What can chickens eat?

[petal]

We have finally got our chickens. Bec, Hetty and Sarah and dear little things they are. They have ad lib growers pellets, grit, have had pumpkin slice, bit of cabbage, sliced apple- what else can they have or not have as the case might be.
Also do cats pose a problem for them. Ours got a sharp peck on the nose when she went to investigate but some of the cats around here are enormous. Should I put a bit of mesh over the top of their area? (8 foot by 6 foot)They get locked in at night.

[MaureenHall]

Make sure they fill up on pellets as this contains all the essentials. Also give them greens (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower leaves, sprout leaves, turnip tops etc) this makes the egg yolks a really lovely deep colour and very tasty too! I cook potato peelings and add them to pellets and hot water to make a porridgy mash when it's cold. Mixed corn can be given as a treat just before bedtime - about a handful scattered on the ground. They also love pasta, but again not too much - fat chickens don't lay as much as fit ones Try them with grapes, tomatoes, anything really, just don't overdo it, keep treats for treat time.

Cats aren't usually a problem, the chickens can stand up for themselves. It's dogs you need to worry about - and foxes

Good luck

[frias]

Ditto all that Maureen says.
I did have a cat once that dragged 5 rabbits through the cat flat one night. She also had numerous other catches, rats, pigeons etc. never a chicken though. Although I don't think anyone else has any around here. Heard a hell of a noise one night and she was having an argument with a fox which then ran off.
I came home late on Wed night and there was a massive fox in our road. I couldn't sleep for thinking about the girls. Even though I know they were locked up for the night. How fox proof is fox proof?

[Bephlam]

I'm sure mine would eat the cats if I covered them in porridge, spinach, poultry spice, etc.

They eat anything...and everything. Although mine aren't keen on potato peelings...for some reason.

But yeah..everything Maureen and frais said....and more!!!

Just make sure you leave them to fill up on their pellets morning...and give them their treats afternoon, just before bed!

[terrier]

I'm afraid I tend to overdo the mixed corn as the chooks really like it and I often share my morning porridge with them. I suppose that's why the egg production has dropped off Oh well, wide eyed and eggless

[Sue]

Favourite with my hens not mentioned so far:

raw corn on the cob
sprays of millet
strawberries
blackberries
cooked rice
cooked crushed potatoes
dampened wholemeal bread
sunflower seeds

Their most favorite treat of all is a trug of hand-cut grass with berries, crumbs and insects mixed up, they have a lovely time raking through it all.


Dig up any large roots - I had one from an old gooseberry bush and put this in the run for them to investigate and pick out little particles of grit and insects.

Another boredom buster is to put large piles of fallen leaves in their run, again much fun is had raking through it all and in return you get your leaves stripped of slugs and insects, mixed up with chicken poo, mashed up and perfect for the compost heap or leaf bin.

best wishes
Sue

[petal]

Thanks for all your advice. I have looked around at other tall sided coops and they don't seem to have mesh on the top. I might put it on anyway, now you mention foxes. Our labrador loves the chickens but can't understand why they don't want to be her friend and peck her nose. The cat is now looking at them with utter disdain after having her nose savaged. They are in the rabbit run at the moment, whilst we complete their enclosure. I thought about putting bark on the floor for them to scratch about in after seeing what they can do to grass!

[Two_Sheds]

chickens love weeds: Fat Hen, Chickweed ...

[Flummery]

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread - but do they like chard? I do - we love it - but I notice it's the only type of green the pigeons don't try to strip so I thought I'd grow more next year. Any reason - too acid? If so, won't hens eat it - or will they eat it and be ill? Anyone know?

[vicky]

It's more a case of what DON'T chickens eat... Ours have only ever turned their beaks up at cabbage white caterpillars and burnt homemade biscuits, other than that they'll happily tuck into everything! Just remember moderation!
Flum, ours eat spinach beet which is pretty similar to chard, with no ill effects!

[Two_Sheds]

do they like chard? ...I notice it's the only type of green the pigeons don't try to strip

It was sparrows that stripped my chard and beetroot leaves in springtime; I had to net the plants in the end.

[MaureenHall]

My chooks had my chard that had gone to seed - they loved it!!

[Flummery]

Ok ta folks. Big pack of chard seeds goes on my £10 T&M voucher!

[di]

Ours also eat chard,but I try to restrict them to only a few leaves....I'm sure it was someone on here that said too much can have a similar effect as too much lettuce?

[HayleyB]

Our cat is petrified of the chooks

Our chooks love grapes and brussels and most of all dried mealworms