As a proud owner of backyard chickens, I will not lie to you–feeding kitchen scraps and leftovers to my birds makes me feel good. Not only do I revel in giving them fresh cucumber rinds, insects chickens enjoy, or the tops of carrots, but I also appreciate the fact that they’re omnivores and can handle a broad diet. I especially like knowing that I’ve used every part of the food I buy.
Having nothing to waste gives me an overinflated sense of accomplishment which you can also share with just a bit of effort and the suitable layer feed.
Why should you feed your chicken human food?
There are several good reasons to give your backyard chickens table scraps or feed them out of your pantry.
They like the variety and enjoy fresh fruits and vegetables now and again. Also, the diversity in food provides a range of nutrients, flavors, and textures, enriching their nutritional intake beyond what’s provided in standard layer feed. If you’re raising egg layers, you’ll notice a more robust taste in your eggs when your chickens have a variety of foods to consume.
Feeding these omnivores new and interesting foods gives them something to think about. Let’s face it, a chicken’s brain is tiny. They don’t need a lot of mental stimulation–but to keep them content and engaged, they do need some. By nature, these birds can be curious creatures. Offering them different types of food can provide mental stimulation and keep them entertained, leading to a happier and healthier flock.
Providing a variety of foods promotes healthy, natural behavior in your backyard chickens. Scavenging, pecking, foraging, and scratching for food is a chicken’s instinct. Allowing them the opportunity to sift through a pile of scraps encourages their innate desires to fulfill their instinctual needs.
Feeding scraps/pantry items can also reduce the overall cost of feeding your flock, especially if you have a small backyard flock. Be sure to adjust the amount of commercial layer feed you give them when you offer them scraps.
How to collect scraps to feed chickens
One of the best ways we’ve found to collect scraps to take out to the chickens is to have a chicken bucket. Rachel Ray encourages you to have a garbage bowl on your counter to throw all your scraps in and discard them when you’re done cooking.
I’ve found that the best container for this task is an old ice cream bucket with a handle and a lid, ideal for carrying out to the eager birds awaiting their meal.
We’ve also used lemonade pitchers with handles, mixing bowls, and brownie pans.
I return to the buckets for several reasons, mostly convenience and ease of transport to the bird’s foraging area, but here are a few more reasons:
- They don’t cost me a thing. (Except for the price of the ice cream, which I would be paying anyway.)
- The shape of the bucket is perfect. Its large opening allows me to toss or dump straight from my cutting board.
- The handle makes carrying it easy–even for small children.
- The lid means I don’t have to take it out right away. In fact, I usually use it for lunch and dinner before sending it out to the coop. With the lid in place, I put it under the sink for easy retrieval for my next meal prep.
- They’re dishwasher safe. (Top level.)
- Also, because of the lid, I can put it in my fridge on hot days to provide a cool snack for the ladies.
- I’m not upset if someone leaves the bucket outside and it gets ruined. It means I get to buy more ice cream. 😉
How to Feed Chicken Scraps
Provide a clean eating space.
You must have a designated, clean area to feed your backyard chickens. Intriguing foods in their run, where their waste accumulates, can cause illness. It’s mostly common sense; after all, you wouldn’t want to eat in your bathroom, either, right?
Spread the scraps out so your backyard chickens can pick through them, inspect them, and enjoy the process. Think of it as a buffet. When you belly up to that salad bar, you like to look things over before diving in, don’t you? They do, too.
Another option is to freeze the scraps in ice-cube trays. Yes, this takes more work, but it’s a great way to help your chickens stay cool in the summer and offers an additional treat to their staple layer feed.
How old does a chicken have to be to eat human food?
According to the Murray McMurray Hatchery, chicks should be 3-4 months old before introducing new foods into their diets. Growing chicks, even backyard chickens, need a balanced diet and specific nutrients to develop properly, put on weight, and transition from chicks to adult birds.
The process of introducing new foods to your flock
When introducing new foods to your chickens, it’s essential to proceed gradually and in moderation. This can involve introducing corn or wheat into their diets step by step. This approach helps prevent digestive upset and allows you to gauge your flock’s response to different items such as new pellets or grains.
Start with small quantities when introducing a new food, like wheat or corn , and observe how your chickens respond. Gradually increase the amount over a few days while monitoring their digestion and overall well-being. This approach allows their digestive system to adjust and minimizes the risk of digestive upset from sudden changes like introducing oyster shells or grit into their diet.
