Chickens are incredibly useful animals, providing us with eggs and meat, as well as natural pest control.
But did you know there is a variety of food that you can feed your chickens that is not just feed? A comprehensive guide to what you can feed chickens instead of feed can help you provide a healthier and more varied diet for your flock.
From kitchen scraps to forage options, calcium sources and health benefits, this guide will provide all the information you need to make sure your chickens are getting the best nutrition possible.
Read on to learn more about the alternative feed options available for your chickens!
Table of Contents
Short Answer
Chickens can be fed a variety of foods such as grains, vegetables, fruits, and insects.
They can also be given kitchen scraps such as cooked pasta, cereal, or bread.
Additionally, chickens can be fed a specialized chicken feed mix made up of grains, vitamins, and minerals.
It is important to make sure that the feed is balanced and provides the chickens with the nutrition they need.
Kitchen Scraps
Keeping chickens as pets or as part of a backyard flock can be a rewarding experience.
While traditional chicken feed may be the go-to option for many chicken owners, its important to remember that there are plenty of alternative food sources you can offer your feathered friends.
Among the best alternatives to traditional chicken feed are kitchen scraps.
Cooked grains, vegetables, fruits, and even bread can all be a great source of nutrition for chickens.
Cooked grains like oats, wheat, and barley are a great source of carbohydrates and fiber, while cooked vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.
Fruits can also be offered in moderation, as well as bread, although the latter should be offered sparingly.
When it comes to kitchen scraps, moderation is key.
Allowing chickens to overindulge in these treats can lead to an imbalance in their diet, so its important to offer a variety of foods in small amounts.
Additionally, you should avoid offering any spoiled or moldy food, as this can be toxic for chickens.
Overall, kitchen scraps can be a great way to supplement your chickens diet and add some variety into their meals.
Just be sure to practice moderation and always avoid offering spoiled or moldy food.
Protein Sources
Protein is an essential part of a healthy chicken diet, and there are a variety of options for feeding chickens protein sources.
Cooked eggs, cooked meat, and fish are all great options for providing chickens with the protein they need to stay healthy.
Additionally, mealworms, earthworms, and insects can be offered to chickens as a protein source.
For a more sustainable and cost-effective option, consider growing your own mealworms or sourcing them from local farmers.
To ensure that the chickens are getting adequate protein, you can also add a small amount of crushed oyster shells to their diet, as this will provide them with the calcium they need to produce eggs.
Whole Grains
When it comes to feeding your chickens, whole grains should be the foundation of their diet.
Whole grains provide chickens with essential nutrients and energy, and they can be easily incorporated into their daily diet.
From oats and wheat to barley and corn, theres an array of grains that can be used to feed chickens.
These grains should be cooked before being fed to chickens, as raw grains can be difficult for them to digest.
There are many commercial chicken feed mixes that contain a mix of grains, but you can also create your own mix if youd like.
Additionally, cooked grains can also be offered as treats to chickens.
Not only are they delicious, but they also provide a healthy and nutritious snack.
Whole grains can also be used to supplement the diet of chickens that are being free-ranged, as it will keep them from wandering off in search of food.
Forage Options
Chickens can be fed a variety of forage options that go beyond traditional feed.
Forage options include grasses and clovers, which can be picked from the ground or grown in a garden and harvested.
These options are great for chickens, as they provide them with the natural greens and vitamins they need to stay healthy and happy.
Grains such as oats, wheat, and barley can also be offered as forage.
These grains can be planted in a chicken run or garden and harvested when ripe.
Insects are another great forage option for chickens.
Mealworms, earthworms, and other insects are a great source of protein for chickens and can be found in the backyard or purchased from a feed store.
It is important to check the area for any pesticides before offering insects to your flock.
In addition to forage options, chickens can also benefit from the occasional treat.
Fruits and vegetables, such as apples, berries, carrots, and squash, can be offered to your chickens.
It is important to remember that chickens should not be fed avocados, potatoes, rhubarb, or onions, as these can be toxic to them.
Cooked grains, such as rice, quinoa, and millet, are also a great treat for chickens.
Cooked eggs, cooked meat, and fish can also be offered for protein.
Finally, it is important to provide chickens with a source of calcium.
Adding crushed oyster shells to their diet will provide them with the calcium they need to produce eggs.
Oyster shells can be purchased from feed stores or online.
Be sure to check the calcium levels of any feed you purchase to ensure that your chickens are getting the proper nutrition.
Insects
When it comes to feeding chickens, insects are an excellent choice.
In the wild, chickens eat a variety of insects, such as grasshoppers, crickets, and beetles, among others.
