# Feeding scraps



## kenkirkley (Feb 27, 2013)

I've had my chicks for just a few days. Any suggestions as to feeding them table scraps? Is it a good practice? Do it daily or occasionally? Any scraps to stay away from?

Blessings!
Ken


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I feed mine all my kitchen scraps as I fill up a bowl. I have a medium size bowl on my counter that I collect shells and scraps in thruout the day. Just dont give raw onion or raw potato peel.


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## MamaHen (Apr 15, 2013)

I have read no citrus and no dairy (cheese, yogurt for obvious reason). Some say no garlic or onions but that's only cause it changes the flavor of the egg.


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## InnKeeper (Feb 17, 2013)

MamaHen said:


> I have read no citrus and no dairy (cheese, yogurt for obvious reason). Some say no garlic or onions but that's only cause it changes the flavor of the egg.


I'm in the dark. Why do you say no dairy? That differs from what I understand. I was under the impression plain yogurt helped a sour crop


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I've always given dairy, and they can have citrus as well. Just dont give ducks citrus it causes tummy issues. As for the onions its not because they change the egg flavor, raw onions are poisonous to chickens.


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## Sundancers (Jun 20, 2012)

I fill a bucket much like Aply ... but I keep three: One for the chickens, one for compost and the last for dogs/cats.

There are a number of things some folks will not feed their chickens and on the other side, others that say it is fine. My answer came from research and doing from day to day. Salad/veggies stuff ... I give to the chickens... Egg shells may go back to the chickens or to the garden compost as needed ... (after I bake them). Meats and fats to the dogs/cats.

Best of luck!


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## MamaHen (Apr 15, 2013)

To answer your question I guess it just depends on personal preference and where you get your info. Sounds like anything you give them is fair game


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

*Raw Onions*



Apyl said:


> I've always given dairy, and they can have citrus as well. Just dont give ducks citrus it causes tummy issues. As for the onions its not because they change the egg flavor, raw onions are poisonous to chickens.



Whenever I slice a "new" onion...the parts that I don't want to use get immediately tossed to my chickens. They fight for it as though they were after worms. I haven't noticed ANY problems _whatsoever.

However..._that is not to say that onions are not poisonous to chickens..._*I don't know*_.
Chocolate is _supposed-to-be _poisonous to Dogs. ( My dog gets chocolate when I do.....which is about once-a-week these days. I'm considering upping THAT to _daily_. )

Some say _*whiskey*_ is _poisonous _to humans....but one of my Cardiologists suggested a shot of whiskey _rather than _a Nitroglycerine pill. ( Nitros _CAN_ give you a lovely headache sometimes.) The whiskey hasn't poisoned me...._in fact----_it is somewhat enjoyable occasionally..............

No...We are NOT suicidal. 
*Ha-Ha !*
-ReTIRED-
*P.S. *GOOD info ? BAD info ? *I don't know.*


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

ReTIRED said:


> Whenever I slice a "new" onion...the parts that I don't want to use get immediately tossed to my chickens. They fight for it as though they were after worms. I haven't noticed ANY problems _whatsoever._
> 
> _However..._that is not to say that onions are not poisonous to chickens..._*I don't know*_.
> Chocolate is _supposed-to-be _poisonous to Dogs. ( My dog gets chocolate when I do.....which is about once-a-week these days. I'm considering upping THAT to _daily_. )
> ...


I get that, but yes raw onion is toxic in certain quanities. Just like chocolate with dogs and so on. Since I do not know the specific quantity I advice new owners against feed raw onion especially in young bird since their bodies are much smaller. Same goes for chocolate, a regular size bar will do no harm to a great dane but you give that same bar to a beagle and he may die or need his stomach pumped. So to err on the safe side I would personally not give raw onion.

Ok, so I looked the info for onion up just now. I found that :

" Chickens can eat onions, chives and garlic in _small quantities_, _occasionally_. Sufficient quantities of onion and garlic can be harmful to chickens, causing hemolytic anemia, aka: Heinz anemia, a blood condition resulting in chickens with weak legs, listlessness and a disheveled appearance. Bottom line: if I'm not going to eat a bowl of raw onions, chives or garlic, I'm not going to feed it to my chickens as a side dish." 

So in retrospec we are both correct. In small quanitites its fine, like say when you give them a fresh slice.


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

Apyl said:


> I get that, but yes raw onion is toxic in certain quanities. Just like chocolate with dogs and so on. Since I do not know the specific quantity I advice new owners against feed raw onion especially in young bird since their bodies are much smaller. Same goes for chocolate, a regular size bar will do no harm to a great dane but you give that same bar to a beagle and he may die or need his stomach pumped. So to err on the safe side I would personally not give raw onion.
> 
> Ok, so I looked the info for onion up just now. I found that :
> 
> ...


THAT seems _REASONABLE _to me. 
I've always considered ONION and _especially_* GARLIC* to be the "Poor-Man's Antibiotics" .....and commonly...regularly...consume appreciable amounts of BOTH (_fresh_) of these _alliums._ _*Perhaps*_ they are _poisonous_ to bacteria and/or viruses ?

Like many other "_consumables_"....it is apparently a matter of degree (amount consumed). A shot or two of whiskey won't hurt most people....but drinking a gallon could very likely kill.

This principle of _MODERATION_ applies to MOST things.

THANKS for "looking-it-up" *! *( A citation would have been helpful in evaluating the Source of Information.   )

Best Regards,
-ReTIRED-


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## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

ReTIRED said:


> THAT seems _REASONABLE _to me.
> I've always considered ONION and _especially_* GARLIC* to be the "Poor-Man's Antibiotics" .....and commonly...regularly...consume appreciable amounts of BOTH (_fresh_) of these _alliums._ _*Perhaps*_ they are _poisonous_ to bacteria and/or viruses ?
> 
> Like many other "_consumables_"....it is apparently a matter of degree (amount consumed). A shot or two of whiskey won't hurt most people....but drinking a gallon could very likely kill.
> ...


