[oborne27]

Can anyone tell me if sunflower hearts - the seed without the outer case- is OK to give to my 2 chooks? thye are rich in protein and energy.
thanks

[Rubellite]

I feed them to mine in their corn mix (I don't feed pellets, just a mix of grain and seed).
I was told not to feed them too many as it might make the eggs oily.
My lot love them and pick them out first. 

[joyfull]

mine love them as well - I mix mine in with their mixed corn and some meal worms. Never noticed my eggs tasting or looking oily though - perhaps mine don't get enough 

[Beano]

Sorry to butt in but can you give them whole sunflower seeds?
That's what we feed our wild birds and if the little birds can eat them with no problems I cant see why not chickens.
We also give the chickens some of the wild birds peanuts chopped up.
The robins and sparrows pop in to eat the chickens pellets why not the other way round!

[grumpydad]

mine have both, the hearts as a treat, but they will still eat the ones that have fallen out of the wild bird feeders in the garden

[joyfull]

I've never tried the whole ones just the hearts 

[too many girls]

i remember reading somewhere that sun flower seeds were not the best thing for chooks,

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=7905.msg89133#msg89133

[Beano]

No sunflower seeds then.
What about the peanuts? They get them occasionally, twice a week at the most as a treat.

[beulah59]

Mine get a handful of sunflower hearts from time to time ... but they really don't like the whole seeds so I don't bother.

If I don't give them any, they steal the ones under the bird feeders in any case!