Feeding & Nutrition

I was prepping a batch of carrots for Sunday dinner when I caught myself about to toss the green tops in the trash. Then I read something that stopped me cold: carrot tops contain six times more vitamin C than the root itself. My 12 hens were about to get the most nutritious part of the vegetable, the part … Read more

I was standing in Tractor Supply last November, staring at 50-pound bags of cracked corn and whole corn, completely confused. A fellow chicken keeper told me, “Only feed cracked. Whole corn will choke them.” The guy behind him said, “Cracked corn is trash. All the nutrients leach out.” Then a third person chimed in: “Never feed corn in … Read more

Every fall, our apple tree produces more fruit than we can possibly eat, bake, or give away. Half of them end up as windfalls in the yard, going soft and brown in the grass. The first time I tossed one to my flock, they attacked it like they had never eaten before. Beaks were flying, … Read more

The first time I tossed a handful of blueberries into my chicken run, I came back an hour later to find purple-stained beaks, streaked droppings, and a brief but genuine moment of panic. I was halfway through Googling “is my chicken bleeding internally” before it clicked. It was the blueberries. Everything was perfectly fine. More than fine, actually. … Read more

Every June, my strawberry patch goes into overdrive and produces way more than my family can eat. That first summer with chickens, I had a full flat of overripe strawberries sitting on the counter and twelve hens giving me the “treat me” stare through the run fence. Before I tossed them over, I paused. Are strawberries actually … Read more

I was cleaning out the pantry last fall and found two bags of brown rice that had been sitting there for months, pushed behind the cereal boxes and forgotten. My twelve hens were scratching around the run in that bored, restless way they get when the weather turns cold and there’s nothing interesting left to … Read more

Last winter, I was clearing out my kitchen pantry and found three half-used loaves going stale on the counter. My eight hens were scratching around the run in that bored, restless way they get when the ground is frozen and there’s nothing interesting to forage. Naturally, my first thought was free treats. But before I tossed the … Read more

Yes, chickens can eat watermelon safely, and it is one of the best treats you can offer your flock. The flesh, seeds, rind, and even the leaves and vines of the watermelon plant (Citrullus lanatus) are all safe for chickens to consume. Watermelon is approximately 92% water, making it one of the most hydrating treats available. … Read more

Yes, chickens can eat grapes safely. Grapes are not toxic to chickens and make a nutritious treat when offered in moderation. The primary concern is their high sugar content, not toxicity. According to Dr. Anthony Pilny, DVM, DABVP (Avian Practice), medical director at the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital, grapes are a “special treat” that should be fed “in moderation” as … Read more

What’s the best thing to put in the bottom of a chicken run? I asked myself this question desperately during my first rainy season with chickens, watching my run transform into a foul-smelling mud pit that swallowed my boots with every step. My chickens stood on their roosts all day, refusing to touch the ground. … Read more