Brussels

[HilierWard]

Are they allowed to eat sprout trees and Brussels? They aren't harmful to chooks are they?

Thought I'd check - don't want to anything to harm the fluff bots xx

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi having read that they eat them ,I thought I would try a stalk . I cut off brussels as well 89pence cost . They use the brussels as footballs and bury them hid them in the corners all sorts of places. Just like my children. So if they can eat them they chose not to. White cabbage goes well but the green cabbage is not eaten much .Caulis are good . I chop the thick centre of leaves up into small bits and they eat that as well .Love lettuce but not to be given in large ammounts I think as up sets tums. Apples are eaten by some girl bannanas go quick also. I have seen them eat oranges aslso which I was surprised at.
Chickens pretty clever they eat what the like and avoid the things not good for them .
Bob

[Mo]

A lot of people hang up cabbages to entertain them. Mine never got many of the sprouts but they pecked the green off the 'trees', and ate the peelings.

Mine wouldn't eat carrot peel and I wouldn't give potato (the green peel is poisonous and the rest indigestible or no nutritional value, according to war-time Dig-For-Victory advice). They love melon seeds and can find flesh on a rind that my teeth can't get. Same with sweetcorn cobs.

[bikesandbirdsbob]

They peck at bones to get the meat , trouble is with a dog a lot of jealousy and then bad results happen . Stick to cat food etc as goes quick ,sardines as well tomatoes . Know peas do not attract alot of attention either.
bob

[KathJ]

My girls love a sprout stick, they peck at the sprouts until there's hardly anything left. I usually get them most weeks until the supermarkets stop selling them (we meant to grown our own this year but forgot to get the seeds until it was too late ) They also love cabbage but wouldn't go anywhere near a banana when I tried them with one and are a bit wary of an apple because it rolls away. The are fussy little girls

[Richard]

Sprouts off the stalk, one of their favourites. I have a photo somewhere but can't find it.

Chickens seem to be pretty on target with what's not good for them, they'll eat something but not something else !!

Down the Lane | Chickens and the Vegetable Patch



Richard

[HilierWard]

Thanks everyone - Doh I am silly, spouts are small cabbages - and I do give them cabbage!

They are fussy indeed Kath - they only eat apples when I cut them up - they wont touch them whole!

Last summer, they ran off with broad bean pods - google said they were poisonous to chickens, so Im wary with new things.

They absolutely adore blueberries, but their poo turned an alarming colour!

[Richard]

Broad Bean Pods?

Haven't heard of that, but they eat the cooked one's in amongst the other left over vegetables here.

Be interested if anyone else has heard this.

Richard

PS. Not silly at all Hilier, we've all been there

[Bluefinch]

My neighbour's chickens used to eat cabbage and cauli leaves but my girls don't touch them. They are all different.

[HilierWard]

That will be a "no" then - the sprout sticks have not been touched!

[Bluefinch]

Interesting to see what they all like or don't like. My girls won't even peck at corn on the cob but if I take the corn off then they eat it! They love all pasta, rice, noodles etc and some veg but not interested in apples. They liked the sardines I gave them the other day - had not thought of giving them meat as don't want to encourage the neighbour's dog but then if the chooks like it they will eat it straightaway anyway. They are not keen on cabbage leaves but I remember my neighbour's chickens loving them.

[ChookDee]

My girls love cauliflower and cabbage, I regularly hang these up for them as a treat and to give them something to do!
Have never thought about sprouts but will give it a go and see how they get on.

[KarenE]

Mine have stripped my sprouts bare before they even developed into sprouts - if I could find sticks cheap I would get them one. Cabbages they have left but have eaten before. Mine adore lettuce and have scoffed the 2 old ones that bolted. They are not interested in apples, pity because I have loads of them! They are all very different

[bikesandbirdsbob]

Hi still finding brussels untouched and been in the coop for days . They just do not want to know. May cut them into small bits and mix in with cabbage . Might fool them.
Bob

[ChickenCarol]

Mine will only eat apples if I peel them so you could try that. I think they find it difficult to get past the skin but once peeled they apples and pears.