Always provide your flock with fresh, clean water alongside any supplements or pantry items. Water is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, and overall hydration when consuming new items like bread or squash. Ensure that water sources are easily accessible and regularly replenished. Hydration is particularly crucial when offering dry or dehydrated treats like pellets, as it helps prevent any potential choking hazards and aids in digestion.
Like humans, chickens can have individual sensitivities or allergies to certain foods such as corn, wheat, or oyster shell grit. While the pantry items mentioned are generally safe, monitoring your flock’s reactions closely is essential. Watch for any signs of discomfort, diarrhea, or changes in behavior after introducing a new food. If you notice adverse effects, remove the food from their diet. Each chicken is unique, and adjusting their diet to accommodate individual sensitivities is key to maintaining their well-being.
What can you feed your chickens?
Many of your kitchen and pantry staples can be safely shared with your hens. This includes items like corn and wheat. Let’s look at those and then talk about what you shouldn’t feed your chickens and why.
Fruits
Fruits are a delicious and nutritious addition to your chickens’ diet. Apples, pears, watermelons, and berries are great options. Be sure to remove any seeds or pits, as they can be harmful. Cut fruits into small, bite-sized pieces to prevent choking and facilitate easy consumption. I have been known to throw half a watermelon out for the chickens to work on, but I clean up what’s left over at the end of the day. The watermelon meat is soft enough that they can manage it well, but the rind is more difficult for their small beaks.
Vegetables
Chickens enjoy a wide range of vegetables, as anyone who has had their chickens raid the garden knows all too well. Leafy greens such as lettuce, spinach, and kale are packed with vitamins and minerals. Other safe options include carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, bell peppers and corn.
Consider shredding or chopping vegetables, or grinding grains like wheat or corn, to make them more accessible to your flock.
Grains
Grains provide carbohydrates and energy for chickens. Cooked rice, pasta, wheat, and oatmeal are safe options that chickens will gladly devour. Avoid feeding uncooked grains, as they can expand in the stomach and cause digestive issues. Leftover cooked grains or bread can also be shared in moderation.
Seeds
Seeds are a natural part of a chicken’s diet and offer additional nutrients. Sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseeds, and corn kernels are safe and can be given as treats. They provide healthy fats and protein. Furthermore, incorporating a variety of whole grains like barley into their diet can supplement their protein intake. Ensure that the seeds and barley are unsalted and free from any seasonings or additives.
Legumes
Cooked legumes like lentils, chickpeas, peas, and beans (without seasonings or additives) are excellent protein sources for chickens.
Soaking and cooking legumes thoroughly, including peas, helps improve their digestibility. Mash or slightly crush the legumes to make them easier for chickens to consume.
We don’t eat a lot of beans around here, so when I make a pot, we have leftovers for days. Knowing they won’t go to waste, and that items like peas and cabbage can be added to diversify their diet, makes feeding my family these healthy items easier.
Dairy Products
While chickens cannot tolerate lactose, small amounts of plain yogurt or cottage cheese mixed with finely chopped cabbage can be given occasionally as a source of probiotics and calcium. Opt for plain and unsweetened varieties, and consider diluting the yogurt with water to reduce its thickness. My hens usually only get dairy if it’s mixed in a salad with healthy additions like ripe tomatoes, and I’m not going to wash off every spinach leaf before sending it out to the coop.
Cooked Eggs
Cooked eggs are a fantastic source of protein for chickens. Scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs (chopped or mashed), or omelets are all safe options. Avoid feeding raw eggs to prevent any potential spread of diseases or egg-eating habits.
Also, egg shells are a great source of calcium for chickens. Be sure to crush and mix them with other nutrient-dense foods such as bananas before feeding.
Herbs and Greens
Herbs and greens not only add variety to your chickens’ diet but also offer potential health benefits. Safe options include parsley, basil, mint, dandelion greens, and cilantro. These can be chopped and mixed into their feed or offered as fresh treats. You may notice a change in the flavor of the eggs when feeding herbs to your hens. Basil always seems to bring the strongest change, but I haven’t tried mint yet. Also, go ahead and give your chickens the dandelions you pull out of your lawn. (Assuming they haven’t been sprayed with fertilizer or weed killer.) They’ll love them.
Cooked Meat and Fish
Small amounts of cooked meat and fish, alongside vegetables like tomatoes, can be given as a protein-rich treat. Remove any bones, skin, or seasonings before sharing them with your chickens. This should be a rare addition to their diet rather than a staple.
