What not to feed?

[crazychick]

I finally have my girls (12-6 RI Reds, 6 Barred Rocks) and have been reading thru posts trying to find "snack" ideas for them. I could spend hours-which I do-reading posts, and all informative. Many make me smile or downright laugh.
I am afraid of feeding something that will make them sick, and am always asking "can they eat this?" I have basically been sticking to fruits and veggies that I can't finish myself. I had some 10 grain cereal and amaranth in the freezer from breadmaking that I spread for them. Occasional slices of bread. They seem to LOVE canned corn??!!
Oats-still confused on them. Can they have them raw or do they need to be made into a cooked mash first? Rolled or steel-cut?
Just read about the mealworms-next snack to tackle. Hope the hubby doesn"t mind.

I have them out from 7 am til they roost for the night-do they get enough grit just foraging in their yard?

 

[stuckinthecity]

No Raw Potatoes!
and as for the oats- cooked or raw is fine.
and the grit, I dont give mine any cause I think they find enough stuff in my yard...

 

[Ridgerunner]

Here is the treats chart that tells you what is OK to feed them. At the bottom it tells what not to feed them.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=2593-Treats_Chart

As far as the grit, probably. It depends on where you live and what type of soil you have. If your soil has small rocks in it like most of us they are fine. If you live in a swamp or river delta where all you ever see is swamp muck, no, they don't get enough. Full sized chickens can use anything from a pea sized gravel down to sand as grit.

 

[P&A]

uhhmmm...hi! (Yes! I made it...my first post!

)
Ok...Im confused. Our chooks eat both cooked and raw potatoes and love it. Obviously no green skin as I know its poisonous but all other peel and off-cuts. Also, they love beans...raw GREEN beans and Peas in the pod...they dont eat the pods, only the peas, none has fallen off the roost so far but now Im concerned. Is it really not good for them?
Also, I know I cant feed them onion but is it only the skin or the whole onion and does it matter if they get left overs with cooked onion in it and what is not good about onion?

Had 2 bantams, 2 reds and 2 roos raised from chickens (ment to be hens hmmm...) Got 17 chooks, 12-18 months old, and a galvanised feeder all for $50...Australian $ that is... Now Im stung...trying to learn everything and want to incubate eggs SOON...have ordered another 15 reds and will get them at point of laying next week! YAY!

So what are you people waiting for...Im asking questions and I want to learn!! LOL! Please answer soon. Thx.
Cheers!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum. Always glad to see someone from Down Under. Enjoy your winter. We're going through upper 90's F on a daily basis. When you have specific questions, go ahead and post them in the appropriate section. I also suggest going to the learning center at the top and read. It is pretty good.

You are correct about the raw potatoes. The ones to be avoided are the ones that have turned green in the sun. These are not good for humans either.

I've seen the ban on raw, undercooked, and dried beans other places for all birds. I personally avoid feeding them.

I don't know why onions are bad for them or whether cooked onions are safe. Hopefully someone else will chime in and explain why.