Hobbies And Interests
Worms and Bugs
Chickens are opportunistic feeders. If they are allowed to run free, they will snack on worms and bugs that they find in the grass or in the yard. These creatures are a good source of protein and nutrients. In fact, meal worms are a firm favorite snack for chickens. These can be purchased online or in pet stores and will be snapped up by your chickens. Live crickets that can be bought in pet stores are also much loved by chickens and watching the chickens chasing them can be amusing for owners. Chickens will also happily eat grass, grass clippings and alfalfa hay.
Kitchen Scraps
Chickens like to nibble on food and will make several visits to the feeding trough to eat small amounts of food. They love kitchen scraps and leftovers, so before you throw away the remnants of last nights meal, consider recycling by feeding it to your chickens. Make sure that the leftovers are not oily, moldy or off as this can sicken chickens. Scraps containing vegetables, meat, cheese and even bones will appeal to the average chicken. Throw in some omega-rich flax seeds for extra nutrition. Remember that just because a chicken is willing and eager to eat whatever food you have handy doesn't mean that chickens always know what's best for them. Items like chocolate are toxic for poultry and a treat can quickly turn deadly.
Treats
Chickens have individual tastes and while not all chickens will respond in the same way to what is considered a tasty treat. It's best to try out different treats and see which get the best response. Bananas without their peels are high in potassium and make a good treat. While starches should be fed in moderation, chickens like left over breads and rolls. Berries are a firm favorite, especially strawberries. Watermelon served chilled can provide chickens with a much loved treat that also keeps them hydrated on hot summer days. Yogurt is another firm favorite that is also good for their digestive systems. Chickens actually like their greens so lettuce and kale are considered good treats. Just like humans, chickens like cooked pasta and corn in all forms from canned, fresh to popcorn. Make sure popcorn is not salted as too much salt is not good for the chickens.
Gravel
Gravel, pebbles and stones don't sound very appetizing, but these are necessary parts of a chicken's diet and they are programmed to seek them out and gobble them down. This is because chickens have gizzards, which are much like a second stomach. The gritty material ends up in the gizzards where it helps to grind up fibrous foods. Chickens will happily munch up bits of grit because they instinctively know that they need these nonnutritious bits to be able to digest the more delectable items they add to their diet.