Chicken scraps.

[~Wingnut~]

Hi Everyone!!

We got 4 chickens last Monday. They are just great! 10 eggs already! :o)

Anyway, I know they can have kitchen scraps, they seem to really like carrot peelings. I was just wanting to know what scraps can't they have? Anything to avoid with avengence?

They have mash and grit as their main sourse of food already btw, just incase anyone thinks all we are feeding them are scraps lol

Thanx in advance :o)

[MrsJo49155]

http://www.lionsgrip.com/intro.html

click on the above link for all sorts of information on nutrition of chickens.

Have fun eating all your eggs!

[WendyS]

Hello Wingnut - can't answer your question apart from saying they they do enjoy pecking for slugs, snails and other insects. Just wanted to say how I envy you. Having a few little clucky hens in the garden has always been an unfulfilled dream of mine since I was a small child so I hope you gets lots of pleasure from them. You're obviously soon going to become an expert in 100 ways of cooking eggs. What variety of hens did you get? Our neighbour's little daughter tends half a dozen hens on her grandparents' farm for pocket money and we buy half a dozen little green eggs from her every week. They're delicious.

[~Wingnut~]

I'm sorry Wendy, I am trying so hard to answer you but it wont let me post longish messages! I will try again when it seems to be working.

[~Wingnut~]

I've tried 5 times! Damn thing!

[meltoadhall]

dont give them meat, we give ours all the left over veg, they like mashed potatoes, baked pots and chips. try everything they will simply not eat what they dont like.

this is a brill site

http://forum.rivercottage.net/index.php?sid=3831c6decc1b0a5e41a69eda3ff08f90

[Catso]

Hens will eat almost anything. Including each other. What they don't like, they won't eat. They will eat meat, and like it; they'll polish off your joint leftovers, strip the bones bare! They're omnivorous and need some meat.

Mine don't like rhubarb.

BTW, WendyS, they don't actually seem to like slugs or snails, despite what you'd think.

[Catso]

PS Egg output is related to protein intake, so a bit of meat/fish will increase your yield.

[nickmo]

Hi Wingnut - may be useful http://www.domesticfowl.co.uk/ and also see http://www.thepoultrysite.com/ which has links and forums that should help.

[~Wingnut~]

Hi everyone! Thanx so much to you all for your posts! Very helpful indeed :o)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is going to post this time!

Wendy, they are Road Island Red hybrids. Point of lay, so about 18 weeks old. Hubby was a turkey farmer when I met him and this is something he has always wanted to do.
It's a shame you don't have any yourself, but what a sweet way for your neighbours little girl to earn pocket money!

Thank you all for your posts :o)

[ruthann58]

mine love the slugs and snails when im in the flower garden i have a pot and collect them for them then call them to they gate and they have a right free for all gobbling them all up mine are not allowed in the flower garden because they scratch all the flowers out but live in the paddock with the horse

[dancecaller]

Mine found the strawberries last year, and I think the one that keeps getting out has found them this year, even before they are ripe!