# Treat for chicken and info on why the are good.



## Aryn and Kim Page (May 10, 2017)

I find this and added and removed somethings. I was wondering what everyone thought about this. what good or bad. for chick 1 to 8 week and even older chickens. 

*Treat*

*Apples*
Raw and applesauce
Apple seeds contain cyanide, but not in sufficient quantities to kill.

*Asparagus*
Raw or cooked
Okay to feed, but not a favorite.

*Bananas*
Without the peel
High in potassium, a good treat.

*Beets*
Greens also.

*Berries, Blueberries, Raspberries*
All kinds
A treat, especially strawberries. ( strawberry tops are great)

*Broccoli & Cauliflower*
Tuck into a suet cage and they will pick at it all day.

*Cabbage & Brussels Sprouts*
Whole head -
Hang a whole cabbage from their coop ceiling in winter so they have something to play with and greens to eat.

*Carrots*
Raw and cooked
They like carrot foliage too.

*Cheese*
Including cottage cheese
Feed in moderation, fatty but a good source of protein and calcium

*Corn*
On cob and canned, raw and cooked

*Crickets (alive)*
Can be bought at bait or pet-supply stores.
Great treat – provides protein and it’s fun to watch the chickens catch them.

*Cucumbers*
Let mature for yummy seeds and flesh.

*Clovers*

*Cherries*

* Eggplant*

*Flowers*
Make sure they haven't been treated with pesticides, such as florist flowers might be.
Marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies, nasturtiums, pansies, etc.

*Fruit*
Pears, peaches, cherries, apples

*Grains*
Bulgar, flax, niger, wheatberries,etc.
*Grapes *
Seedless only. For chicks, cutting them in half makes it easier for them to swallow.
Great fun - the cause of many entertaining "chicken keepaway" games. 

* Grits*
Cooked

*"Leftovers"*
Only feed your chickens that which is still considered edible by humans, don't feed anything spoiled, moldy, oily, salty or unidentifiable.

*Lettuce / Kale*
Any leafy greens, spinach collards, chickweed included.
A big treat, depending on how much other greenery they have access to.

*Nightcrawlers*

*Worms*
Available at pet supply stores or on the internet, although shipping is expensive!
A huge(!) favorite treat, probably the most foolproof treat on the books.

*Meat scraps of any kind.*
Not too fatty.
In moderation, a good source of protein

*Melon*
Cantelope, etc.
Both seeds and flesh are good chicken treats.

*Oatmeal*
Raw or cooked
Cooked is nutritionally better.

*Peas*
Peas and pea tendrils and flowers (thanks to YayChick for the advice)

*Peppers (bell)*

*Pomegranates*
Raw
Seeds are a big treat.

*Popcorn*
Popped, no butter, no salt.

*Potatos / Sweet Potatos/Yams*
Cooked only - avoid green parts of peels!
Starchy, not much nutrition

*Pumpkins / Winter Squash*
Raw or cooked
Both seeds and flesh are a nutritious treat.

*Raisins*

*Scratch*
Scratch is cracked corn with grains (such as wheat, oats and rye) mixed in.
Scratch is a treat for cold weather, not a complete feed. Toss it on the ground and let them scratch for it for something to do.

* Sprouts*
Wheat and oat sprouts are great!
 Good for greens in mid-winter.

*Summer Squash*
Yellow squash and zucchini
Yellow squash not a huge favorite, but okay to feed.

*Sunflower Seeds/ black old sunflower seeds*
Sunflower seeds with the shell still on is fine to feed, as well as with the shell off.
A good treat, helps hens lay eggs and grow healthy feathers.

*Tomatos*
Raw and cooked.

*Watermelon AND CANTALOUPE*
Served cold, it can keep chickens cool and hydrated during hot summers.
Seeds and flesh are both okay to feed.

*Yogurt*
Plain
Plain is better.

*Basil:* Used for mucus membrane health and has antibacterial properties

*Catnip:* Repels insects and used as a sedative/relaxant

*Cilantro:* Helps keep fungus at bay, antioxidant properties, bone health, high in Vitamin A for eye health and Vitamin K for blood clotting

*Dill:* Respiratory health, antioxidant properties, sedative/relaxant

*Fennel:* Enhances reproductive health (egg laying)

*Garlic:* Enhances reproductive health (egg laying) / helps control parasites

*Lavender:* Smells wonderful, lowers stress, circulatory health, , insect repellant

*Lemon Balm:* Smells nice in the coop, lowers stress, antibacterial, repels rodents

*Marigold:* Enhances reproductive health (egg laying)

*Marjoram:* Enhances reproductive health (egg laying)

*Mint:* Used in nest/coop -(all kinds) - insecticide and rodent repellent

*Nasturtium:* Enhances reproductive health (egg laying), antiseptic, antibiotic, insecticide, de-wormer

