What is your Chicken's Favourite Food? (List 3 only)

[renegade_hens]

Without a doubt....BANANAS!!!!! I can't hardly get into their yard without them jumping up to snatch pieces out of my hand. I also give them broken up hard boiled eggs and pieces of apple. They make this grumbling growling sound as they chow down their treats. I have some very spoiled birds.

 

[yakibert]

You're lucky! I tried giving mine bananas and they asked like I tried to gag them with a spoon!

Without a doubt....BANANAS!!!!! I can't hardly get into their yard without them jumping up to snatch pieces out of my hand. I also give them broken up hard boiled eggs and pieces of apple. They make this grumbling growling sound as they chow down their treats. I have some very spoiled birds.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Haven't given my birds bananas...I'll have to do that just to see their reaction to.....BANANAS.

 

[BigRedNZ]

Strawberrys. They go all silly and chase each other.

 

[Gold Coaster]

1. Raw eggs
2. bugs
3. Potatoes

Hello Chloezoebob101,

Just wondering, how do you give your chickens potatoes? Is it raw, boiled, roasted, chips or mash? Need the info for the tally.

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[Gold Coaster]

Hello all,

I thought it was time for a tally update. It's interesting to note that lettuce is the new least favourite, but it also has the same amount of points in the favourites column. Thanks to those who complimented this list idea. I think it's very useful for people wanting to try out new treats.

Here are the latest results:

FAVOURITE TREATS:
Bugs = 16 (These include: Ants, Black Soldier Fly Larvae, Cockroaches, Grubs, Junebugs, Maggots, Mayflies, Moths, Stinkbugs & Worms)
Eggs (Boiled, Raw or Scrambled) = 11
Meal Worms (Fresh or Dried) = 9
Bread (Fresh or Stale) = 8
Corn (Kernels or Cob) = 7
Grapes = 6
Yoghurt (Flavoured, Natural, Kefir, Buttermilk or Clabbered Milk) = 6
Strawberries = 5
Watermelon = 5
Meat = 4
Oats (Raw or Oatmeal) = 4
Grass = 3
Lettuce = 3
Sunflower Seeds = 3
Suet (Raw Animal Fat) = 3
Tomatoes = 3
Broccoli (including Leaves) = 2
Clover = 2
Noodles = 2
Corn Tortillas = 2
Popcorn = 2
Cottage Cheese = 2
Apples (including Cores) = 2
Dandelions = 2
Azolla (Aquatic Fern) = 1
Cheese = 1
Cabbage = 1
Cucumbers = 1
Zuchinni = 1
Mushrooms = 1
Yellow Squash = 1
Potatoes = 1
Gophers = 1
Fish = 1
Hamburger = 1
Butterfingers = 1
Cheeze Its = 1
Goat Milk = 1
Lamyaay (Thai Fruit) = 1
Bird Seed = 1
Pizza = 1
Pasta = 1
Blueberries = 1
Bananas = 1
Pepperoni = 1
Chickweed = 1
Hackberry Leaves = 1
Flax Seeds = 1
Sardines (in Tomato Sauce) = 1
Cat Food = 1
Human Toes! (Stormy Autumn's Ducks) = 1

LEAST FAVOURITES
Lettuce = 3
Earthworms = 2
Thawed Frozen Berries = 2
Oats (Raw) = 2
Cabbage = 1
Pumpkin Seeds = 1
Citrus Fruits = 1
Dairy Cow Pellets = 1
Potato Peels = 1
Onion Skins = 1
Dryopteris Ferns = 1
Corn (Kernels or Cob) = 1
Strawberries = 1

Cheers,
Gold Coaster

 

[99Peeps]

Hello from Colorado, USA

My girls (12) favorite treats (they are only 7 weeks old):

1. Mealworms/Earthworms
2. Kiwi Fruit (absolutely loved it, but left the peel untouched)
3. Quinoa w/spinach

Least favorite:

Haven't experimented enough to know yet; I will let you know as it progresses.

I do have some questions for those more experienced than myself. I read that you shouldn't feed chickens citrus fruit (from the chicken treat chart from the learning center); could anyone tell me why? Kiwi isn't listed as a toxic food in a list I consulted on poultryhelp.com, but I believe it is a citrus fruit, and now I am wondering if I have done something bad for my ladies. I am also wondering if it is alright to offer treats on a daily basis? I was thinking of making up a plate in the mornings for my girls on a regular basis and if I do this, should I now provide them grit as well? I have only been giving them chick starter granules with an occasional mealworm treat until now. Thank you for any advice you may offer this newbie.

 

[chicknerd]

My peeps prefer

1. Meal Worms
2. Noodles (aka fake worms) - this may be #1 as its so funny to watch them chase each other thinking they have worms.
3. ANY melon

I give my chickens scraps (Except potatoes) every day. They love them.

 

[Johnn]

my hens like
1. bread
2. meal worms
3. corn
they are very fussy eaters

 

[Gold Coaster]

Hello from Colorado, USA

My girls (12) favorite treats (they are only 7 weeks old):

1. Mealworms/Earthworms
2. Kiwi Fruit (absolutely loved it, but left the peel untouched)
3. Quinoa w/spinach

Least favorite:

Haven't experimented enough to know yet; I will let you know as it progresses.

I do have some questions for those more experienced than myself. I read that you shouldn't feed chickens citrus fruit (from the chicken treat chart from the learning center); could anyone tell me why? Kiwi isn't listed as a toxic food in a list I consulted on poultryhelp.com, but I believe it is a citrus fruit, and now I am wondering if I have done something bad for my ladies. I am also wondering if it is alright to offer treats on a daily basis? I was thinking of making up a plate in the mornings for my girls on a regular basis and if I do this, should I now provide them grit as well? I have only been giving them chick starter granules with an occasional mealworm treat until now. Thank you for any advice you may offer this newbie.

Hello 99Peeps,

I too have read that citrus is a no-no for chickens, but so far, nobody has given me a concrete answer as to why. I've heard many reasons why it's bad, but I don't believe any of them have actually been proven.

The first one I've heard is that citrus affects egg laying production. It causes them to lay irregularly and then stop altogether.

The second one is that citrus has an adverse effect against calcium. Thereby, it causes problems with egg shell development resulting in "soft eggs" being laid.

The last one is that citrus has a lot of Vitamin C and by feeding it to your chickens they can overdose on it.

Contrary to everything above, dried citrus peel is used in some commercial poultry feeds. So now it's a question as to whether 'fresh' citrus is bad versus 'dried' or if citrus 'peel' is safe but citrus 'juices' and 'pulp' are not. Perhaps it also has something to do with the citrus enzymes? It's all very confusing!

I do know that there are many owners across the world who feed their chickens grapefruits and oranges and so far they haven't reported any adverse effects. Moderation is the key I think. Check out this link for more information:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ed-in-chicken-feeds-in-the-world#post_2016244

People always mention that chickens tend to stay away from those foods that are bad for them. I have a lemon tree and sometimes the wild birds will pull a few lemons down and break them open. The chickens usually go to investigate, but are never interested in the lemons. It usually makes them shake their heads when they try it as if they find it too bitter for their liking.

If your chickens are eating kiwi fruits, then perhaps they derive some benefit from it.

Cheers,
Gold Coaster