what not to feed a chicken

What Not to Feed Your Chickens: The Complete Guide

As a backyard chicken owner, you want to make sure your feathered friends stay happy and healthy. An important part of caring for chickens is knowing what to feed them – and what not to feed them While chickens will eat just about anything, some foods can be downright dangerous for them.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about foods to avoid feeding your flock We’ll explain why these items are harmful and provide safe alternatives your chickens will love

Why It Matters What You Feed Your Chickens

Chickens like to find food on their own and aren’t very picky about what they eat. Some chicken owners think this means their birds can eat any food scraps or leftovers they are given. However, this isn’t the case. Chickens have very different digestive systems than humans.

Feeding chickens the wrong foods can lead to serious health issues, including:

• Digestive problems like diarrhea, constipation, or intestinal blockages
• Nutritional deficiencies that affect egg production
• Liver or kidney damage
• Respiratory issues
• Even death in some cases

It’s not worth taking risks with your flock’s health. Chickens depend on their owners to feed them a healthy, balanced diet. To keep backyard chickens healthy and productive, you must keep them away from dangerous foods.

Most Hazardous Foods for Chickens

While the list of foods chickens can’t eat is relatively short, it contains some common foods chicken owners may not realize are unsafe. Here are the most important foods to keep away from your flock:

Avocado: The pits, skins, leaves, and stems of avocados all have a poison called persin that kills fungi. In chickens, even small amounts can cause serious problems with their hearts and lungs.

Onions and garlic: These foods have sulfur compounds that can hurt red blood cells and cause anemia.

Raw Beans – Raw beans contain hemagglutinin, which causes red blood cells to clump together. This deprives the chicken’s tissues of oxygen.

Raw Potatoes – Potatoes contain solanine and chaconine, two glycoalkaloids that are toxic to chickens.

Dried Beans or Rice – Uncooked dried beans or rice can expand in the crop or stomach and cause deadly blockages.

Apple Seeds – Seeds of apples and related fruits contain trace amounts of cyanide.

Rhubarb Leaves – The leaves contain oxalic acid, which binds calcium and leads to nutritional deficiencies.

Nightshade Plant Parts – Stems, leaves, and unripe fruits of tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers contain solanine.

Lawn Clippings – Can form compact balls in the crop and lead to impaction.

Rotten or Moldy Foods – Can contain mycotoxins and botulinum toxin that cause illness.

Caffeine – Found in coffee, tea leaves, and chocolate, caffeine is toxic to chickens.

Salt – Excess salt can lead to sodium ion poisoning and kidney damage.

Alcohol – Fermented products can damage the nervous system.

As you can see, some of the most hazardous foods are also pretty common in our kitchens and gardens. It’s crucial to be selective about what gets fed to your flock. When in doubt, avoid giving chickens any questionable foods.

Other Foods to Limit for Chickens

In addition to the foods above, there are a few other items chickens can eat but that should be limited for health reasons:

Bread – Low in protein and vitamins. Can also expand in the crop and lead to impaction.

Citrus Fruits – The acidity can irritate the crop lining and alter the taste of eggs.

Processed Foods – High fat, salt and sugar contents promote obesity and other problems.

Meat – Can contain bacteria like salmonella. Should only be fed cooked.

Dairy – Difficult to digest and can cause loose droppings.

Sprouted Grains – Contain enzyme inhibitors that can depress growth.

Oily Foods – Can cause diarrhea and digestive upset.

Again, it’s fine to give chickens small tastes of these foods as occasional treats. But they should never make up a substantial part of their diet.

Fruits and Veggies Chickens Can Eat

Luckily, there are lots of healthy, natural food choices chickens love. Here are some of the top fruits and veggies to feed your flock:

• Leafy Greens – Kale, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, celery leaves.

• Squash & Gourds – Zucchini, pumpkin, cucumber, butternut squash.

• Berries – Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries.

• Melons – Cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew.

• Tree Fruits – Apples, pears, peaches, plums, nectarines. Just remove seeds first.

• Sweet Veggies – Carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, parsnips, peas, corn.

• Tropical Fruits – Pineapple, mango, banana, papaya, kiwi.

Fruit and vegetable scraps make excellent treats. Just be sure to introduce new foods slowly to watch for any signs of sensitivity. And remember fruits should be limited due to their sugar content.

Healthy Protein Sources for Chickens

For a balanced diet, chickens also need protein from animal sources. Here are some proteins chickens can safely eat:

• Cooked Eggs – Hard boiled, scrambled, fried, etc.

• Mealworms – Great source of protein and chicken candy!

• Fish – Unseasoned, cooked fish like salmon, tilapia or trout.

• Yogurt – Plain, unsweetened yogurt.

• Cooked Meat – Chicken, beef, turkey, etc. Remove skin/fat first.

• Insects – Crickets, grasshoppers, larvae.

As natural omnivores, chickens crave protein. Make sure to provide enough to keep your flock fit and lay
ing.

Foods You Should Always Avoid

To summarize, here are the foods chickens should never eat:

• Avocado
• Onions
• Raw beans
• Raw potatoes
• Dried rice
• Apple seeds
• Rhubarb leaves
• Tomato/pepper/eggplant leaves
• Coffee
• Alcohol
• Moldy or rotten foods
• Salt
• Chocolate

Of course, chickens will naturally avoid truly toxic plants. But don’t tempt fate by leaving these dangerous foods accessible. Your birds rely on you to keep them safe!

Protect Your Flock with a Nutritious Diet

Now you know what not to feed backyard chickens. Stick to their layer feed, supplemented with healthy fruits, veggies and lean proteins. Avoid questionable leftovers or plants from the garden unless you know they’re chicken-safe.

With a balanced, varied diet and high-quality feed, your chickens will produce bountiful eggs while staying healthy and strong. Getting their nutrition right is one of the most rewarding parts of chicken ownership. So take care of your flock, and they’ll take care of you!