Healthy chicken snacks are foods designed to mimic what a flock would forage for in nature and add additional nutrition without detracting from their primary food source.
Cooked eggs provide chickens with an abundant source of protein while providing calcium as well as an abundant supply of energy for energy needs. Cottage cheese makes an excellent summertime snack that provides additional hydration benefits to their bodies.
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1. Scratch Grains
Chickens are true omnivores and when allowed to roam free outside their coop they enjoy eating an abundance of grasses, seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables and insects, including bugs and worms! Their varied diet promotes overall good health while producing more nutritous and delicious eggs!
Scratch grain is an affordable and delicious treat to offer your flock. A blend of cracked corn, milo and oats, it provides chickens with protein while satisfying their natural urge to scratch around for food.
Scratch grains should only be given as treats in moderation and should be fed only in the evening when your chickens are going to roost. Too many snacks can make a chicken obese and they have difficulty producing eggs.
2. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens provide your chickens with a nutritious snack. Packed full of vitamins A, K and calcium they make the perfect complement to a daily ration or can simply be sprinkled throughout their run when temperatures soar. Dandelions also offer delicious treats which provide your flock with additional sources of A&K vitamins.
Treats should only make up a small part of your flock’s diet. Too many treats will detract from their daily ration and decrease the amount of essential nutrients they receive. Try to limit snacks high in carbohydrates or seeds/nuts that could overload their bodies with unnecessary calories.
3. Fruits
Chickens enjoy snacking on fruits and vegetables, meat scraps and organs (provided they’re not too fatty), fish as a great source of high protein nourishment, or anything that offers sustenance from nature.
Watermelons rinds provide chickens with essential vitamins and minerals while being low in sugar content. Pumpkin seeds offer additional nourishment, while their flesh serves as a natural dewormer.
Fruits should only be fed occasionally to prevent excessive weight gain, and should either be eaten raw or cooked and chopped before feeding to chickens. Stone fruit pits contain trace amounts of cyanide so these should be removed prior to feeding them to chickens. Plain, unsalted yoghurt provides an ideal protein-rich snack; however it should never replace their daily complete feed regimen.
4. Dairy
Chickens, like humans, are true omnivores who enjoy snacking on an assortment of foods. The healthiest snacks would not detract from their daily feed or consist of items they might normally forage for themselves.
Dairy products such as cottage cheese for calcium and protein and broccoli for vitamins can make great treats; small pieces of pasta also make a wonderful treat! While treats should be offered throughout the year, be mindful not to become dependent on them as sources of energy and nutrition for your flock.
Protein-rich treats may help increase egg production during molting season, but must be given sparingly to avoid oversupply and liver problems. Remember that your flock’s primary source of nutrition should always be its complete layer feed.
5. Eggs
Chickens are true omnivores that consume an array of grasses, seeds, grains, fruits, and vegetables in their natural habitats. Insects, worms and small animals also play a part in their diet as do healthy snacks to supplement what their feed provides daily.
Like humans, chickens enjoy snacking to provide energy throughout their day. Just make sure that their snacks do not contain too many fats that could lead to health issues for their flock, and do not form too large of part of their overall dietary consumption – which would compromise egg quality!