Cooked Vegetables
Leftover cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, green beans, sweet potatoes, or cabbage, can be offered to chickens. These provide additional nutrients and help reduce food waste. Indeed, when you work with the birds under your care to manage your resources, there’s a sense of wholeness that can’t be found any other way.
What not to feed your chickens
While the ease of a good chicken bucket can make it tempting to throw ALL your scraps inside, there are a few items you should never feed your chickens. Some items listed below are toxic and harmful; others will upset their digestion for days.
Toxic foods
Never feed chickens chocolate, avocado, onions, garlic, and caffeine-containing items like coffee or tea. These foods can be lethal to chickens and should always be kept away from them.
Avoid feeding chickens salty snacks, sugary treats, and processed foods. Try offering them a banana instead, as it’s a healthier, more natural treat. Chips, candy, candy bars, rice krispie treats, marshmallows, microwave dinners, and the likes–all of which might be farm products to some degree–contain high sugar levels. Derived from the hard work of farmers, these can unfortunately lead to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and kidney problems if unregulated.
Salty and sugary foods
Avoid feeding chickens salty snacks, sugary treats, and processed foods. Chips, candy, candy bars, rice krispie treats, marshmallows, microwave dinners, etc., contain high sugar levels. These can lead to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and kidney problems.
Raw beans
We talked about not feeding raw foods above, and we used valuable information from studies and farmers’ experiences, but I wanted to add it to this list to ensure understanding. Raw beans, including kidney beans and even flaxseed, contain a compound called phytohaemagglutinin, which is toxic to chickens and can cause digestive problems if ingested.
Green potato peels and sprouted potatoes
Green potato peels plucked straight from the farm contain solanine, a harmful toxin that can affect chickens, much like flaxseed. Likewise, sprouted potatoes can also be toxic and should be avoided, making them and their green counterparts the dirt-encrusted feathers in the farm’s cap so to speak.
Uncooked rice
Feeding uncooked rice to chickens is controversial, prompting feathers to fly in heated discussions, but it’s generally best to avoid it. Some believe uncooked rice can swell in the birds’ stomachs, causing problems, but this is largely a myth. However, it’s still better to cook the rice to ensure easier digestion.
Citrus fruits
While small amounts of citrus fruits are not necessarily harmful, feeding large quantities of oranges, lemons, or grapefruits can upset the chickens’ digestive systems.
Avocado pits and skin
While small amounts of citrus fruits are not necessarily harmful, feeding large quantities of oranges, lemons, or grapefruits plucked from the farm can upset the chickens’ digestive systems, ruffling their feathers so to speak.
In addition to the flesh, the pits and skin of avocados contain persin, a toxin that is harmful to chickens. We avoid feeding any part of the avocado to our chickens. (Side note: If you need to store avocado in the fridge, wrap it in plastic wrap and include the pit. This will keep the fruit from turning brown during storage.)
Moldy or spoiled food
Avoid giving chickens moldy or spoiled food, as it can make them sick. If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t ask them to.
Medications and chemicals
I feel like this is another bit of common sense, but then I had a friend ask if she could give her chicken, who seemed under the weather, some baby Tylenol. No. Just. No. Never feed chickens medications, drugs, or any substances not specifically approved for poultry, regardless of the information received.
Anything that is sharp or can cause choking
Avoid giving chickens items like hard bones, sharp objects, or large pieces of food that could cause choking hazards. They don’t know enough to stay away from these items on their own, so don’t tempt them.
Greasy and fatty foods
Fatty scraps, fried foods, and greasy leftovers should be avoided as they can cause health issues and obesity in chickens. If you think this is a great way to fatten up your meat layers–you’re off the mark. Protein is much better for them, and several brands of high-protein commercial feeds enriched with flax seed will do a much better job and provide you with a wonderful end product.
You’re ready
Feeding chickens pantry items that are safe and nutritious is an excellent way to enhance their diet and provide variety. Fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, legumes, dairy products, cooked eggs, herbs, cooked meat, and cooked vegetables can all be safely shared with your flock. These additions contribute to their nutritional needs and offer mental stimulation and enjoyment.
Go ahead and start a chicken bucket of your own. It’s a fun and rewarding experience that brings an overbalanced sense of triumph to your day. Keeping chickens is rewarding on many levels, and feeding them quality scraps and pantry staples can reduce your kitchen waste and improve your flock’s daily lives and overall health.