Backyard chickens get most of their nutrition from daily feed, but treats and table scraps may help provide essential vitamins and minerals. An overly treat-heavy diet could lead to soft eggs or feather damage.
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Berries
Chickens can be kept busy and entertained by hanging food from a feeder, placing treats into treat balls for them to roll around with, or offering pieces of watermelons, berries, apples, melons or other fruits as treats. Many of these treats are healthy for their flock but some items such as cheese, avocado pits and skins, citrus, chocolate or moldy bread should be avoided in order to prevent illness spreading through their flock.
Berries are an all-time favorite among backyard chickens and an excellent source of vitamin C, calcium, magnesium potassium and folate. Strawberries should only be given occasionally due to their high sugar content which could result in loose droppings if consumed too frequently. Juniper berries (from the Juniper tree) provide another healthy option and help strengthen immune systems; Goji or Wolfberry berries (commonly referred to as Goji Berries) should only be provided in small doses as these treats contain various essential minerals and vitamins.
Nuts
Chickens enjoy snacking on raw and roasted nuts and seeds alike, such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds – either shelled or unshelled, making it easy for them to find in your garden, while black oil sunflower seeds that contain healthy linoleum are especially great as treats during molting season.
Cucumber is another fan favorite among flock members, as this low-cal veggie provides vital vitamins and potassium nutrients. Cucumber makes an especially great snack during those cold winter days when chickens spend most of their time indoors.
As chickens depend on their complete feed for essential vitamins and minerals, any treats or snacks given as treats must not become part of their daily diet. Overeating can lead to obesity, malnutrition, disease, crop failures and ongoing problems for farmers. Furthermore, chickens only possess approximately 350 tastebuds so what one chicken may enjoy could cause another one’s beak to turn up in disgust.
Seeds
Watermelons and cantaloupe seeds make delicious treats for chickens during hot summer days; these seeds help keep the flock hydrated and are packed with protein. Pumpkin and squash seeds also make tasty treats; easily digestible treats offering many nutrients.
Carrots provide another healthy treat for your flock; rich in beta carotene, carrots can aid in digestion, eye health and cell renewal – whether eaten raw or cooked! Plus they’re an excellent source of Vitamin A!
Try sprouting some of your garden vegetables or kitchen scraps for your flock; it’s simple and economical! Just remember to treat your flock moderately along with their regular chicken food to avoid feather loss or reduced egg production due to overindulgence of treats, or too many treats leading to them fighting among themselves and potentially inflicting injury on one another. Too many treats could even lead to them fighting among themselves!
Fruit
Give your chickens treats as part of a rewarding and enriching flock experience! However, it’s essential that any treats given are both safe and nutritionally sound – too many treats could lead to nutritional imbalances within their flock.
Too much banana may lead to diarrhea in poultry. Also, eating too many seeds could result in dehydration for your flock. As such, treats should only be offered occasionally so your flock doesn’t become used to them and expect them on every visit.
Dandelion greens make an excellent treat that’s both healthy and entertaining for your flock, packed with Vitamin A, potassium, iron and calcium. Use them as snacks or mix into high protein feed for a tasty nutritional boost; or sprinkle them on the ground to encourage foraging! For added fun during wintertime consider freezing any extra greens to use as additional sources of nutrition!
