I've been trying to 'inform' myself about what's good for chickens and what's not. I think I recall reading or hearing that regular lettuce was not good for them. Any body know?
Is regular 'head' lettuce ok for chickens
Mine sure don't complain. If it's greens and not poisonous, they eat it.
I got some chickens from a chicken breeder who said basically anything is okay for chickens to eat. I have heard that raw potato peels aren't good for them, as they are hard to digest. regular lettuce is probably fine, mine like it. If you are going for nutrients, iceburg lettuce probably isn't a great choice, since it is mostly water. But fine for some fun!
I belong to a group that caters for weddings and such and had a bunch of left over salad. They thought it would be good for my chickens. I gave them, but they don't seem real interested in it. They would much rather have some chicken scratch.
I am always surprised at what my HENrietta eats. She lives in the backyard with my dog and when I bring scraps out to the dog, she eats with him. I won't go into details, but lets just say she isn't a vegeterian- lol!
My cat or dog caught a mouse and left it laying around. The chickens found it and it was 'funny' to watch them all run after the one who had it and try to take it away.
My grandma's pet White Rock hen will eat the dry dog food right out of the dogs dish. I'm sure the chickens would like suet too. I used to make my old hens a homemade suet recipe which is peanuts, lard, quick oats and wheat flour with sunflower seeds or chicken scratch in it.
I've heard that ground flax was good to give them. It helps make the eggs better for you. Has anybody tried that?
Halnik, I'm sure it's good for them and us, but I think the flax craze is a little overdone. Everything in moderation. If chickens eat a variety of bugs, berries, seeds, and greens, their eggs are going to be about as good for you as possible (those Omega threes we hear so much about are in lots of things). My hens have flax seed in their feed, but I don't think it's a magic bullet or anything.
My hens are definitely more interested in lettuce, spinach, peppers, etc when there in no grass on the ground. When it is summer, they are pretty much happy with whatever is growing.
In the winter you can put a pine branch in your coop and the girls will strip it of all the bark and the needles in a day. or put in a head of lettuce and they will roll it around and peck at it until it is gone. I like to do things like that when they are cooped up (literally!!) in the winter, so they don't pick on each other.
So I'd try the lettuce, etc. again after it snows.
Ok, I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm already doing. The yolks are already almost a red/orange color, so I guess they're already better for us then store bought.
They probably wouldn't eat the salad because it had dressing on it. :) Ours eat lettuce, anything green and it is good for their yolk, feathers, etc.
Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value
but you can give it to them,it won't hurt them
I give mine leaf lettuce and swiss chard
I have a couple of Frizzles that will fight any of the others for tomatoes.
Mine love pasta of any kind. However, grapes are the hands down favorite.
Mine seem to love anything red. Tomatoes are their favorites, but watermelon is right up there too. And greens, they keep the yard weed free.
My grandma's chickens always loved cucumber seeds and picking on leftover corn on the cob.
Those monster zucchinis that hide under the leaves: slit em lengthwise and there'll be nothing but the thinnest rind in the morning.
That's so true! Mine love corn, as well. I throw in my corn cobs from after we eat corn on the cob. They'll pick off any last tiny bits of corn left in the cob. They are so funny!
I was reading the other day on another website, that someone gave their baby chicks mealworms as a daily treat after they were a week old. I wanted to check with others here before I purchased them for my girls....
I can't imagine they'd be harmful at all. But with all the japanese beetles and grubs in my yard, I won't be buying any!
Amen to that, Zeppy.
dingydoo, have your chicks started catching moths that are attracted to your brooder lamp? They will :)
Mealworms sounds like a good midwinter treat. I will try to remember that.
There are animals in zoos that do not recognize iceberg lettuce as food, though they're herbivores. No nutrition to them. But as crestedchik said, probably no harm to it.
BackyardHens,
No, I haven't seen any moths up under their light yet. They have been scratching like mad tho! Their sooo much fun to watch. The Dominiques especially are already quite the foragers! Their quickly becoming my favorite, because of their spunky attitudes.
Is there anything better than a little box full of happy chicks? I don't think so.
I have found that having just a few chicks, about 1/2 dozen, at a time worked well for me. Than you could take the time to handle them every day and often. I had one batch of 17 and they have been very skittish.
Good point, Halnik.
Absolutely. I raised three this spring, and they are so friendly ~ a buff orpington, barred rock and black sex-link. The buff orpington will fly up and sit on my shoulder, like I'm a pirate! She's getting kind of heavy now, :) ! Next time I encourage that, I'm going to get bantams :) The fewer chicks you have at a time, the more you can handle them.
The disadvantage is that then you don't get a whole flock that interact well together. My mixed flock has little "gangs" where the chickens who grew up together hang out most and tolerate the rest of them.