I'm sorry I was trying to hurry up my post so my son could use the computer lol Here is a couple links. I origianlly learned about the onions in a book I read when I was researching before buying my first chickens. I think it was called "Raising Chickens" it was a bow tie press book. I just figured to play it safe and omit the onions, since I dont know the exact amount that will kill them.

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/onions.html

http://communitychickens.blogspot.com/2012/08/top-5-myths-and-facts-about-treats-for.html

http://www.birdchannel.com/media/bird-diet-and-health/bird-nutrition/dont-feed-these-foods.aspx.pdf


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## ReTIRED (Mar 28, 2013)

THANKS, *Apyl*, for those LINKS *!  
*-ReTIRED-


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## anttrim (May 28, 2013)

*Veggies*

Our birds get all the left over produce from our farmers markets. We all ways harvest more then we can sell because selling out leaves unhappy customers. Our chickens get so much pesticide free produce that they run to us when we get back from the markets. We start to cut up the produce at the end of the markets to make it easier to peck for the gang. When we get home we just dump all the tubs out by the waterers. It adds to the grazing and scatching diet. My wife can really cook and there never seems to be any leftovers. If there are any i am sure to scoop them up before they could make it outside.


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## anttrim (May 28, 2013)

*onions*

Ive noticed that our girls will never touch the old onions we pitch out.


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## rena88651 (Apr 28, 2013)

My dogs used to get the scraps but not since the hens moved in. I keep telling my German Shepherd she can have them back when she starts laying eggs. 

Chickens are total garbage disposals. I love it! I see a lot of back and forth about yogurt and I think it's perfectly fine. I give them plain Greek every so often and there's nothing funnier than watching a hen eat yogurt!


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## Shayanna (Sep 25, 2013)

My chickens eat onion scraps all the time. Its not an excessive amount, but they get first dibs on the compost pile every morning. Also, this summer, they dug up ALL of the potatoes and garlic I planted and ate every last bit. They love potato peels and eat them like they are a delicacy. I didn't realize they were bad for them..... oops.

Also, I give my chickens all extra goat milk from the farm. They love it and mob me when I'm pouring it for them.


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## kaax (Nov 21, 2012)

kenkirkley said:


> I've had my chicks for just a few days. Any suggestions as to feeding them table scraps? Is it a good practice? Do it daily or occasionally? Any scraps to stay away from?
> 
> Blessings!
> Ken


In general my chickens get anything I would eat. But I rarely have many leftovers. I do buy greens and veggies for them. 
Are your chicks just a few days old? When I have chicks they get about everything as well, just finely diced in small quantities. You may want to include chick grit to help them grind it up. (if they don't have access to sandy/rocky soil) I think it is good practice to introduce them to new things. I avoid avocado, and large amounts of onion, fat, and salt.

Kaax


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

mine eat all our leftovers .. they love spaghetti , scrambled eggs , cheese , pickles , burritos , the only thing they dont like too much is carrots and cereal which they will eat eventually but are not to thrilled when i give them that.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

My chickens pick and choose what they will eat from the garbage thrown out...I don't monitor what they choose and that seems to be the best thing to do. They know what they can eat and what they cannot and my birds are free ranged, so there is no keeping them out of the food scraps either way.

The dog gets first dibs and will eat anything that dogs usually slurp up and the chickens get the rest...various veggie and fruit scraps that the dog hasn't absconded with already. I've never noticed onion or potato peels being on their menu...they have so many other things to choose from out there I can't imagine they would eat those lowly offerings and consider them anything of a delicacy. Everything gets picked over and consumed except those two things. 

I think a chicken would have to consume a lot and continuous garlic or onions to produce anemia, as many people feed their chickens garlic as an antihelmintic and I have done so in the past as well and never saw any changes whatsoever.


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## 5eggladies (Sep 24, 2013)

Tomatoes! They go nuts for them! I couldn't figure out why my beautiful tomato plants weren't producing a single tomato - silly chickens would nab them! Apple cores, cantaloupe and watermelon peelings, cucumbers, corn cobs...they don't seem to enjoy peppers much.


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## fundabug (Jul 18, 2012)

5eggladies said:


> Tomatoes! They go nuts for them! I couldn't figure out why my beautiful tomato plants weren't producing a single tomato - silly chickens would nab them! Apple cores, cantaloupe and watermelon peelings, cucumbers, corn cobs...they don't seem to enjoy peppers much.


Over half of my tomato crop goes to my chickens. They love them. I have 5 gardens spread around my property for different produce. They love sugar snap peas, green beans, kale, strawberries, blueberries, apples, and corn on the cob obviously. They freak for cut up zucchini and cucumbers. I not only give them kitchen scraps, but I'll go out and pick stuff just for them. Everyday they get a big mixed fresh produce bowl along with their store bought food. They go nuts when they see me walking toward their coop/run with it. I give them a bowl of yogurt about once a week when my three year old opens a cup and doesn't eat it. No problems. About three weeks ago I tilled over my low garden for the winter. It's for zucchini, cucumbers, and other squash. I tilled in a big pile of this summers chicken poop to compost over the winter. Now I have hundreds of little tomato sprouts, pea sprouts, green bean sprouts, squash sprouts, and corn shoots popping up randomly. Didn't expect the seeds to survive chicken digestion and composting, but it's been a cool wet summer here and I guess the compost didn't get hot enough.


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## ten-acre-farms (Oct 3, 2013)

I give my girls whatever is leftover in the kitchen. They LOVE tomatoes. Also any squash, breads, oatmeal, anything.


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