Healthy snacks for chickens provide variety in their diet while aiding with digestion and stimulating their appetite.
Keep in mind that treats should never replace a complete and balanced feed for their pet; rather they should act as an enhancement.
Foods that reflect what a flock would find when foraging for sustenance in nature such as insects and greens make ideal snacks.
Cooked Eggs
Just like humans, chickens appreciate having a mid-morning snack to fuel them through the day. Chicken treats should only be given occasionally so as not to become their sole source of energy and source.
Eggs are an excellent source of protein and can be enjoyed many ways, from hard-boiling, scrambling and frying to hard-boiled. Only feed cooked eggs to your flock as raw ones could encourage them to start eating their own eggs which could prove hazardous for their wellbeing.
Peas are an enjoyable and nutritious treat for your flock that are high in both protein and fiber, providing them a protein boost during molting season to boost protein levels, but should only be fed occasionally to avoid creating phosphate deficiencies.
Grass, leafy greens and fruits can make great treats for your chickens. Not including avocado, raw onion or tomatoes (which contain toxins that could harm them) as these could harm their wellbeing as well as chocolate (which contains caffeine and theobromine that is toxic for chickens) in their diet will ensure maximum variety for them.
Fish
Although chickens can eat most foods, it is essential that you understand which treats are appropriate for your flock and which should be avoided. Common foods like chocolate, tomatoes and raw beans can be toxic to birds while others such as garlic and onions can alter egg flavor or cause illness – including avocado pits which contain toxin which could make eggs bitter or cause illness in poultry.
Certain fruits and vegetables make nutritious snacks for chickens, but only when fed in moderation. Berries like strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are especially beloved among chickens as a source of vitamin C and fiber; apples, figs and persimmons can also make tasty additions. To ensure your flock receives enough fruits and veggies try growing dwarf varieties, purchasing seasonally or forming agreements with neighbors to share windfalls from them.
Treats should consist of foods that differ from what would normally be provided in their daily feed ration, to prevent overfeeding of seeds, grains, nuts or carbs that deprive their bodies of essential nutrients. Offering treats that require challenge for pecking can keep hens entertained for some time! Introducing treats which challenge or interest them further is another great way to ensure everyone remains content!
Meat Scraps
Just about everything humans consume can be fed to chickens, though certain items should be avoided. A quick glance at the table below will provide guidance as to which treats are toxic for your flock and which are safe.
Snacks should be provided on a regular basis to complete a flock’s diet and should supplement it in terms of health and variety of nutrition. Snacking should mimic what a chicken might find forageable in nature while adding any missing elements from their complete formula feed diet.
Scratch grains, garden weeds, dried larvae or mealworms, fodder and sprouted seeds can all make nutritious snacks to offer your flock. You can scatter these items around their coop/run, place in feeders or simply offer as they prepare to roost at sunset. It is best to offer too many snacks at one time as this could detract from their complete nutrition provided through their layer feed formula; only 10% of their daily nutritional needs should come from snack offerings to ensure all their needs are being met via their feed alone.
