Chicken treats

[cuwiar]

Hi, can anyone tell me if it is safe to give chickens peanuts? I have some mealworm crumble designed for wild birds which I'm sure the girls would love as a treat but it has crushed peanuts and cranberries (I think) in it. Any experience of whether peanuts are safe (in small pieces and small quantities)?

 

[Derculees]

I fed mine with ground peanuts, just as a treat, its high in protein. As long as there's no mold fungus
present which is carcinogenic. They loved it. Some peeps have an allergy to peanuts, don't know about
chooks, wild birds eat plenty. I believe pheasant rearers use it. Somebody in the forum will know for sure

 

[Chuck]

Peanuts can be fed whole (to large fowl) or crushed. They have a tendency to mould if conditions are damp, in which case, discard. Because they're high in protein, you don't want to feed too much.

 

[victorias poultry]

Mine love wild bird seed, alot of them stand under the bird table waiting for the wild birds to drop a seed to two, best of all though are live meal worms, they go bonkers for them!

 

[cuwiar]

Thanks...going to let them have a treat this weekend then

 

[Marigold]

They love a handful of hulled sunflower seeds (the birdfood kind, less expensive than the human kind) and these are good as high in protein.

 

[cuwiar]

Are they ok with their shells on??

 

[bantiekeeper]

I think they are ok with skins on. A guy on the allotment feeds his hens with them and the Garvo Alfa Mix I buy for my banties contains them too.