What did you do with your flock today?

[Shetland lover]

My big Cornish Cross girls and boys turn a year old Tuesday and I want to have a healthy treat party for them. Are there any fruits or berries they shouldn't have? I'm thinking strawberries and grapes at least. I know I can get fresh oranges this time of year too and can peel and cut sections of them up. Maybe some pear too if they are ok. This is a spur of the moment thing as I didn't think about the date the turn 1 until today.

Mine like redcurrants and raspberries especially but I also give them -small amounts of fig, mango, blueberries, banana, ripe plum as well as all those you mentioned. There's no reason not to feed citrus fruits but mine don't touch them (although my late ex-batt, Maud, enjoyed the occasional lemon slice). Apparently, citrus fruits can cause a drop in egg production but are ok in moderation. Any type of melon, especially with seeds, always goes down well.

I'd personally steer clear of wild, foraged berries unless you are absolutely certain what they are and know they are ok for chickens to eat. Poultry DVM has toxicity lists for plants.

I make mine a birthday 'cake' for their birthdays. It contains a couple of eggs, peanut butter, breakfast oats, grains, grated carrot and/or sweet potato, baked for 15 to 20 mins, cooled then topped with set Greek yogurt and sliced strawberries. Goes down a storm. Here's some of my girls (past and present) tucking in

Sorry about the mud but Peggy and Connie would insist on a January birthday!

 

[Shetland lover]

After a day off yesterday, I had a busy day today. Had some overdue chores- kitty condo and nest boxes. Rubbish pick up is tomorrow, so good to get some things gone.
I also mowed both lawns this afternoon and enjoyed seeing the flock graze the tidbits.View attachment 3671311
Prettiest little things... except for the late season molters Just gotta feel sorry for those 2 girls View attachment 3671312
So darn nice having some of my babies back home

Got the kittens flea dropped. For this, I took each one out individually, gave them a drop on their neck and then placed in brooder till condo was empty. Then I could really get in there and clean up the condo while it was empty.
View attachment 3671317
Kitty soup. They did not want to come out lolView attachment 3671320

They are all so gorgeous! Even the late moulters

 

[ChicksnMore]

There should be a variety of the Rabbiteye berries that would do well for you. I planted 4 varieties of the rabbiteye berries and all seem to be doing well here in the gulf coast heat. I did lower the pH with some epson salt.

I have Misty and Biloxi growing. Those two stay alive here. Im still hunting for that perfect spot to keep them though for sunlight. Too much of our sun here burns them up and too little and they don't fruit. I have to keep them potted as well because our soil and water are both highly alkaline.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Oh My Gosh!!! That looks more fun than a barrel of monkeys!!!!! I absolutely LOVE THAT. Now I want  need a pumpkin
Thanks for the awesome and inspirational shares.

That's how I felt when I read someone else's post about chickens carving pumpkins

 

[ChicksnMore]

Oh! Oh! Oh! View attachment 3671321
This is what we raise for Lahaina with bags. Could have been better if I was not so strapped with... everything. But I'm stoked. Beats a poke in the eye with a stick.

That's wonderful !

 

[Nomadicus]

I'm going by a couple of markets this afternoon and hopefully they will be marking pumpkins down. Even if I pay full price my kids are getting one. Next summer I'd like to grow a patch of pumpkins for them. I can plant a sweet corn patch and then plant pumpkins among the corn.

 

[Nomadicus]

No nice carveable pumpkins available that I could find. All I found for feathered kids was some scratch and a few tangerines that they will have to share with me. I know they will be thrilled with the scratch at least. I have one really ripe banana if they will eat it. The last time I offered one of the chickens a banana they turned up their beak to it.

 

[kurby22]

Well, I got suckered into helping a friend by taking this pair yesterday during our poultry project meeting. Unless Aria is willing to part with two of our current boys, I will be looking to sell him and keep the pullet. They’re both super sweet…but soooo too many roosters!

 

[fuzzi]

After I got home from work I mowed fallen leaves, throwing them in the hoop coop much to the delight of the flock.

Oh, and I made a hoop coop video tour:

 

[Shetland lover]

No nice carveable pumpkins available that I could find. All I found for feathered kids was some scratch and a few tangerines that they will have to share with me. I know they will be thrilled with the scratch at least. I have one really ripe banana if they will eat it. The last time I offered one of the chickens a banana they turned up their beak to it.

Mine aren't too keen on bananas either, you'd think I'd tried to poison them! Coconuts, on the other hand....