Chicken bald back

[quirkas]

I have been keeping chickens for over 10 years and have fed them a wide variety of food pretty much anything but not oats ( I was told too heating) spicy food or citrus. They always particulalry enjoyed the occasional remnants of buffets particulary a prawn vol a vent. Most have lived to between 5 and 8 years. However when I was speaking to the man I got my new Speckledys from he had a long list of don'ts where diet was concerned so I thought I would ask others their views.

 

So what shouldn't you give to chickens?

[Space Chick]

Raw potato and rhubarb spring to mind

[Egluntyne]

Avocado.

[beulah59]

I think that's about it ... anything else in moderation, at the end of the day, and you'll soon know what their favourites are!

[Jools]

Salt.

 

Stems or leaves from tomato plants or potatoes.

 

Then there's a host of garden plants too, but fortunately they're usually bright enough to know what not to touch.

[Redwing]

Anything salty, salt is bad for them

 

Just seen Jools said that too, but its very important so I am leaving my comment in too!

[Falkor]

Salt.

 

Stems or leaves from tomato plants or potatoes.

 

Then there's a host of garden plants too, but fortunately they're usually bright enough to know what not to touch.

 

ta da!

 

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=22559&view=unread#unread

[Jools]

Did I mention salt?

[quirkas]

Many thanks, surprised about advocado though, any idea why its not good? Delighted to know the list isnt long, I certainly go along with leaves etc from the deadly nightshade family, but I have seen chickens peck at rhubarb leaves. Mine certainly scavange around the plant as it does tend to harbour slugs and snails (Ugh) Glad to see the back of those. I was always told that not to much bread as it wasn't good for them and limit the lettuce but having seen them munching away at my rocket plants I do wonder at that one. They seem to like plums but I never seem to find the stone, how do they do that?

 

Quirkas

[Macfoy]

Lettuce is soporific.................haven't you read The Tale of Peter Rabbit?

Avocado is poisonous to chooks

Bread can clog up the crop and cause an impaction, especially sliced white, so stale and well broken up is best.

Maize/sweetcorn is heating too so beware of giving more than a tiny bit.

 

The thing is chickens like us need a balanced diet and stuff like layers pellets/mash whichever you prefer, have all chickens need to provide a balanced diet, if you go stuffing them full of "treats" then they aren't going to eat as much of the correct diet, so really treats should be just a treat, not a regular part of the diet.

 

It also depends on the type of chickens you have, if you have hybrids which are designed and bred to lay lots of eggs, then you won't be doing the bird any favours by feeding things which could be reducing it's intake of balanced diet. If you have ordinary cross bred birds then it's not quite so crucial as their bodies aren't under so much stress.

 

As a long time keeper of chucks you seem to be doing the right things and have no problems, the troubles occur in a new keeper who is constantly going out with treats and runs the risk of the bird laying down too much internal fat, which will ultimately prevent laying and cause no end of problems.

 

Macfoy

[quirkas]

Thanks everyone, thanks Macfoy, made alot of sense. Off to get my copy of Peter Rabbit. Q