What is ok for chickens to eat as treats?

[Rory and Meg]

I just thought I would ask for advise on what chickens can eat as treats- I've never had chickens before so not sure how much to feed and water them either would gladly appreciate any advice -thank you

 

[Cassandra Lana]

Mealworms , cracked corn and other seeds, yogurt (only outside they can make a mess) , salad greens, water Mellon , and peas (no pods) are some of my birds favorites

 

[RojoMarz]

I have some scratch feed and Soldier worms. They are used for occasional treats. More frequently given treats are trimmings (lettuce, celery, bell pepper tops/seeds, cucumber skins) from our dinner salads. My most frequent treat is the chicken's feed/crumbles mixed with warm water, making a mush. It's just feed, but they think it's a treat.

Here's a couple articles:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-treats.75788/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/2020-top-10-chicken-treat-recommendations.76161/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/top-8-special-chicken-treats.75564/

and one about too many treats
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/keyword-in-moderation.76335/

 

[All4Eggz]

Most fruit, bugs, table scraps, seed, (whole) corn, greens, leftover meat, grapes, watermelon, mixed grains (barley, wheat, whole grain, cracked corn), fresh corn

 

[Rory and Meg]

I have some scratch feed and Soldier worms. They are used for occasional treats. More frequently given treats are trimmings (lettuce, celery, bell pepper tops/seeds, cucumber skins) from our dinner salads. My most frequent treat is the chicken's feed/crumbles mixed with warm water, making a mush. It's just feed, but they think it's a treat.

Here's a couple articles:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/chicken-treats.75788/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/2020-top-10-chicken-treat-recommendations.76161/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/top-8-special-chicken-treats.75564/

and one about too many treats
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/keyword-in-moderation.76335/

Thank you very much

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Try and keep treats to a minimum, my husband is allowed to give a few peices per chicken and that's it, lol, I also have a Tupperware container with fermented feed. In the evening after they've had their few hrs out in the yard I fill their little container with some fermented feed and call them. They come running, even the big girls, lol, it's by far their favorite thing

 

[igorsMistress]

Bugs, seeds and such. Fruits and veggies as well. An adult chicken will eat 1/3 to 1/2 cup daily of food. A cup is 16 tablespoons so 1/10 of half a cup is just under a tablespoon of treats per day per chicken.

I wouldn’t give my flock dairy foods, they aren’t able to process the lactose and there are better sources of probiotics made for them. If it’s for calcium then there’s oyster shell and layer feed has added calcium.

I let my flock free feed and topped up feeders as needed. Water should be changed every day.

 

[Mellowmalt]

Hi Rory and Meg,
If you look up layers pellets online or find a local shop that stocks chicken food you will get a good idea of what you will need. The main aim is having a year round food that you can feed all the time.
For chicks this will come in a chick starter or crumble form
Then for 2 month old chickens you feed a grower feed
and lastly once they start laying (hens) you feed a layer feed for egg production.

Treats are good as supplements but are not needed and some can have an incorrect ratio of nutrients which can be detrimental compared to a carefully balanced feed that provides all they need.

What they need on top of their regular feed is grit, they need soft and hard grit (don't just get oyster shell which is a good source of calcium but so are egg shells)

Then when it comes to treats you can have healthier and unhealthier treats. I generally don't even bother with the unhealthy treats.

So unhealthy treats are the treats that will make your birds get fat, which will be corn (maize) and mealworms. These should be fed sparingly only a few per week if at all.

I much prefer to feed my birds cockroaches but not everyone has access to such a good food source.

If again you look what the feed store sells they will most likely have the regular feeds but will also have a treat section where they will have corn and wheat but those are the basic treats, if you can loook for a "seed mix" that contains more seeds, like barley, dari, wheat, sunflower seeds, peas, carrots.

Amongst their favourite treats are freshly dug up earthworms. Otherwise anything leafy as table scraps, avoid giving them processed food (especially avoid processed meat like salami, hot dogs and ham). Never feed chickens any milk or cheese products or yoghurt.

Otherwise they will eat pretty much everything humans eat, mushrooms are great.

Some people like to feed popcorn (which is just expanded corn), spinach is very nutritious in small quantities so a treat can give them a bit of a vitamin boost as well as be a treat.

Mealworms however will just fatten a bird up fast and corn is so low in nutrition that it will encourage antisocial behaviour in the birds.

So yes feed treats to keep them busy and happy but don't feed more than 10% overall as treats. So not much. If they get kitchen scraps and free range that will be plenty for them.

 

[Rory and Meg]

Thank you for that big help because I have never had chickens where rory has so I just want to make sure I'm doing the right things !

 

[Auntiejessi3]

How many ladies do y'all have? How old are they?