What exactly CAN I feed my chickens?

[RRHomestead]

I keep hearing you can give your chickens "table scraps" but I know there are certain things they can't have (certain veggies, etc). Just how much of the "scraps" can you really give them? Like can I scrape the plates into a bowl for them, leftover hamburger and all? Or just the leftover veggies? Pasta? Rice? Sauce?

I would be happy to supplement them with this (would probably save some money), but I'm leery of *just* how much they can have. Help please?

 

[Veer67]

You should avoid giving your chickens salty foods rice should be fine as long as it is cooked.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

We give all table scraps to ours. (Of course they have their regular feed available at all times too.)

 

[Percheron chick]

There is a good inclusive list as a sticky on this site.

You can feed them just about everything but just like us, they have their likes and dislikes. Just try it. Put it out and let them tell you. I have a compost pail and a chicken pail by the sink. Coffee and anything spicy or moldy or that will impart a taste to the eggs goes in the compost pile than the chickens (or dogs) gets the rest. That might include egg shells, pasta, bread, veggies, crackers, nuts, fuits, melon rinds, peanut butter, cereal.. They will eat meat but I give that to the dogs. I do not give them raw eggs thinking that it might encourage them to help themselves. It does cut back on the amount of feed they eat.

 

[RRHomestead]

Very good to know, thank you! I heard once, if you'd give it to the pigs, you can give it to the chickens. But it seemed weird giving them things like milk or meat! But no, I wouldn't give them anything really bad or moldy. Thanks very much! I will try some new scraps! My sink trap will be happy.

 

[LittleChooks]

They can't eat leylandii hedge, as its poisonous for them, but they like nettles if they're dead and have lost they're sting.

 

[tcmstalcup]

I feed mine all scraps from home and out to eat. I have noticed there are a few things they just don't like.

 

[Twin Chickens]

I feed my chickens any and all table scraps. I can say their ultimate favorite is spaghetti and watermelon. The only thing they havent shown much interest in is some of the stuff in chex party mix.

 

[Chick-N-Eggs]

I was also told not to give my girls potato skins and avacodos as they are poisen to them.

 

[spgj1]

I am in to the flock 4 months now, got our first egg today! My chicks like, no LOVE, grapes, blueberries, and watermelon. They are OK with cabbage and carrots, and bread. I have not given them meats yet, but it sure is fun to hand feed them the fruits as a treat, quick buggers. they can snap away and swallow a grape faster than a blink. yeah my girls are spoiled and so much fun to watch.

oh, they like dug up bulbs from flowers...guess I won't see those flowers next year.