What scraps are OK for hens?

[FlashHarry]

We get our battery rescue hens tomorrow. We've got the recommended ex-battery feed & grit, but were wondering what scraps they can have. Can they have raw veg scraps, or must it be cooked? How about rice & pasta? I'm not talking huge quantities, just treats. It would be nice to think of using up some of the kids leftovers!

 

[Brontie]

We feed the chickens at the yard grass trimming, its never done them any harm.

Nick.

 

[Aoibhin]

our hens adore spaggetti & noodles.
we also give veg scraps (raw) & all the cooked veg.
raw potatoes are no good for them though.

 

[LouB]

We chuck all our food scraps at ours they seem to thrive on it.

 

[jrp204]

If you want them to lay try not to give them too many scraps, they won't be getting enough protein into them to allow them to lay well.

 

[Steeleydan]

We give ours proper hen food which comprises of Layers Pellets, Layers Mash and mixed hen corn. This proper food is really a must to get good eggs, but as for scraps we give them bread, cooked pasta, any kind of cake, peelings, outer leaves of cabbage, marrow(slit it lengthways and they eat the flesh and seeds)fruit. Anything really but we have never given them meat, not sure whether they are vegetarian or not.

 

[LouB]

Chickens can't be veggies if they eat worms and slugs etc

 

[wipeout]

They'll leave what they shouldn't eat in my experience!
Ours love apples hanging from bale string. They peck at them for ages.

 

[Bowen4Horses]

no raw potatoes (yuck)

ours LOVE peaches and necterines

and they would fight to the death over a frog if one strays into the garden.... so defo not veggies.

ours also sometimes have boiled eggs, esp the baby chicks.

 

[joeanne]

Mine currently eat anything that doesnt move....and stuff that does!
They get layers pellets, and mixed corn, but also get all the leftover veg scraps, and spaggetti (which is fab, one grabs and runs and it turns into a mass spaggetti stealing fight!).
Bugs and grubs are a favorite, they spend hours scratching around looking for them.

 

[rara007]

Ours loved eggs, plums, apples, pears, various other fruit, soaked bread, and most of all corn on the cob!

 

[FlashHarry]

Thanks everyone. They wont get meat anyway as we're veggies!

 

[Boxers]

Mine go absolutely potty for tinned sweetcorn!

 

[gails]

Anything realy, mine loves left over chinese food, rice, pasta, sweetcorn ,the fat off bacon, cake, really almost anything, they are really little gut buckets

 

[hairycob]

Ours had left over chicken stir fry last week! But we had eaten all the chicken.

 

[jinglejoys]

Although chickens are omivores like us,we have made it against the law for them to eat anything that has been in contact with meat...so much for a natural diet

 

[Archangel]

Mine love cooked pasta, they are meant to think spaghetti is a worm but mine weren't fooled for a minute! They love pommegrantes and the seeds from melons (oh and the melons!). I tend to feed them selected scraps as treats rather than a main part of their diet. Given the choice I think they would live on sunflower hearts!

 

[HayleyandBob]

Tinned sweetcorn is a favourite amoung ours
also..
bread/pasta all that sorta thing!
veggies all except raw pots
meat (but i cant face giving them chicken even though they woudl eat it im sure)
Scrambled/boiled egg - good for giving them a boost
and as a treat they like bugs

 

[lilym]

chickens like all sorts of things!! BUT did you know it is actually illegal to feed waste food that has been processed through your kitchen??!!!!! Another of DEFRA'S mad rulings!! I can kinda see the point regarding mass food production, but if it's just for a few hens for home egg consumption it is a little of an overkill!!