Melon seeds and lettuce

[womble]

Can chickens eat melon seed straight out of the melon?

And also, I've just read that lettuce can give chickens colic? I always fed mine any left over lettuces and also any that have gone to seed, was I wrong?

[Suechooks]

I think the answer is try it! Like you i give mine lettuce with no probs but some find it gives them the "runs". Mine have also had melon plus seeds and pumpkin and winter squash courgette and marrow and they love them. I think its all a matter of moderation. Just don't overdo it.

[RichmondHens]

Don't think chickens can get "colic" - their digestive systems are set up differently. They rarely ingest anything inedible (unless literally starving). All that will happen is a sudden change in food can make the poo different (colour, consistency) - mine recently had a load of blackberry pulp left over from a bramble jelly making session (frozen berries from last autumn) and all the poo came out black for about 2 days!!

If they happily eat what you give them, then it will be fine!

[Two_Sheds]

Lettuce is a no-no for lots of animals, guinea pigs included. It's got little nutritional value, and does tend to give them the "runs"

Just a little as a treat (like a McDonalds) should be OK

[womble]

Don't think chickens can get "colic" - their digestive systems are set up differently. They rarely ingest anything inedible (unless literally starving). All that will happen is a sudden change in food can make the poo different (colour, consistency) - mine recently had a load of blackberry pulp left over from a bramble jelly making session (frozen berries from last autumn) and all the poo came out black for about 2 days!!

If they happily eat what you give them, then it will be fine!

Things your chickens might like to eat - Omlet Club Wiki

I do tend to give mine anything, this new lot are really funny, won't eat anything new till it has been in the run for a couple of days
I'll try the seeds, thanks all.

[AnneRatty]

My chooks are real fusspots - won't eat any of the veg I give them, but are quite happy to eat grass!

[bluemoon]

I'd been wondering about pumpkin seeds myself, so thanks. An experienced poultry keeper on our lotties says that hers love courgettes, sliced lengthways. They just eat the pulp out of the middle and leave the skins. It's encouraged me to grow courgettes this year, we don't normally eat enough to warrant even a couple of plants, and I can't seem to give them away fast enough either, but if the chooks will eat them it won't feel like such a waste.

[womble]

I always used to use the massive courgettes/marrows that somehow got missed and they loved them, as you say chop them in half.

They've decided they didn't like the seeds, but the pulp around them went down well.

After years of keeping chickens, I've only just found out what fat hen is as well , so they've been getting the weeding results and love it.

[draig]

I fed my chooks melon and they picked out all the seeds first. They really seemed to enjoy melon.

[frias]

I always used to use the massive courgettes/marrows that somehow got missed and they loved them, as you say chop them in half.

They've decided they didn't like the seeds, but the pulp around them went down well.

After years of keeping chickens, I've only just found out what fat hen is as well , so they've been getting the weeding results and love it.

What's fat hen? I take it that it's OK for chooks.

[womble]

What's fat hen? I take it that it's OK for chooks.

It's a weed.

fat hen weed - Google Image Search

[frias]

Well there's plenty of weeds in the garden so we're bound to have fat hen too. Need to find more greens for girls as local market now selling them to a rabbit breeder.

[Moony Moon]

My girls loved the half of water melon i gave them last night....went loopy for it! I still think they prefer their bananas and lettuce though.

[Maddie106]

Well there's plenty of weeds in the garden so we're bound to have fat hen too. Need to find more greens for girls as local market now selling them to a rabbit breeder.

Mine go MAD for dandelion leaves(and that's my excuse for the front garden being rather wild!) I don't give them buttercup leaves because I read somewhere that they are poisnous.Chick weed also goes down well, as does grass.

They have also made a very good job of trimming the fushia hedge at the back of their run and stand on top of their hut and jump up to get at the higher branches....it's very entertaining to watch!!

[Hilary B]

Buttercup is definitely poisonous!