Chicken Treats – What Can You Give?
My husband, whom I’ve nicknamed The Bearded Rooster, loves giving chicken treats!
If you haven’t seen a rooster with his ladies, this is quite a sight. When he discovers a treat, he squawks to get their attention, then throws the treats around. Roosters can be quite the gentlemen and they rarely eat the treats themselves.
When giving treats, I noticed my husband does this same thing. He spreads the treats around ensuring everyone gets some. So, the nickname was born.
Spreading the treats out also helps reduce pecking, feather pulling, and injuries. This comes about naturally – it’s a “pecking order.” The hens at the top of the pecking order will run off the bottom girls.
Chicken treats should only make up about 10% of their diet
There are a lot of opinions on the topic of what chickens should eat. I believe that chickens, like us, don’t need a lot of additional treats if they are eating quality feed. That being said, we give treats twice a day.
I had read an article a few years ago that stated not to give more treats than your birds can consume in 20 minutes. The amount we give, they are usually done in 5. I swear those girls are pigs!
But, what can you give your chickens?
What type of chicken treats should you give?
I base treats depending on the time of year and what is happening with them. For example, I give watermelon, blueberries, and grapes in the summer for extra hydration; sardines, hot dogs, and chicken (I know! I know!) for extra protein during a molt; kale and greens in the winter when the grass is scarce plus corn because it’s known to raise their body temperature.
Thanks to my husband’s garden, they get tomatoes every morning with some type of leftover. During spring and summer when we have an abundance of eggs, I’ll scramble a few for the girls. They love it!
More recently, we’ve started buying fruits and vegetables with them in mind. Often times my daughter asks, “Can I have (blank), or is it for the chickens?”
What NOT to feed your chickens
DO NOT give chickens avocado, potato peels, and uncooked beans. These are poisonous to your birds (which is very bad for their health!).
Apple seeds contain cyanide. Although some people believe the amount is very small and not harmful (I won’t risk it).
Citrus causes internal bleeding.
Also, avoid foods high in sodium. Our girls love hot dogs so we give in moderation.
Do chickens need grit?
We’ve never given grit to our girls. Since they are free-range, they are picking up small stones, dirt, and gravel which serve the same purpose, to break down food. If your chickens are not free-ranging, you should offer it to help aid in the digestion process. Grit is not the same as oyster shell.
What about oyster shell?
Oyster shell is made up of 95% calcium carbonate. We went through a period where one of our girls was laying soft shell eggs and sometimes no shell eggs. I added sardines to the treats plus I crushed up Tums that I sprinkled on top of the tomatoes. I did the Tums for just two days. There wasn’t a need for all the girls to have a boost in calcium. Now, I put oyster shell out in a separate container. The chickens will eat it as needed.
Food for thought
To make sure they are getting enough feed, I wait to let the girls out to free-range until 8:30 am. This gives them a few hours in their run to eat their layer feed.
Chickens make great garbage disposals. But when giving leftovers, don’t feed your chickens anything moldy or food that you wouldn’t eat. I’ve caught myself smelling something and realized I need to just throw it out. My rule of thumb is three days although the Bearded Rooster will go longer. Just be careful. It’s not worth your chickens getting sick.
Giving chicken treats is a lot of fun and will encourage your flock to be friendlier. Since we give them around the same time each day, our girls have come to expect it. It’s rare that they don’t come running, when we walk out the back door, looking for a handout. Just remember, give treats in moderation. A quality layer feed is important for your flock’s health.
