What are your chickens favorite treats?

[gryeyes]

A TetherCabbage. I use an apple corer, run twine through the middle, and hang the cabbage on a post for them to peck at. It's gone within 3 days - and that's with just 9 chickens.

Shredded Mozzarella cheese.

mealworms.

BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds).

Right now, handsfuls of "young" grassy weeds.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

The cabbage idea is pretty neat! I'll have to try that!

 

[jennh]

mealworms (I raise my own, ask me how)
mini animal crackers ( I taught my girls to know their names with these)
JAPANESE BEETLES !!!!!!

Jen

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

How do you raise meal worms???

 

[kywilber]

Mine love cabbage, bread, any and all leftovers.

 

[Warthog]

Mine love most anything, but they will take off your hand for anything meaty, bugs or meat scraps, we killed a snake the other day, threw it in absolute mayhem.

When you watch these hens, you would think they had never been fed.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
I threw a snake to the and at first they freaked out, then they ate it! LOL
I wonder if you can make a " Chicken Cake."???? I mean not for us for THEM! Out of pellets? When I make mash, there are always some stuff left on the side of them bucket I make it in, and it get hard again, I wonder if you could make it into a cake shape???

 

[jennh]

Hi ! Start with a clear plastic container, about 2 ft x 1 ft, or thereabouts. Doesn't need to be exact. Cut a hole in the lid, longer than wide, about 1 ft long x 6 in. wide, you get the idea. The purpose of the hole is to let air flow in and out. Next cover the hole with screening material, not landscape fabric. Tape it to the underside of the lid with duct tape. If you don't tape it from the underside, the mealworms and bugs can get in underneath the screen, between the lid, get caught, and die.
Now, put about 3 " of chicken scratch in the bottom, place a half of a cut apple, cut side up, and cover with 4 layers of paper bags. That's it! If you have lot's of mealworms, you might want to use the whole apple. Check the apple occasionally to make sure it doesn't rot. If it does, replace with a fresh apple. I have used potates before, as some suggest, but the apple works MUCH better. I have also put in slices of stale bread.
Now, in case you don't know very much about mealworms, they go through three stages. I'm not sure which stage comes first, kinda like the egg or the chicken ;o) There is a black bug stage (hence the lid. You don't want them crawling out.) Then there is a stage where they look kinda like a larvae. The mealworms crawl between the paper bags and turn into this. Then the larvae turns into the black bugs, then the bugs lay eggs, then mealworms, etc. It's a cycle.
I suggest you don't use your mealworms for a while, so they can go through their cycle to replenish themselves.
I just keep mine in my basement. The coolness keeps them from changing so fast, but you might want to keep them warmer to start out, so they multiply faster.
I have 2 "farms" going. They go through them fast!

Jen

 

[Smokin Silkies]

jennh: I'm a little confused? Won't the black bugs crawl through the screen and get out? Do you have any pics of yours, maybe that will make it easier for me to understand

 

[Maggies Pop]

So far they are like garbage disposals and like everything we have given them. But I think their favorites so far have been:

1. mealworms
2. warm oatmeal with apples
3. yogurt (I make homemade and they devour it)