What to Give and What to Skip By Eric Stromberg
The biggest expense for any chicken farmer— big or small— is always going to be feed. When people ask what they should give their chickens to eat, the answer is always: stick with a pre-bagged mix from one of the big-name brands. These are professionally formulated to give your birds a balanced diet and everything they need to stay healthy. It’ s also essential to give your chickens access to oyster shells and grit— here’ s why: The oyster shell is a vital calcium supplement— especially for laying hens producing eggs every day. And because chickens don’ t have teeth, they use grit to grind up their food in their gizzard. These two supplements become even more important if you’ re planning to give them any extras outside of their standard feed.
Now, even with that advice, chicken keepers still ask:“ What else can I give my chickens?”
Honestly, it’ s a fun question— because allowing your
|
chickens treats or leftovers can be both entertaining and rewarding. Not only do they help clean up kitchen waste, but they also enjoy a bit of variety in their diet. Before we get into what’ s safe to share, let’ s cover a few foods you should shun.
Foods to Bypass
Most table waste is fine in moderation. But try to avoid fried or fatty foods, as chickens struggle to digest them. Also skip anything with strong flavors like garlic or onion, which can end up affecting the taste of their eggs( and not in a good way).
Two foods people are often surprised to learn chickens shouldn’ t eat are raw potatoes and avocados.
Raw potatoes contain a toxin called solanine, which is harmful to chickens. However, once cooked, that toxin is destroyed and potatoes become a great source of carbohydrates.
Avocados are a bit more complicated. It’ s not the green part of the fruit that’ s the issue— it’ s the brown seed covering. That part contains persin, which is toxic and can be deadly. So, to be safe, skip both avocado and potato peels.
|
Two foods chickens should never eat are raw potatoes and avocados.
Treats Can Be a Good Thing
When it comes to treats, there’ s a bit of debate. Some chicken experts will tell you to avoid extras altogether since standard feed gives your birds everything they need. But treats make your flock more interactive. Just use common sense and don’ t go overboard or it can mess with their balanced diet.
If you’ re looking to cut down on feed costs, here are a few ideas:
• Check with your local feed mill— sometimes they have leftover“ fines” or unsellable batches from large runs that they’ ll sell cheap.
• Visit local bakeries or grocery stores and ask if they have expired or unsellable products they’ re willing to give away.
Another big trend right now is growing sprouts for your chickens. Alfalfa, oat, rye— really, any whole grain works.
|
Your chickens will go crazy for them, especially during the winter months when fresh forage is limited.
Final Thoughts on Feeding
So, to sum it all up— when someone asks what to feed their chickens, here are some solid starting points:
• Always provide a high-quality, age-appropriate prebagged feed.
• Always offer free-choice calcium( like oyster shell) and grit.
• Kitchen scraps are fine— but skip fried foods, strong flavors, raw potatoes and avocado.
• Sprouts and fresh greens? Absolutely!
Feeding your chickens should be a mix of practical and fun. Enjoy it and your flock.
|