Whether you want to raise your own chickens or you just love your pets, you need to know what they eat besides chicken feed. Here are a few things that you can feed your chickens to keep them happy and healthy.
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Cheese
Besides chicken feed, cheese is a great treat for chickens. It’s a great source of protein and calcium, which boosts their immune system and keeps them healthy. It also contains vitamins A, D, K, and zinc, which help prevent osteoporosis.
Cheese is a nutrient-rich food, but it can be tricky to digest for chickens. It’s also high in calories, so you should be careful about how much you feed your birds.
Some cheeses are easier to digest than others. If you want to give your birds cheese, try giving them low-fat cheese, such as mozzarella. You can also try giving them shredded cheese, which is easier to chew.
Oats
Besides chicken feed, oats are another food that is sometimes added to chickens’ diet. Oats contain many nutrients that chickens need. They are rich in fiber and protein, and they also contain vitamins and minerals. But, too much of this food can be harmful to chickens.
Oats are high in fiber, but they also contain beta-glucan, which can interfere with the digestive process of chickens. The beta-glucan can inhibit nutrient uptake and cause a thick gel to form in the intestines. This gel can block vital nutrient absorption. This can lead to diseases, including hypomagnesemia, which affects the calcium and vitamin D levels in the blood.
Greens
Besides chicken feed, greens are an important part of a healthy chicken diet. Aside from being tasty, many greens are packed with vitamins and minerals. Choosing the right greens for your flock can make a world of difference in their health and well being.
It is important to understand that many of the most important vitamins and minerals for your chicken are located in dark leafy greens. However, too much of the sugars found in these greens can have negative health effects on your flock. In addition to containing a good amount of vitamin A, collard greens contain antioxidants.
Other greens to look for include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale. Each of these veggies is rich in vitamins and minerals and are a good source of fiber.
Sunflower seeds
Adding sunflower seeds to your chicken’s diet is a fun and healthy way to give your feathered friends some extra protein. These seeds are rich in vitamins, minerals, and essential oils. They are also a good source of fat, making them a healthy addition to your bird’s diet.
Sunflower seeds are also a good source of fiber. This is an important nutrient for your chickens, as it helps them digest their food. They will also benefit from the vitamin E that sunflower seeds contain. This vitamin is important to fight diseases like coccidiosis.
Sunflower seeds can be given to your chickens in the fall or in the winter months. They help keep them warm and are a great boost of energy during the cold months.
Frozen peas
Adding peas to your chicken’s diet is an ideal way to boost their nutritional content. These legumes are rich in vitamins and minerals. They can also provide calcium for good egg production.
Peas are an excellent source of protein. However, they should not be the only source of nutrition for your chickens. Chickens need a minimum of 16% protein in their diet. For that, they need a commercial feed that is formulated to meet their needs at each stage of development.
Peas also provide calcium, vitamins, and minerals. They are a good source of antioxidants and vitamin A. They are also full of magnesium and selenium.
Worms
Besides chicken feed, worms are another healthy, nutrient-rich food for chickens. They provide a high-digestible protein source, and chickens love them. They also provide calcium, iron, and manganese. They can be purchased from Amazon or local pet stores. Buying live worms requires an investment.
You can also purchase dry worms to feed your chickens. They’re 98 percent identical to live worms, and the worms are treated with a special freeze drying process to keep them whole.
When you feed your chickens worms, you may notice that they spend a lot of time hunting for them. They may even dig deep to find them.
You can purchase dried worms online or at your local pet store. You’ll want to check the species of the worms before buying.
