Treats

[TherryChicken]

What can I give my chickens as treats or snacks?

 

[Double Laced]

Sprouted whole oats/ barley/ wheat.

Mine absolutely adore warm cooked rice. hot mash etc is good in winter when its cold.

Cauliflower leaves

worms or maggots ( fishing bait, not the coloured ones tho, just plain white, the red ones will colour the egg yolks blood red)

Melon or pumpkin seeds.

 

[TherryChicken]

Wow! Blood red? Is that bad?

 

[Double Laced]

I have a friend who is a fisherman and he used to bring his surplus maggots after fishing, the plain ones were fine but some were bright red and they stained the yolks . they had been fed a dye and it transferred, I even had one to a vet before we realised what it was.

Not bad, puts you off them though.

 

[TherryChicken]

Wow, That's VERY interesting. So it doesn't harm the eggs? They could still be eaten?

 

[ChickensRDinos]

Here is a good resource of some healthy chicken treats and at the bottom are as list of food NOT to give them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens

Mealworms are amazing. Super healthy and cheap and easy to farm at home if you decide to go that route. They are also a great way to make friends with your chickens because they love them so much.

I give my chickens a lot of our table scraps: fruits, veggies, whole grain breads and some meats. I also give a little scratch each day. I also will occasionally buy some bulk grains and germinate them overnight as a snack.

 

[TherryChicken]

Here is a good resource of some healthy chicken treats and at the bottom are as list of food NOT to give them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens

Mealworms are amazing. Super healthy and cheap and easy to farm at home if you decide to go that route. They are also a great way to make friends with your chickens because they love them so much.

I give my chickens a lot of our table craps: fruits, veggies, whole grain breads and some meats. I also give a little scratch each day. I also will occasionally buy some bulk grains and germinate them overnight as a snack.

Great thanks! I want to become friends with my chickens, so when i have to catch them (being put up at night, or if they get loose, I don't want them to run from me.. I want to beable to catch them semi easily.. I also want to beable to pet them .. So meal worms are my best bet hm? Arn't they dry at the stores?

 

[Quahog]

Look at the top of the "Feeding & Watering Your Flock" forum for a sticky with many pages devoted to this subject.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

I bought a thousand live ones for like $7 at a live bait and bugs place. I live in the city so I have to search awhile and drive a ways to find one. I then bought bulk wheat bran and a plastic three drawer crafting container and now I just farm my own. From those original thousand I now have A TON.

They have a full life cycle and start as worms then pupate and turn into beetles (they don't fly). At first I was a little hesitant to handle the bugs but now it is old hat. All they need is the wheat bran and then a piece of fruit or a carrot every few days.

Here is a link to a guide: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-raise-mealworms They are keeping them all in one container. I separate my beetles out. But, I don't think it really matters.

With my more skittish chickens I go and sit in the yard, low and quiet, and toss the mealworm to them. Once they start eating them I slowly toss them closer and closer to me. I try to watch their tolerance and don't push too far. If you repeat for a little bit every day eventually they will eat out of my hands and climb into my lap to get them. Now when they see me the whole flock comes running.

Feel free to PM me about it if you have questions.

 

[TherryChicken]

Great! Thanks !