Treats every day?

[Agsgranik]

I'm reading a lot about what kinds of kitchen scraps and other treats are good for our chickens, but not finding as much about quantity. Between me and all the kids, we probably go out to hang with the chickens 5-6 times a day, and each time there is something we could bring out to give them. We bring them peels or cores or whatever bits of fruit or veg we generate in food prep, plus the kids will grab a couple of berries or nuts or whatever, every time they go out. Is that too much? They sure do come running to the end of the run when they see us coming, so that's nice, but we want to keep them healthy and not overdo it.

 

[SueT]

You want to limit treats to 10% of diet, lest you dilute the nutrition they need from their feed.

 

[Lovem all]

We kid of save up scraps and then give them a bunch at once. They get a good fill once or even twice a week

 

[Agsgranik]

That makes sense, but how do I measure the %? Maybe I need to brush up on my grade school math!

 

[SueT]

Well make sure they are filling up on feed, and not holding out for treats....If they are eating most of their feed, then it's fine.

 

[IamRainey]

Here's my take. ...and it's not very kosher so it may or it may not be useful to anyone.

Chickens have been on the planet -- all over the planet -- for a long time. And they'll probably outlive us. In their natural state, they wander around eating the plant material and bugs they can find. They eat small rodents and lizards if they get the opportunity. They don't ask what the protein and calcium balances are or if it contains soy and they don't look down their noses at much. I don't know it for fact, but I bet they live longer than chickens in egg production plants and possibly longer than our own in our adorably painted coops with zinnias planted all around the perimeter.

So I buy my flock a good quality all-flock and I let them forage for what they can find. And, because they've pretty much denuded their chicken yard (that once had so many nasturtiums you couldn't avoid stepping on them) I take them all of my kitchen scraps, garden produce that the local rodents have snacked on and spoiled, landscape pruning, weeds I pull from the lawn (I don't use any chemical fertilizers or herbicides on the lawn or in the garden for that matter), kibble and wet cat food that my indoor pets don't finish and a couple bags of shredded cabbage every day. When I herd them back into their run at dinner time (that's the best time for me to make sure they're secured before the rodents get active and find the feeder in the run) I reward them with a generous feed scoop of black oil sunflower seeds. When it's hot, I give them cold cucumbers and watermelon and berries.

I have no idea how much of the feed they eat. No idea what percentage of their total diet it is. I just know I have to top up and refill the feeder every day. As for the "treats" there isn't anything that I wouldn't want my grandson to eat. So I consider that "healthy". Of course, my grandson's never been big on pruned squash vines or leftover cat food... But the chickens go for it!

I believe my chickens are healthy. They may or they may not be fat. I'm not sure how I'd know. They look like "chickens" to me. And, what the h*ll!, I'm fat too so who am I to be critical?

I'm not interested in being the owner of the oldest living domestic chicken. I have enough eggs to share with my neighbors and family so I don't need optimal egg production. I want happy healthy chickens and a happy chicken keeping experience for me and my grandson when he visits. And the chickens sure seem glad to see us when we come out to gather eggs and give them a bag of cabbage shreds.

So that's what works for me. ...and the chickens aren't complaining.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

That makes sense, but how do I measure the %? Maybe I need to brush up on my grade school math!

I get that it’s a “guideline” (one I don’t really buy into) but I always laugh about this...is that by volume? Weight? Caloric content?

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Here's my take. ...and it's not very kosher so it may or it may not be useful to anyone.

Chickens have been on the planet -- all over the planet -- for a long time. And they'll probably outlive us. In their natural state, they wander around eating the plant material and bugs they can find. They eat small rodents and lizards if they get the opportunity. They don't ask what the protein and calcium balances are or if it contains soy and they don't look down their noses at much. I don't know it for fact, but I bet they live longer than chickens in egg production plants and possibly longer than our own in our adorably painted coops with zinnias planted all around the perimeter.

So I buy my flock a good quality all-flock and I let them forage for what they can find. And, because they've pretty much denuded their chicken yard (that once had so many nasturtiums you couldn't avoid stepping on them) I take them all of my kitchen scraps, garden produce that the local rodents have snacked on and spoiled, landscape pruning, weeds I pull from the lawn (I don't use any chemical fertilizers or herbicides on the lawn or in the garden for that matter), kibble and wet cat food that my indoor pets don't finish and a couple bags of shredded cabbage every day. When I herd them back into their run at dinner time (that's the best time for me to make sure they're secured before the rodents get active and find the feeder in the run) I reward them with a generous feed scoop of black oil sunflower seeds. When it's hot, I give them cold cucumbers and watermelon and berries.

I have no idea how much of the feed they eat. No idea what percentage of their total diet it is. I just know I have to top up and refill the feeder every day. As for the "treats" there isn't anything that I wouldn't want my grandson to eat. So I consider that "healthy". Of course, my grandson's never been big on pruned squash vines or leftover cat food... But the chickens go for it!

I believe my chickens are healthy. They may or they may not be fat. I'm not sure how I'd know. They look like "chickens" to me. And, what the h*ll!, I'm fat too so who am I to be critical?

I'm not interested in being the owner of the oldest living domestic chicken. I have enough eggs to share with my neighbors and family so I don't need optimal egg production. I want happy healthy chickens and a happy chicken keeping experience for me and my grandson when he visits. And the chickens sure seem glad to see us when we come out to gather eggs and give them a bag of cabbage shreds.

So that's what works for me. ...and the chickens aren't complaining.

This is gold, can I print this off and tape it to the coop door?!

 

[Sonya9]

Chickens have been on the planet -- all over the planet -- for a long time. And they'll probably outlive us. In their natural state, they wander around eating the plant material and bugs they can find. They eat small rodents and lizards if they get the opportunity.

I completely agree and suspect the "only 10% rule" is propagated by chicken feed manufacturers.

Though having said "old school barnyard chickens" that lived off grains and kitchen scraps and foraging were considerably different. The biggest difference being they didn't lay 200+ eggs a year the way modern laying breeds do. If people want maximum egg production then feeding young layers a commercial diet likely makes sense.

But for birds that aren't being pushed for maximum egg production, or may not be laying at all I think a varied diet is likely better and a whole lot more fun for them.

 

[Agsgranik]

Well make sure they are filling up on feed, and not holding out for treats....If they are eating most of their feed, then it's fine.

That’s a good tip