What veggies do chickens like?

[Shadrach]

Hi, my three hens don’t like any vegetables I've given them, eg. kale, leafy greens, apple, pumpkin etc. . I’d love some suggestions for things that they’d enjoy.
Thanks

You may find that they will eat growing greenery but not greenery that's been cut for them. There is something about getting it freshly ripped from the crop one is trying to grow that is far more appealing than the ready meal option.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

You may find that they will eat growing greenery but not greenery that's been cut for them. There is something about getting it freshly ripped from the crop one is trying to grow that is far more appealing than the ready meal option.

You have met my pullets, I see!

They have been eating the leaves of our Brussels sprouts plants that are closest to the chicken wire, pulling them through the openings.

So I figured fine, I need to tidy up the plot a bit anyway. They carefully and excitedly watched as I cut off multiple leaves and tossed them on the ground. The girls ran over, pecked once or twice, and wandered off.

Two days later, the leaves still lie on the ground. The chickens are back to trying to graze through the chicken wire.

 

[K0k0shka]

You have met my pullets, I see!

They have been eating the leaves of our Brussels sprouts plants that are closest to the chicken wire, pulling them through the openings.

So I figured fine, I need to tidy up the plot a bit anyway. They carefully and excitedly watched as I cut off multiple leaves and tossed them on the ground. The girls ran over, pecked once or twice, and wandered off.

Two days later, the leaves still lie on the ground. The chickens are back to trying to graze through the chicken wire.

That's why I tie any greenery up against the fence, so they can pluck from it, and they love it that way. I think the preference comes from them wanting to be able to tear off smaller pieces for swallowing, and that's easier if the plant is secured somewhere for easier pulling (growing in the ground, tied to a fence, etc.) Otherwise they can't rip smaller pieces from it directly, and don't like dealing with loose, floppy leaves.

 

[TwoCrows]

Broccoli Slaw! It's a huge hit with my crew. Broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Chop it up, put on a plate, serve and it's gone in seconds!

 

[chooki]

My chickens love fresh vegetables - lettuce, cabbage(chopped into fine pieces), mustard greens, bok choy, choy sum - they can go through 2kg-3kg of green leaved veges amongst 6 of them in a day if I let them.

On top of that, they free range most of the days on the lawn, they also nibble on the grass whenever they feel like it.

From observation of my own chickens, the possible reasons why they don't eat the veges that you have given them:

1) It's too hard for them to bite into, i.e whole pumpkin or apple

2) Food needs to be introduced to your chickens, ideally when they are young. Some foods are instant hits, some they will never like, many others take time for them to develop an appetite on.

3) Chickens will go after the food that they need if they have a choice.
My chickens' main meals are 'all you can eat grains' (wheat, com, sorghum, Lupins, sunflower, Peas, Canola etc), I also put milk powder in their diet because grains are low on protein. On top of that, I give them meat/fish/prawns(mostly heads) every 2-3 days on average that they can eat to their hearts content.

There maybe other reasons.

My chickens get to stare at the vegetable patch all day long and only get to eat some when we give it to them ..

(picture taken a few years ago)

 

[Iowashots]

Hi, my three hens don’t like any vegetables I've given them, eg. kale, leafy greens, apple, pumpkin etc. . I’d love some suggestions for things that they’d enjoy.
Thanks

My girls love spiraling cut carrots, corn, grape tomatoes, grated cabbage, grated brocoli stems, spiraling apples and watermelon