[stujem]

Ive had my girls now for 2 weeks, they seem to be doing very well. Before I give them banana peel I thought I should get some advice if this is ok or not. Also could you give me some suggestion for treats for them. I feed them layers pellets but not given them mixed corn, do you think I should buy a bag I look forward to some replys

[joyfull]

For a treat only (the main part of their feed should be their layers feed) mine have any of the following - mixed corn with sunflower hearts and mealworms mixed in, strawberries, raspberries (these they steal from my plants  ) sweet corn, chopped tomatoes, chopped bananas, grapes and melon and its seeds. Some people boil up their veg peelings (potato peelings must always be cooked) but my girls don't like that. I tend not to give mine greens as they free range all day so get plenty of those. Hope this helps.
p.s. I wouldn't give them banana skins and never give them citrus fruits.

[Bev]

I was really surprised to see the programme on the tv recently called 'the secret life of chickens' by Jimmy whatnot, the guy who did the other programmes about rearing his own pigs and stuff. Any way a chicken on that ate a whole mouse down in one!

They said that chickens are very versatile and will eat almost any thing.

I have been giving my chickens any left overs of our food - particularly what my toddler leaves including cherios! I drain the milk out of them as much as poss as I don't think they digest milk too well. They leave what they don't want any way.

Mine love fruit (not citrus) especially any kind of berries, rice, pasta, cooked veg, lettuce, cake, biscuit, I give them the outer leaves and stalk from cabbage and broccli and it gets eaten down to the very centre part of the stalk.

They won't eat tomatos, cucumber or citrus fruit.

They like meat but I don't give them much as I tend to give it to my dogs. You shouldn't give them chicken or egg!

Hope this helps

Bev

[Junie]

I have a sheet that I got off the internet, but now cannot find.  It says you can give them most food - as treats only. 
As said before - potato peelings should cooked.  Onions avoided if meat birds and in VERY small amounts if layers.
Nothing sugared or salty
No raw eggs, but cooked are ok - mine love scrambled
No Citrus
No Avocado
No chocolate.
Feed starch and fats in moderation.
My girls have these for treats, not as a main meal - it used to be the easiest way to get them back into the henhouse, one shout of Boe, boes and a bang of their tin and they were back!
Hope this helps, and is not completely wrong

[animartco]

I am not totally sure of these facts, but I have heard feeding scraps is OK but not with cheese or milk mixed up in them, and not if you you use more than one pinch of salt when cooking. I am sure there must be a few other things in our diet which could poison them, but don't know any more

[henamoured]

One of my chx found a mouse the cat had caught today and gulped it down in one. She had the tail hanging out of her beak and the others chased her round the garden trying to get it from her. Glad to say they didn't pull it back out of her mouth This is the second mouse she's eaten and I can't say I approve (I try to find them first and put them in the bin). Having said that she doesn't seem to suffer any ill effects so I suppose they can manage a lot more than we'd think.

[Caralou]

I have the same problem henamoured   With 6 cats and a field full of wildlife behind they leave at least one present every day - I'm starting to think they have an arrangement going with the chooks as they used to leave them on the patio where the chooks couldn't get but they now leave them by the chicken house!  

I give mine occasional corn in the evenings and other fruit or veg late afternoon. Mine all love tomatoes and lettuce on the occasions they get it but their favourite by far is pasta so they love worming time as I coat the pasta with the flubenvet mix - after seven days they screech at the gate wondering why they can't have any more  

[Junie]

About the chicken with a mouse, I saw one of my Co-Nu's catch and eat 2 shrews last year ( at different times) She dropped one and there was a race between about 5 chooks to get this poor little shrew - it didn't get away, but they certainly seemed to enjoy the chase!  So even if the cat does not leave them behind, they may be able to catch them themselves - it was certainly a surprise to me - they could make our JRT redundant!

[henamoured]

I wondered if the cat and chx had an arrangement too! They were eating his cat food until the mice were available!
I suppose if they can catch them themselves then it must be alright but it does put me off their eggs a bit - illogical I know...

[joyfull]

besides mice they also love frogs 

[webwahm]

Why shouldn't you give raw eggs, when they sometimes eat their own anyway?

[tesni]

I've always thought raw egg was a no-no so that they don't get a taste for it then make the link and start eating the eggs they lay - not a good habit and hard to break.  I want the eggs   
There may be more reasons that more experienced members are aware of but that's good enough for me! 

[webwahm]

ahhh see I don't mind if they eat one or two - we often have too many anyway.

[stujem]

Once again great tips from a great site. Thank you all for all the advice

[Tattyanne456]

mine loooovvvve mealworms as a treat. Its really comical when they all come running when I call them, its a great way of getting them back in the run if I need to go out.