What NOT to feed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hi, We've been giving Chickens a bit of this n that as well as there regular feed but didn't really think what they're NOT allowed. Bread they seem to love too. Any Pointers guys?
Thanks Natalie x :)
 
We just feed them table scraps really. I beleive potatoe in some form is not good for them?
Bread would be the main for ours, they eat a lot of our mouldy bread and are very happy for it, and are nice healthy chickens in the most.
 
potatoes should be cooked not raw. I am told that avocados are poisonous to chickens, I have not checked it out! Also not to feed tomatoes to them - again, I dont know. They love things like spaghetti, brown rice, polenta (all cooked), sweet corn - even frozen ones, fruit, veg, not meat, not dairy
does that help?
 
Yes, I agree advocados are a problem - as are green potatoes and tomatoes. Potatoes as already mentioned should be cooked and red toms aren't a problem for me- mine love a few squishy toms at this time of year from the greenhouse but I'm sure there must be a reason why I shouldn't be feeding them.

Lettuce - is debatable - some feed and say it's fine but others say it effects egg numbers. It shouldn't be fed to ducks according to some top authors and it contains Laburnum (not sure how to spell this sorry) which I think makes you lethargic in big enough quantities... but I don't really know enough about this - so I just don't feed to my chooks or waterfowl.

I have never fed mouldy bread to mine and I have read somewhere in a book you shouldn't feed mouldy / spoilt food but I don't have any info on this really - so again, a bit debatable :roll:

When feeding scraps, you should really mix with layers mash - mix with a little water until you get a nice crumble. If you want birds in good condition to lay, you really should limit scraps to about 25% of their diet - pellets / mash are balanced diets and feeding too much of one thing will decrease your egg numbers. Corn should be a treat only. Fat hens don't lay eggs ;)

Here is some more info on feeding chickens

Hope this helps..

Tim
 
my pekins love red squishy tomato's, and i wonder why i should not be feeding it thm?
spaghetti is a huge favourite
though their favourite treat is mealworms
 
i was also told not to give them any meat and treats should not make up more than 20% of thier diet
 
urban-chickens said:
i was also told not to give them any meat and treats should not make up more than 20% of thier diet
Click to expand...

I was told that too - thing is that worms are meat and a lot of experienced owners swear by cat food for their chooks
 
Venessa said:
I was told that too - thing is that worms are meat and a lot of experienced owners swear by cat food for their chooks
Click to expand...

If you look at chicken feed, chickens get most of their protein from grains (like wheat). They always used to get scraps in days gone by from leftovers that included meat - but after BSE, defra made it a no-no to feed animals for human consumption / egg producing animals protein from other animals.

Feathers are 85% protein and eggs are mainly protein so during the moult, birds stop laying. Dried cat food is a good source of protein and a handful of this a few times a week during their moult can help top up birds protein levels. Dog food also contains protein but this comes from grains. Cat food protein comes from animals and is rich in amino acids that your birds need during the moult. This additional protein helps them to get back into lay after they have finished their moult.

I guess technically you shouldn't feed dried cat food to chickens because of this - but I know there are many people who do during the moult including me

I'm not sure how Defra see worms - but my chooks won't take no for an answer :lol:

Tim
 
Oh and another thing - mine love the bacon rind on a Saturday morning when I'm allowed a treat!

In general though I don't feed them meat.

Tim
 
mine love cabbages hung in the run, especially the younger ones but meal worms and their daily freerange are probably their favourite treats, they are so funny when they find something juicy from the garden, rushing around to find a quiet corner to eat it up in
 
Mine usually get my cabbages from the garden because they are so full of slugs and holes from caterpillars I can't eat them!
:lol:
 
I have to admit I don't ever feed my chooks any kind of meat. However, its part of their natural foraging diet to eat bugs, worms, slugs and so on, so of course they eat those. I'd just not give them cooked meats that humans would eat.

I do feed mine pasta, rice, cooked pots, tomatoes and veggies. They also get a small supplement of corn, some bird seed on occasion and also on cold winter mornings I give them ready brek made with warm water. Occasionally Weeabix mixed with warm water.

Other than that its free ranging and pellets.
 
Mine love tomatoes, & the windfalls from the plum tree are soon devoured!! I read that if you're going to give the chooks pasta it shouldn't be cooked with salt added, not sure if that's going a bit far!!.
Didn't know potatoes should be cooked as I've given them potatoe peelings in the past. What does it do to them if its noit cooked?
 
Lucylou said:
Mine love tomatoes, & the windfalls from the plum tree are soon devoured!! I read that if you're going to give the chooks pasta it shouldn't be cooked with salt added, not sure if that's going a bit far!!.
Didn't know potatoes should be cooked as I've given them potatoe peelings in the past. What does it do to them if its noit cooked?
Click to expand...

Peelings are fine, its just green potatoes and peelings that are toxic to them.

Mine used to eat the figs that fell from our fig trees in our old house. Also the windfall apples, pears and anything else they could nibble on.

I never use salt in cooking anyways so mine never get it via their pasta. I'd think it was because its not a normal part of their diet in that way and their bodies can't cope so well in their systems. But thats just a guess. Makes sense to me though.
 
hi,ours have regular layer pellets,but we also give them treats like occasional unsalted boiled mashed potato skins,breadcrumbs every other day ,they also eat the fallen fruit from the trees in our garden,oh and a weekly treat of live mealworms,they go mad for these as soon as they see me with the pot,lol. :lol:
 
Just a thought,but has anyone got pics of plants that are toxic to chickens,that they could post on here.The one website I visited did list plants that are toxic to chickens,but didn't supply pics of the plants.
Apparently,chickens rarely do eat them,but there is a possibility that they might.I did recognise all the names,but could only remember what deadly nightshade(belladonna)looks like.
 
RE: Finding things in the garden! :?

Because we have alot of land :D & due to having a pond in the field next to our chook field, the latest tasty item on the menu is FROGS!!! :o :lol: Young frogs are daft enough :roll: to make their way across the chook field & guess what? :?: They certainly don't make it back out! :o :shock: I've never seen such a frenzy when a chook gets a frog & there's currently 32 of them to chase 1 weedy little froggy! :twisted: :!: Usuay the young "home hatched" sussex bantams (brought up by an wise old toughened cornish game hen! :ugeek: ) end up winning as they're younger & have endless energy :lol: (they don't have to spend all day thinking about laying eggs...YET!) :roll: :!:

Not sure what DEFRA would have to say about that! :? It's not only meat but live meat too!!! :lol:

Amy x (sorry got an obsession in the little faces!!) :mrgreen:
 
What DEFRA don't know wont hurt them ;) .At the end of the day,baby frogs feed on a really tiny bug(I've forgotten the name)so they are a bug fed meat :D chickens love bugs,so just having bugs with a bit of padding :D .
Technically,you've never fed your chickens frogs.....they just happened to find a few :lol: .
 
I've heard about chooks liking frogs.
In my chook run there lives a frog but so far my chooks have left it alone but I wish they'd get it because I'm terrified of frogs :lol: I have to wear wellies in case I come across him & he jumps :lol:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top