Offering chickens insects can provide them with much-needed protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Additionally, many chickens find insects delicious and eagerly eat them.
When it comes to offering insects to chickens, there are a few different options.
You can purchase commercially-prepared insect meals, such as mealworms or crickets, at your local pet store.
You can also collect insects in your backyard, ensuring that they are pesticide-free.
Additionally, you can purchase live insects and feed them directly to your chickens.
When feeding insects to your chickens, it’s important to make sure that the insects are fresh and healthy.
If you collect insects from your backyard, be sure to inspect them closely for signs of disease or parasites.
Additionally, it’s best to feed the insects to your chickens immediately after collecting them, as they will start to spoil if left out in the sun for too long.
In addition to providing much-needed nutrition, offering insects to chickens can also be a great way to keep them entertained.
Chickens love to chase and catch insects, and it can be a fun activity for them.
Additionally, offering insects can also help to keep your chickens occupied and prevent them from becoming bored.
Overall, insects can make an excellent addition to your chickens’ diet.
Offering them a variety of insects can provide them with essential nutrients, as well as a great source of entertainment.
Calcium Sources
Chickens need calcium in their diet to produce strong, healthy eggs.
Calcium can be obtained from a variety of sources, including crushed oyster shells, which are widely available at your local feed store.
Oyster shells are a great source of calcium, but other options exist too.
Eggshells, for example, can be crushed and fed back to the chickens they are an excellent source of calcium, and can be either collected from the eggs laid, or saved from store-bought eggs.
Additionally, chickens can be given cuttlebone, which is a calcium-rich bone found in the internal shell of squid and cuttlefish.
Cuttlebone is also widely available at pet stores.
For a natural source of calcium, you can offer your chickens limestone, which can be sourced from your local feed store.
Limestone is a great way to give your chickens the calcium they need, and it is also inexpensive.
You can also offer your chickens other sources of calcium, such as alfalfa hay and dark-leafy greens.
These foods are packed with calcium, and they make a great addition to your chickens diet.
Finally, you can provide your chickens with a mineral supplement.
Mineral supplements are available at your local feed store, and are a great way to make sure your chickens are getting all the minerals they need.
Mineral supplements can be added directly to the chicken feed, or mixed in with other foods.
Incorporating these calcium sources into your chickens diet is a great way to provide them with the nutrients they need to stay healthy and produce strong eggs.
With the right food and supplements, your chickens will be able to stay healthy and enjoy a variety of delicious and nutritious foods.
Health Benefits from Alternative Feeds
When it comes to feeding chickens, there are many benefits to offering them alternative feed sources in addition to traditional chicken feed.
Not only can these foods provide chickens with the necessary nutrition to keep them healthy, but they can also help to reduce the cost of feeding chickens.
One of the major benefits of offering alternative feed sources to chickens is that they provide a more balanced diet.
Traditional chicken feed is often made up of mostly grains, such as corn and wheat.
While these grains are an important part of a chickens diet, offering alternative feed sources can help to provide them with a more balanced diet.
Kitchen scraps, such as vegetables, fruits, and cooked grains, provide chickens with much needed vitamins, minerals, and proteins.
Additionally, offering forage such as grass and clover will give chickens the opportunity to graze and forage for their food, which can help to keep them active and healthy.
In addition to providing chickens with a more balanced diet, alternative feed sources can also help to reduce the cost of feeding chickens.
Kitchen scraps, forage, and insects are often free or very inexpensive to obtain.
Offering these foods to chickens can help to reduce the amount of traditional chicken feed that is needed, thus saving money in the long run.
Finally, offering alternative feed sources to chickens can help to keep them entertained.
Chickens love to peck and scratch at the ground, which is why they enjoy foraging for food.
Additionally, offering mealworms, earthworms, and insects can provide chickens with a fun and tasty treat that they can enjoy.
Overall, offering chickens alternative feed sources in addition to traditional chicken feed can be beneficial for both the chickens and their owners.
This type of feeding can provide chickens with the necessary nutrition to keep them healthy, can help to reduce the cost of feeding chickens, and can provide chickens with an interesting and fun way to eat.
Final Thoughts
Feeding your chickens alternative feeds can be a great way to not only save money, but also provide them with a balanced diet.
This comprehensive guide has outlined all the different types of food that can be fed to chickens, such as kitchen scraps, insects, and even cooked eggs and meat.
Additionally, adding crushed oyster shells to their diet will provide them with the calcium they need to produce eggs.
With all these options, you can create a balanced, nutritious meal plan for your chickens that will keep them healthy and happy.
So, what are you waiting for? Try feeding your chickens something new today!