{"id":113612,"date":"2023-10-11T07:00:39","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T11:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/?p=113612"},"modified":"2024-02-05T15:27:02","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T20:27:02","slug":"moderation-matters-when-feeding-chickens-scraps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hobbyfarms.com\/moderation-matters-when-feeding-chickens-scraps\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Chickens Eat Table Scraps?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Can chickens eat table scraps? M<\/span>ost backyard chicken-keepers feed their birds kitchen scraps<\/a><\/strong>, but whether this is a good practice has been highly debated. Poor diet is one of the leading causes of various health issues<\/a><\/strong> in chickens. Good nutrition<\/a><\/strong> relies on feeding your flock a quality diet consisting primarily of commercial feed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, small amounts of safe kitchen scraps can provide a healthy treat if provided in moderation. If your chickens are packing on the pounds, you <\/span>may promote weight gain by giving them too much of a good thing. Even healthy snacks can become unhealthy when you feed your birds too much.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Can Chickens Eat Table Scraps: Scrap Safety<\/b><\/h2>\n

Chickens can benefit from a certain amount and type of kitchen scraps, but it\u2019s essential that what you give them is nutritionally balanced and not their primary food source. Feeding your birds too much or <\/span>unhealthy scraps can lead to weight gain, which could <\/span>cause them to stop laying eggs, among other things.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cChickens should be fed a commercial diet,\u201d says Richard Blatchford, associate professor of extension, small- to large-scale poultry, in the department of animal science at the University of California, Davis. \u201cThese have been formulated\u2014and are regulated\u2014to provide the full nutrition that chickens need. If you feed this diet, they don\u2019t need any other feed source.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat said, we know they eat other things if they <\/span>range, like plants and bugs, even an occasional lizard or mouse. Kitchen scraps aren\u2019t bad for them in moderation. Like us, chickens enjoy food that may not be the most nutritious and may eat that to the exclusion of the nutritious food. Think chocolate versus Brussels sprouts for people. Even foods that appear healthy\u2014for us\u2014can make chickens obese, which can lead to health problems and a decrease in eggs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Blatchford specializes in husbandry, behavior and welfare of poultry. He works with broilers, layers and backyard flocks. As an extension specialist, one of his primary roles is to provide the latest scientific information to stakeholders in poultry. He frequently speaks to groups about backyard flock behavior, especially nuisance behaviors, and helps them address these problems and fix bad behaviors.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"chickens
Estuary Pig\/Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dangerous Snacks<\/b><\/h2>\n

Can chickens eat table scraps? Yes. But there\u2019s a right way to do it. One snack many people feed their chickens that isn\u2019t actually very good for them on an everyday basis is scratch, which Blatchford calls \u201cchicken candy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cScratch is a high-calorie, no-nutrition food,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s made primarily of seeds, which are full of fat, and chickens love it. But it really shouldn\u2019t be part of the daily diet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dairy should also be avoided because birds can\u2019t digest it, which can lead to diarrhea. Like people, diarrhea can cause dehydration, potentially leading to a whole slew of additional problems.<\/p>\n

Blatchford suggests not feeding eggs back to your chickens that look like an egg. \u201cThis can turn hens into egg-eaters, and that\u2019s very hard to stop,\u201d he says. \u201cThere are also some plants that are toxic to chickens, but they tend to avoid them, and they don\u2019t typically come in the form of kitchen scraps.\u201d<\/p>\n

When feeding chickens eggs and eggshells, crush them into small pieces that the chickens can easily consume. Once crushed, they can be mixed with other feed or provided in a separate dish.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While toxic plants shouldn\u2019t be something found in your kitchen scraps, some parts of certain vegetables do contain toxins that can be harmful or even deadly to chickens. For example, the leaves, pits and skins of avocados contain persin, a fungicidal toxin that doesn\u2019t affect people but can be fatal to chickens and ducks<\/span> or cause respiratory problems, heart damage, weakness and death. Other produce to avoid include the following.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n