickens. Personally, I don't see a problem with giving raw meat to your chickens, but that's up to you.
As well as meat, my chickens also love celery, carrots and lettuce, when we have it.
Yogurt is also a good food. They love it, and it helps when they're sick.