We’ve discussed in a few posts how much our flocks love treats, types of feed they need, and teaching them with food rewards.
It makes sense to me to treat my birds with kitchen scraps. I give my dog scraps allllll the time. Just like with dogs though, some foods are just not good for our flock. Some have the potential to be fatal. We all know dogs can’t eat chocolate, right?
So, today we’ll go over a few foods you should NEVER feed your birds. Some of these for sure surprised me. The featured article today, has some great information on all sorts of toxic foods for chickens. The article really delves into more detail, and I truly hope you’ll check it out.
Nevertheless, I took note as some of these common foods can be potentially fatal to chickens:
- Avocado – no part of the avocado should be fed to chickens
- Fruit seeds or pits – think apples, cherries, etc. Though the fruit flesh is fine, the seeds/pits can be toxic and sometimes worse
- Potatoes – again, it’s best to stay away from all potatoes. Sweet potatoes might be okay, but personally if I get in the all or nothing habit, the more successful I will be in feeding only safe foods. That’s up to you though!
It’s important to note something about this though. Chickens have a way of knowing what is good for them and what isn’t. We have a compost in our backyard that where ALL food scraps go, including the above mentioned toxic ones. They will typically leave anything alone that may be of harm to them. The caveat would be that if you’re hand feeding them, they may decide to trust you more than their instincts which can lead to them eating something that could be harmful.
Don’t worry-we’ve got a post coming up with tons of good stuff you can give your backyard besties! Ya’ll know me by now; I am ALL about the treats for myself, so of course I am going to cover coop treats.
Happy tendering, friends!
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