Sue
New member
Is there a list anywhere on the web or this forum where I can find details of what fruit and veg is safe to give my hens? Or a list of things that are not safe to feed them?
Feeding fruit and vet
- Thread starter Sue
- Start date
chickens will eat almost anything most of my crops that i grow the girls end up having like chard, spinach ,cabbage and anything esle really , ohh and marrows hung up on string my girls so mental for them and they make a great boredom breaker 
msome things especailly potatoes peelings need to be boiled first as raw peelings are not good for them some birds dont like all veg so you just have to see what your girls like , some fruit is ok but only in very small amount mine only get a few strawberrys and blackberries there is a list somewhere online about what they can and cant eat but i cant find my link .
msome things especailly potatoes peelings need to be boiled first as raw peelings are not good for them some birds dont like all veg so you just have to see what your girls like , some fruit is ok but only in very small amount mine only get a few strawberrys and blackberries there is a list somewhere online about what they can and cant eat but i cant find my link .Rebelodicus
New member
Yup... The boiling of peelings releases the sugars etc also. but may give the runns.. makes them much more pallatable and safe though.(Not the droppings... the peelings :roll: )
IIRC long cut grass is bad also.... gets stuck in the crop if they don't graze it themselves.
Acidic vegetables and fruit.
Mouldy food.
Too much bread.. may give the runns
iirc banna peel is poisonous (?)
They LURV "Fat chicken weed" BTW. Handy when you have a lottie like I have
IIRC long cut grass is bad also.... gets stuck in the crop if they don't graze it themselves.
Acidic vegetables and fruit.
Mouldy food.
Too much bread.. may give the runns
iirc banna peel is poisonous (?)
They LURV "Fat chicken weed" BTW. Handy when you have a lottie like I have
chickens have an instinct for what is edible or not, mostly! I do have hens that will gorge themselves on Polystyrene given half a chance!!. . but going back to the subject, virtually any fruit or veg that we eat, chickens will take.
I give mine small amounts of wind fall apples, cabbage stalks, cabbage leaves, seeding lettuce heads, left over unsalted boiled potato, swede, parsnip and carrot and their boiled peelings, and I offer them Dandelion leaves and chickweed, and give them tussocks of grass to scratch over. Mine also enjoy the remains of punnets of mustard cress.
I give mine small amounts of wind fall apples, cabbage stalks, cabbage leaves, seeding lettuce heads, left over unsalted boiled potato, swede, parsnip and carrot and their boiled peelings, and I offer them Dandelion leaves and chickweed, and give them tussocks of grass to scratch over. Mine also enjoy the remains of punnets of mustard cress.
Lucylou
New member
There is a list somewhere on this forum (enter key words in search box & it might help)
I remember things like elderflower, nightshade,& yew is poisonus to chooks but can't remember what else!
So many things are good for them (all in moderation of course
17 ) I was amazed to discover bananas, oranges (I give one thats gone a bit too dry for us to eat, cut it in half & they love to peck at it) grated raw carrot, cooked pasta but no salt added, (especially spaghetti), all the obvious things like greens, dandelions, corn-on-the-cob, outside leaves from cauli's & so on. All the old strawberry plants at the end of the season is great fun for them too!
I remember things like elderflower, nightshade,& yew is poisonus to chooks but can't remember what else!
So many things are good for them (all in moderation of course
17 ) I was amazed to discover bananas, oranges (I give one thats gone a bit too dry for us to eat, cut it in half & they love to peck at it) grated raw carrot, cooked pasta but no salt added, (especially spaghetti), all the obvious things like greens, dandelions, corn-on-the-cob, outside leaves from cauli's & so on. All the old strawberry plants at the end of the season is great fun for them too!Most of what we eat, chickens will eat. Onions/leeks etc. are not much liked but they will eat them if boiled up & mixed with mash and/or bread and the same with all the peelings from the various veg. This is the old fashioned way of feeding chickens and used to make up at least half of their daily feed. There were far less leftovers from the house in those days though ! It's worth keeping an old pot to boil the leftovers in.
All the fruits will be eaten either raw or cooked up with or without the veg.
All the fruits will be eaten either raw or cooked up with or without the veg.
Sue
New member
They devoured quite a lot of bluebell leaves yesterday in the garden! I was a little worried in case they were poisonous, but they've all survived they must be ok. Is there anything else in the garden plant varieties that I need to remove because they could be poisonous or won't they touch anything that is bad for them?
A
Anonymous
Guest
Apparently avocados are poisonous to hens... Oh & we lost 2 hens after they gorged themselves on a load of rhubarb crowns & plants someone had left outside our front door, so they don't always know what's bad for them.
Sue
New member
So, does anyone know if bluebell leaves are ok then?
Rebelodicus
New member
Possible answer ..... :shock:
17 I know that some have an Acorn allergy ... does that count ? I have seen a soft shell egg layed at the run (As in Sprint !) due to it
09 11