*Oregano:* Contains antibiotic properties which may help prevent avian flu, blackhead, coccidia, e-coli, infectious bronchitis and salmonella

*Parsley:* Promotes circulatory system development, enhances reproductive health (egg laying), rich in vitamins

*Peppermint:* helps control parasites, insect repellant,

*Pineapple Sage:* Promotes nervous system health, smells wonderful

*Rose Petals:* Highly aromatic, high in Vitamin C

*Rosemary:* Pain relief, respiratory health, insect repellant

*Sage:* Antioxidant, helps control parasites,

*Spearmint:* Antiseptic, insecticide, stimulates nervous system, circulatory and brain functions

*Tarragon:* Antioxidant properties

*Thyme*: Promotes respiratory health, antioxidant, has antibacterial properties


"meal worms cause the gizzard lining to erode and that cause the chicken to starve to death in a horrible painful way.


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 10, 2017)

Wow, that's a list. I pretty much throw everything over the fence and someone eats it. If it's inedible it gets worked into the deep litter.

For young chicks I don't do many treats, it's best that they eat a good formulated ration. I do give a small amount of scrambled eggs a day, and some greens like sod clumps and dandelion.

I start adding more into the diet as they start to free range after 8 weeks, they get access to whatever left overs and extra garden produce that I have.


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## Aryn and Kim Page (May 11, 2017)

Well thank you yeah I get my chickens May 17th they'll be newly hatched. I was reading somewhere you can feed chicken leftovers chicken let's cook. which I don't know if I feel okay with that it seemed a little weird what are your thoughts on that?


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 11, 2017)

You mean feed them chicken? Mine wouldn't touch a turkey carcass. I don't feed mine meat, though some swear by it.


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## Aryn and Kim Page (May 11, 2017)

Oh yes sorry I fixed it. Why don't you feed them meat? Just curious I might not feed mine meat Maybe worms.


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 11, 2017)

I personally don't think it's a normal part of the diet, but than I feed things like cottage cheese, so, probably just a personal choice. We have dogs who have dibs on left over meat. I tried one year to give them the leftover turkey carcass from thanksgiving to pick at, but no one would touch it.

I also don't encourage worm eating, but know they do eat a lot of them. Earthworms can carry roundworm. 

Mine free range and eat plenty of bugs, seeds, grasses and weeds, as well as berries, fruit, and scratch. They also get a lot of eggs, raw and cooked.  I always keep a good all flock ration available, as well as oyster shells.

 My chickens get mostly leftovers and stale or old stuff from the fridge as treats.


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## Aryn and Kim Page (May 12, 2017)

Yeah  leftovers that's most likely what I do for mine and then some extra. I have my garden right next to the coop so I can let them  into my garden and I'm going to grow a bunch of herbs for them. Did you hear about pumpkin is a dewormer that's what I've been reading.


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 12, 2017)

I read that, and I give them pumpkin in the fall but I don't necessarily worry if it's worming them, something I actually never do.


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## Aryn and Kim Page (May 12, 2017)

Where to deworm your chickens what do you give them and how do you know if you need to do one them?


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 12, 2017)

I don't worm, I don't feel it's necessary. I've never seen any signs of worms in my birds.


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## Leahs Mom (May 12, 2017)

I don't worm either.  Have had my oldest girls for 5 years and no worming.  

But...
My birds do get out to range, in the sun and grass, etc. which probably makes them healthier than they would be if they were confined.


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## Leahs Mom (May 12, 2017)

Oh...and I give my birds raw ground meat whenever they can't get bugs...like in the winter.  But I'd much prefer to be feeding the bugs since the whole body has many more nutrients than just the meat.  The problem is that the bugs (say mealworms) lb. for lb. are much more expensive than even grassfed meat.

I don't purchase meat from the grocery, however.  It would be too dangerous to feed raw meat from the grocery.  I get grass fed only from a farm.

Remember that they will eat most any meat that they can catch like a mouse, toad, snake, etc., so they are definitely meat eaters.  @oldhenlikesdogs  birds are out on range every day and they get all kinds of meat (in which I include bugs) that she likely never sees.  

It's just during the winter that is an issue to me.  And also when they can't range and find it themselves.

I've never fed them chicken/poultry, however.  I know lots of folks do, but it just doesn't seem right.


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 12, 2017)

@Leahs Mom , I have watched mine run with frogs, mice and dead birds, so they definitely will eat meat, but I have never intentionally fed it, and what they do in the field is their business. I'm not familiar with feeding meat, so thanks for adding your experiences.


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## oldhenlikesdogs (May 12, 2017)

@Leahs Mom , I have watched mine run with frogs, mice and dead birds, so they definitely will eat meat, but I have never intentionally fed it, and what they do in the field is their business. I'm not familiar with feeding meat, so thanks for adding your experiences.


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