Everyone loves to spoil their beloved pets with good food and treats and ex-commercial hen owners are no different. We love to pamper our hens with chicken treats, and they especially love it when they have access to fresh fruit and veg from the garden. The list of things you could give your hens is endless – but it shouldn’t be. As with us humans, sometimes too much can be a bad thing – it’s all about moderation.
The main thing to keep in mind is that chicken feed is specially formulated with a hen’s nutrition in mind. As soon as you give them treats or snacks, you are replacing that nutrition. The best way to treat your hens is to keep treats as healthy as possible but even excessive healthy treats can cause issues. These include obesity, reduced egg production, vent prolapse, feather-picking and increased risk of heart problems.
A simple guide to chicken treats
It is important to remember that chicken treats should make up only a tiny part of your hens’ diet – no more than 5%. Obesity in hens can lead to some severe health problems which are not only stressful for her, but also for you.
It’s good to get some healthy greens in your hens’ diet and they can be put up with fun feeders like boredom Busters to make it exciting for your flock!
Chicken treats available from our shop
Poultry Pecking block
A Gourmet Treat for your Free-range Friend.
The Poultry Pecker not only is a great wee treat for your loved ones, but also serves a purpose.
- A brilliant boredom buster reducing pecking order issues that can arise within your flock, especially if kept in confined areas.
- Extremely healthy, with natural ingredients including Chia, Garlic & Herbs to aid bird health & parasite protection.
Ingredients also include Wheat, Kibbled maize, Oats, Shell grit, Black sunflowers, green peas Carrot, Broccoli, Oregano & Parsley.
Kibbled maize
(Maize provides excellent sources of digestible energy through rich concentrations of starch.)
Scratch n Lay
Poultry Scratch is a special blend of carefully selected seeds & grains to provide your chooks with a special treat that's super healthy and extra yummy at the same time.
Just like a lolly scramble for your kids ~ as a late afternoon treat ~ simply throw a handful or two over the ground, on the coop floor, under the shrubs or across the lawn - your chooks will love you forever.
Entertaining and a great way to break boredom and keep your flock healthy at the same time.
Foods to avoid
There are many treats to avoid feeding to your hens due to their toxicity which could cause your hens to get ill or in some cases prove fatal. These treats include:
- Avocado pits and skins which are toxic to hens as they contain persin
- Undercooked or dried beans can be harmful as they contain hemagglutinin, which can inhibit the digestion of everything your hens eat
- Rhubarb contains anthraquinones, which can have a laxative effect in hens. Rhubarb damaged by the severe frost can also contain a high concentration of oxalic acid, which can be fatal to hens.
- Mouldy, rotten and very salty foods can also result in excessively wet feces and may be toxic
