K is for Kale!

 

 

 

The weather has been absolutely dreadful of late. Yet the hens love to be outside - having said that, having just checked the henhouse  (6.30pm Tuesday) they are all in for the night.

Around teatime I always throw them a small supper - tonight it was bread and kale. Whilst I have witnessed some hens eating raw kale ours prefer it cooked - and with bread! lol!

 

It is quite amazing what the hens will eat.....

 

This is a list of everything you can feed a chicken. However, everybody's chickens have their own tiny brains full of likes and dislikes, so while one person's chickens may come running for grapes or watermelon, another person's chickens may turn up their pointy little beaks at it. Anything on this list is worth a try.

Treat	Type	General Opinions
Apples	Raw and applesauce	Apple seeds contain cyanide, but not in sufficient quantities to kill.
Asparagus	Raw or cooked	Okay to feed, but not a favorite.
Bananas	Without the peel	High in potassium, a good treat.
Beans	Well-cooked only, never dry	Also, greenbeans.
Beets	Greens also.	.
Berries	All kinds	A treat, especially strawberries.
Breads	All kinds - good use for stale bread or rolls	Feed starches in moderation.
Broccoli & Cauliflower	.	Tuck into a suet cage and they will pick at it all day.
Cabbage & Brussels Sprouts	Whole head -	Hang a whole cabbage from their coop ceiling in winter so they have something to play with and greens to eat.
Carrots	Raw and cooked	They like carrot foliage too.
Catfood * (see bottom of page)	Wet and dry	Feed in strict moderation, perhaps only during moulting * (see bottom of page)
Cereal	Cheerios, etc.	Avoid highly sugared cereal such as Cocopuffs, etc.
Cheese	Including cottage cheese	Feed in moderation, fatty but a good source of protein and calcium
Corn	On cob and canned, raw and cooked	.
Crickets (alive)	Can be bought at bait or pet-supply stores.	Great treat – provides protein and it’s fun to watch the chickens catch them.
Cucumbers		Let mature for yummy seeds and flesh.
Fish / Seafood	Cooked only.
Fruit	Pears, peaches, cherries, apples
Grains	Bulgar, flax, niger, wheatberries,etc.	.
Grapes	Seedless only. For chicks, cutting them in half makes it easier for them to swallow.	Great fun - the cause of many entertaining "chicken keepaway" games.
Grits	Cooked
"Leftovers"	Only feed your chickens that which is still considered edible by humans, don't feed anything spoiled, moldy, oily, salty or unidentifiable.
Lettuce / Kale	Any leafy greens, spinach collards, chickweed included.	A big treat, depending on how much other greenery they have access to.
Mealworms	Available at pet supply stores or on the internet, although shipping is expensive!	A huge(!) favourite treat, probably the most foolproof treat on the books.
Meat scraps of any kind.	Not too fatty.	In moderation, a good source of protein
Melon	Cantelope, etc.	Both seeds and flesh are good chicken treats.
Oatmeal	Raw or cooked	Cooked is nutritionally better.
Pasta / Macaroni	Cooked spaghetti, etc.	A favourite treat, fun to watch them eat it, but not much nutrition.
Pomegranates	Raw	Seeds are a big treat.
Popcorn	Popped, no butter, no salt.
Potatos / Sweet	Cooked only - avoid green parts	Starchy, not much nutrition
Pumpkins / Winter Squash	Raw or cooked	Both seeds and flesh are a nutritious treat.
Rice	Cooked only	Pilaf mixes are okay too, plain white rice has little nutrition.
Sprouts	Wheat and oat sprouts are great!	Good for greens in mid-winter.
Sunflower Seeds	Sunflower seeds with the shell still on is fine to feed, as well as with the shell off.	A good treat, helps hens lay eggs and grow healthy feathers.
Tomatos	Raw and cooked.
Watermelon	Served cold, it can keep chickens cool and hydrated during hot summers.	Seeds and flesh are both okay to feed.
Yogurt	Plain or flavoured	A big favourite and good for their digestive systems. Plain is better.

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