[pureoblivion]

Forgive me for just jumping in with a new question.  I'm new here.  I've been helping some friends look after their chickens and I'm really getting into the whole backyard chicken keeping thing, but there's a few things we can't get straight answers on no matter where we look.

First question - can chickens eat lemons or other citrus fruits???

Second question - is there an extensive list anywhere of kitchen scraps that are or are not poultry safe?  

I should probably mention they are laying hens - not being raised for meat.

[Aunt Sally]

I have always believed that citrus fruits should not be given to chickens.

Things not to feed to poultry:

• Anything that has been cooked with added salt or sugar.
• Oily fish - except tinned tuna in spring water.
• DEFRA says no meat - but that is because farm hens were fed on unhealthy meat with the risk of transmitting diseases like BSE (I think if it's safe for you to  eat it's got to be safe for hens), so your choice.
  
  
• I've always believed that avocado is toxic to hens

Lots of fresh greens including grass is very good for hens and of cause their main source of food should be layers pellets offered ad lib.  A dish of mixed poultry grit and crushed oyster shell should be available all the time.

About 1/4 of a handful of mixed corn per hen about an hour before bed time helps them keep warm over night.

In my opinion kitchen scraps should only be give as a small treat in the afternoon or the birds may be at risk of suffering from malnourishment.

Fresh water every day too and you'll have happy healthy hens and lots of eggs  

[compostqueen]

they drink huge amounts of water don't they     Mine love fresh cool water and make a bee line for it when I change it for them, they bung their heads under the Glug if it overflows     First thing they do in the morning when they're let out is drink copiously then they eat  

[henpecked]

Waste not want with our six dustbins...never tried citrus fruit though...just assumed they wouldn't like the taste!

They love:

Weetabix/museli
oats
raisins
pasta/rice (usually cook a bit extra as a treat)
greens..usually pulled from the veggie patch esp. spinach
strawberries
any cooked non-meat stuff on the whole
all in moderation...have found brown rice a godsend when pellets ran out unexpectedly and couldn't get any until the next day  

Have chosen not to give them meat as I read somewhere they can take a fancy to it and start to eat eachother but that goes to the cat anyway!

[johnie]

Hiy We have layers too and feed them allsorts of kichen scraps - tho not too much of any one thing!  ours like crusts of toast, stale cakes, apples and grapes and any cooked pasta left over (minus the sauce!), mainly veg matter though occasionally bacon rind - which they love!  We tend to feed scraps later in the day to make sure they've filled their tums with layers pellets - ensuring good quality egg supply.  Best of luck.

[pureoblivion]

Thanks for all the replies.  I think I'll steer clear of the citrus, just in case.  I gave them strawberry tops yesterday - they went mad for them when I was giving them, but then left a lot laying about.  

I have to say - despite growing up on a farm, I've learned more about chickens in the last week than I did in the whole time I was on the farm.  

[Foxy]

I too dont give meat to my hens, although if I leave the backdoor open they do sneak in and eat the catfood!!!