Chickens Love Treats

What do chickens eat?  I think the bigger question is "what don't chickens eat?".  I once saw a chicken grab an entire hamburger off of my husbands plate.  She and her sisters ate the whole thing from the patty to the bun.  I've never laughed so hard, but it really got me thinking about chickens and their diet.  That was the day I realized chickens are NOT vegetarians, no matter how cute them seem starting out.

Chickens are opportunistic omnivores meaning that they eat just about anything that crosses their paths.  They originated in the jungles of Southeast Asia where they enjoyed a varied diet of vegetation, fruit, seeds, bugs, slugs, worms and even, small animals like frogs, lizards, and mice.  

From an early age, we fed our chickens grub worms and grasshoppers that we came across while out in the garden.  Chickens are naturally curious, but understandably cautious when encountering something new.

Anyone who has ever seen a chicken chow down on a burger can definitely appreciate how a group of chickens could consume a large piece of food.  When chickens encounter a piece of food that is too big to swallow, they play a fun game.  The chicken with the food starts running around.  This tells the other chickens that the game is on.  The object is to rip and pull at whatever food the holding chicken has.  This continues until the food is small enough to eat and everyone gets a little bite of food along the way.  Interestingly, the chicken starting the game seldom ends up with the food in the end.

A balanced diet is important for a chickens health, so I feed my chickens a commercial ration which contains all the nutrition a chicken needs to stay fit and lay lots of eggs.  Commercial rations are available in pellets, crumbles, mashes and organic varieties.  Whatever food you choose, be sure to keep the food clean and dry.  Hanging the ration will keep the chickens from spoiling the food with droppings or knocking it over as chickens will do.

Selecting the appropriate chicken feed can be a little confusing with all the options available, so I've made a chart to help explain the various feed options and their costs.  Two great local stores for purchasing feed are Callahan's General Store (southeast Austin) and Buck Moore Feed Supply (north central Austin).  Both stores have excellent staff which will be happy to assist you with your feed questions.

Food and Supplements	Age to Feed	Description	Amount to Feed*	Cost (Approx.)
Chick Starter Grower	0 – 20 weeks	Combination starter grower feed use for first 4 months	¾ lb. per week	$5.00 per 10 lb. bag $11.90 per 50 lb. bag
Organic Chick Starter	0 – 6 weeks	Initial food for baby chicks	¾ lb. per week	$16.50 per 20 lb. bag
Organic Pullet Grower	6 – 20 weeks	Growth formula for chicks	¾ lb. per week	$15.50 per 20 lb. bag
Lay Pellets	20 wks & up	Large pelletized food (20% protein) for laying hens.	3 lbs per week	$12.35 per 50 lb. bag
Lay Crumbles	20 wks & up	Broken up pellets (20% protein) for laying hens	3 lbs per week	$12.35 per 50 lb. bag
All Mash Pellets	20 wks & up	Large pelletized food (18% protein) for laying hens.	3 lbs per week	$11.90 per 50 lb. bag
All Mash Crumbles	20 wks & up	Broken up pellets (18% protein) for laying hens	3 lbs per week	$11.90 per 50 lb. bag
Organic Layer	20 wks & up	Served dry or as a mash to laying hens	3 lbs per week	$31.95 per 50 lb. bag
Scratch	8 wks & up	A treat provided to chickens	Sparingly as a treat or training device	$5.00 per 10 lb. bag
Oyster Shell	20 wks & up	A calcium supplement for shell hardness	Supplement if needed	$1.25 per 5 lb. bag
Grit	20 wks & up	Generally not required when using commercially prepared feed	Supplement if needed	$5.00 per 5 lb. bag
Homemade Feed	varies	Recipes vary	Varies	Cost Varies
Kitchen Scraps	20 wks & up	Chicken like a variety of food especially seeds and leaves	Vegetable trimmings in good condition.  Never feed a chicken moldy or rotten food.	Free

* Use amounts as a guide.  The recommended feeding method is free-choice where food is always available.


Sure a balanced diet is important, but CHICKENS LOVE TREATS!  Here are some of my chicken's favorite treats:

·         Yogurt

·         Raisins

·         Fruits, especially seeded fruits like tomatoes

·         Black-Oiled Sunflower Seeds

·         Oatmeal

·         Cabbage

Chickens like to have fun with their food.  So, how about a game of chicken tetherball to break up the monotony.  Tie a head of cabbage up where it can swing freely and you'll have hours of fun on your hands.

Interested in more about chickens?  How about coming out for the Funky Chicken Coop Tour this Saturday, April 7, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  You can tour coops, see some cool chickens and talk to some backyard chicken folks.  Sounds like fun!  I hope to see you out there.