Feeding veg scraps

Discuss, share and chat about all things relating to keeping Chickens including health issues
Post Reply
grasshopper30
Learner Laner
Posts: 20
Joined: 02 May 2007, 13:39

Feeding veg scraps

Post by grasshopper30 »

I usually just chuck all veg scraps and 'green' waste into the coup, is there anything veg wise that I should avoid?

User avatar
Richard
Lord Lane of Down...... Site Owner
Posts: 30037
Joined: 26 Apr 2007, 22:48
Gender: Male
Location: Ashford, Kent, UK

Post by Richard »

Hello,

Mine seem to eat pretty much anything of household scraps and left overs.
I have to admit I tend to look at it...if I can eat it, so can they (veggie wise, not fresh cream cakes etc!!).

If they don't like it, they won't touch it. They're pretty perceptive to what's good for them and what's not.
They are naturally woodland creatures, so are street wise to scraping around and not eating what they don't want.

Bit like cats again, lick the gravy and leave the meat!!

The only thing I can think of which they don't usually touch are potatoes and onion skins.

Maybe someone else knows different.

Cheers, Richard
New Member? Get more from the Forum and join in 'Members Chat' - you're very welcome
User avatar
Willow
Legendary Laner
Posts: 4456
Joined: 03 Jul 2007, 13:11
Gender: Female
Location: Newport, Gwent, South Wales

Post by Willow »

I tried mine on tinned sweetcorn yesterday after reading a post on here which said they love it... Yep, they love it!!
Mine eat anything they find for themselves including veg. seedlings, lettuce, beetroot boiled or raw(favourite!) fresh peas (absolute favourite!).. Next year the ladies are going to find a fence around the veg patch, topped in barbed wire, search lights and look out towers!!
I've found there are foods they dont like, potatoes being one, boiled or not, carrot 'leaves' being another - they are pretty selective..
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"

Albert Einstein
Phil Black Rock
Lively Laner
Posts: 230
Joined: 02 May 2007, 10:30
Gender: Male
Location: Barnsley

Post by Phil Black Rock »

Green grapes, then sweetcorn all the birds love it.
At Aldi or Lidle their sweetcorn is 19 pence a tin, at Tesco £1.75 for 3. Guess where we buy ours.
Phil*
User avatar
wibble5
Learner Laner
Posts: 28
Joined: 11 Jun 2007, 12:46
Location: Hull

Post by wibble5 »

I discovered the other day that mine like cheese!?? :shock: I only gave them a few crumbs though as I don't know if it's good for them. But I'm sure they'd have eaten a full block if I'd put it out! Does anyone else have cheese-loving chickens??

It never ceases to amaze me what they'd eat if I let them. They've had cooked potatoes, carrots, peppers, toast, curry, you name it, though strangely they turned their noses up at broccoli after I'd cooked it, but not before! Top of the charts are iceberg lettuce and sweetcorn (yes, I've discovered the 19p Lidl tins too!). I always leave corn and pellets out, which I never see them eating, but I guess they must be as they are great layers. I am now eating omelettes with alarming regularity...
Morgs
Lively Laner
Posts: 138
Joined: 26 Jun 2007, 18:24
Gender: Female
Location: Newcastle Emlyn

Post by Morgs »

It's taken me a while to get my chooks to eat anything other than corn and pellets, but now they like

One weetabix between four of them, mashed up with bit of hot water
Ditto for porridge
Grapes
Mixed, dried fruit
Mealworms (dried, they love these best of all)
cream crackers

...mine won't touch veg or bread or any other type of fruit.
AnnaB
Legendary Laner
Posts: 1499
Joined: 01 May 2007, 19:14
Location: Nr Stratford-upon-Avon

Feeding veg scraps

Post by AnnaB »

These girls have us around their little claws. Its the same with mine, one will eat this and another that. The new ones have taken the lead from last years girl and whatever she runs for they follow. Corn time in the afternoon is still the best!
Sarah S
Learner Laner
Posts: 7
Joined: 10 May 2007, 19:59
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire

Post by Sarah S »

On the grounds that it is all veggie and that garlic is meant to be good for deterring worms, mine get past-its-best humous occasionally. That has got to be one of their favourites, along with porridge, rice, sweetcorn, grapes, weetabix, pasta, etc. They don't get excited about green veg but that might be because they have free range of the garden and eat grass all day long.
User avatar
melons
Legendary Laner
Posts: 1837
Joined: 31 May 2007, 14:05
Location: Camb's

fruit "n" that

Post by melons »

I've just got mine to eat grapes...finally 8)
They love their meal worms, spaggetti with olive oil (their fav), brown bread, lettuce & now cabbage. I read that marmite on toast is very good for them, especially after any stress or illness, x1 slice a week I think?
They are also finally seeing pellets as food, mixed with grain, so much so that their layers mash is now 2nd best to it.
I'm going to try porridge tomorrow as everyone elses seem to like it.
None of this is given till tea time, so they do get the benefit of all their pellets, grit & oyster shell etc :-D
We have chicken races in the garden when they see their white bowl coming down the garden, they can reach quite a speed :razz:
Cheers
mel x
User avatar
wibble5
Learner Laner
Posts: 28
Joined: 11 Jun 2007, 12:46
Location: Hull

Post by wibble5 »

don't know about marmite but I sometimes spread a bit of olive oil on a bit of brown bread, probably about once a week, and they go for that like crazy, and it's supposed to be good for em as it lubricates their innards, or something!! it's totally true, they wind you round their little fingers. I can't even open an envelope without one of them hearing the crackly sound and racing up and giving me those cute, pleading eyes... x
User avatar
Willow
Legendary Laner
Posts: 4456
Joined: 03 Jul 2007, 13:11
Gender: Female
Location: Newport, Gwent, South Wales

Post by Willow »

Gertrude has found the kitchen door!!!! we were in the sitting room yesterday cooing at the kittens when we heard a cluck from the kitchen! I then made the big mistake of giving her some cat food which she absolutely loved (felix)and now we cant get her and her mates away from the kitchen door - or her out of the kitchen itself!!
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"

Albert Einstein
Sarah S
Learner Laner
Posts: 7
Joined: 10 May 2007, 19:59
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire

Post by Sarah S »

Oooh, check the ingredients on the cat food ... could be some chicken in there somewhere. Grim!
User avatar
Willow
Legendary Laner
Posts: 4456
Joined: 03 Jul 2007, 13:11
Gender: Female
Location: Newport, Gwent, South Wales

Post by Willow »

Definately Rabbit!! )t'
"Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"

Albert Einstein

Post Reply