what is the "natural" diet for chickens?

[stcroixusvi]

Ours head straight for the woods when we let them out. They rake the leaves for bugs and small shoots.

Then they head for the grass. They have full feeders in the coop and run at all times - filled with organic Countryside, and plenty of oyster shells, so it is interesting to see what they self-select when given a chance.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Mine will scratch through partially decomposed leaf letter for hours and hours. They look for all the insects, larva and worms underneath. Mmm...

I started adding green feed to their winter diet when I noticed how starved they were for fresh grass every spring.

They look pretty cute jumping up to pick blueberries. Not as cute decimating my decorative pot of rainbow chard on the front stoop. They do love a lot of different foods.

 

[digitS']

Quote:
I used to put the eggshells on foil and a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven. Then, crush them and give that to the hens.

Lately, I've just been putting the shells with kitchen left-overs and mashing it all together good. Powdering them in a magic bullet after "sterilizing" sure seems like it would be safe.

Having oyster shell always available is a good idea.

Steve

 

[ontimeborzoi]

Gosh, I must be a pig. I just mash the shells up in my hand and toss them back in the run. Then I may go wash my hands. If you let them air dry they smash into tiny pieces with one closing of the fist. Never had a chicken decide to eat eggs as a result of my lack of class.

 

[kilby]

Since we are omnivores too who need to balance our diets why not just follow the recommended 4 food groups to appease our fowl?
More calcium though as oyster shell at their disposal. Personally, I don't care for it.

Of course we need to keep out the refined food for them and the salt.
any more suggestions?

 

[Bob1]

is this safe it to mix shells in with their food?

 

[smokindave]

There are some incredibly good answers here. I can't do better. I just wanted to say this: one November a friend butchered one of his chickens here in Kentucky. It was late November. no leaves no flowers no flying insects that I could see. His chickens had access to the woods and fields. Its craw was bulging with food. (insects, worms, seeds, and stuff I don't want to see again). Like some point out, this food may not have provided all the minerals, vitamins, and such that the bird needed, but she sure knew how to find it! We were very surprised at how much food that chicken could find even in the early winter here.

 

[HotCaliChicks]

My husband wants to feed our new chickens meal scraps, including any beef or chicken I feel like it's not the right thing but I can't logically justify it!! I don't want want to raise cannibals!! And they wouldn't ever overpower a cow in the wild so why would we feed them one? If a rooster kills another rooster, does he eat the dead rooster? I'm thinking no?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My husband wants to feed our new chickens meal scraps, including any beef or chicken

I feel like it's not the right thing but I can't logically justify it!! I don't want want to raise cannibals!! And they wouldn't ever overpower a cow in the wild so why would we feed them one? If a rooster kills another rooster, does he eat the dead rooster? I'm thinking no?

Meat scraps are an excellent source of protein for your flock. Chickens are, in fact, omnivores and will quite eagerly consume any animal protein they find. Feeding animal protein is not a contributor to cannibalism in chickens any more than eating meat leads to cannibalism in humans.

 

[Chris09]

My husband wants to feed our new chickens meal scraps, including any beef or chicken

I feel like it's not the right thing but I can't logically justify it!! I don't want want to raise cannibals!! And they wouldn't ever overpower a cow in the wild so why would we feed them one? If a rooster kills another rooster, does he eat the dead rooster? I'm thinking no?

I second what Ol Grey Mare had to say and will add,,

There are no "wild" chickens. Never was.
Chickens will eat anything that doesn't eat them first. If a bovine is dead in a field you better believe a chicken will eat it. If a chicken kills a chicken and it is hungry they will eat the other chicken..

My feed contains;
Fish meal (menhaden), porcine meat meal (pork), poultry by-product meal, dried egg product and spray dried porcine blood cells.