Chicken forage

[Admin]

As you know, this is my first venture into chickenhood. Since I don't intend to let this first batch free range, I'd like to throw them a mower bag of grass clippings and other stuff into the pen for them to pick through and what not. From what I've read on here it appears chickens eat everything and anything. What else would be good to throw in the pen? Do you give them table scraps that are usually destined for the compost bin and stuff like that?

Obviously I still got a lot to learn about chickens.

[mike692]

Pretty much all the table scraps end up in the chicken yard here. Although I do like to keep coffee grounds and some other things for the worms.

The grass clippings are a good idea. Mine follow the mower when I mow around the outside of their fence. They really like them.

[yedi21]

my chickens ate EVERYTHING!!....I even gave them cooked spaghetti and they loved it! (comical to watch too!) they will peck away at egg shells as well.....not many left overs go to waste with chickens around!.....

[Admin]

That's what I was hoping to hear. Thanks again to all you swampers that have helped me into this new hobby of mine.

[cam]

Occassionally when i go bowfishing ill bring a few carp home and throw them to the chickens. If i clean out my refrigerator, the chickens love that.

I do not give my chickens eggshells tho. The last thing I want is for them to love the taste of eggs. And an egg eating chicken is almost impossible to stop.

Cam

[lookout]

I gave my layers left over Easter turkey bones.....picked them clean they did. Ive also thrown them suckers from the spring sucker run.......GONE!

[Admin]

I would have never in my wildest dreams ever thought that chickens would eat so much crap. Suckers and carp too. That's hilarious

I'm certainly getting an education here.

[barkspud]

I never would have thought they would eat fish. I thought the fish would draw bugs and flys and they would eat them.. Very interesting we've been talking about getting some chickens.

[ninedeer]

Iv fed mine table scraps,rib cage from deer,toss in a coon carcass they love picking off the fat.in the fall they get alot of leavens from the garden,toss them hay to scratch in.and they Love to eat any mice you might throw in there

[Admin]

You guys are killing me with what you feed your chickens. It makes me think of Wooo tossing the dead bodies to the pigs in the show Deadwood.

This is some crazy $hit

[lookout]

Just takes a little longer to get rid of the bodies, is all.
Plus.....EGGS!!!!