Southern Charm DIY's video: CHICKENS HOW TO GIVE MORE THAN CHICKEN FEED WILD FRUIT

CHICKENS HOW TO GIVE MORE THAN CHICKEN FEED WILD FRUIT Confused about what's a healthy treat for your chickens? We all want to spoil our chickens from time to time, but giving them lots of regular treats may not be best for their health. We all like to spoil our chickens from time to time, but what makes for healthy treats, and how often should they be given? Find out here. 11K+Save It's important they have a balanced diet - which means a good quality feed and, once they've had a chance to eat that, some yummy but healthy treats. So what are the healthiest treats for chickens? The problem is that there's a lot of information out there in internet-land, not all of it accurate. This is a list of five of the best chicken treats which you can trust are not harmful and will make both your hens and their eggs stronger and healthier. It's by no means a comprehensive list, but it's safe. Remember though that, just like people, different chickens have different tastes. What some will love so much that they're willing to fight for it, others won't give the time of day to. And what your chickens love one day, they will turn their beaks up at the next. It's all a question of trial and error, and discovering what works well for your flock. At what age can chicks be given treats? This is a question I'm often asked. When raised by a broody hen in the wild or in a back yard, chicks will be introduced to 'treats' in the form of bugs and greens as early as a couple of days old. In the brooder, I personally don't give chicks treats until they're at least a week old, more often I wait till they're two weeks. And even then, I offer only healthy treats in small quantities. Why? Because treats are not a balanced diet, and chicks need to learn what their 'proper' food is before they fill their tiny tummies with treats. Giving unlimited treats is like taking kids to a sweet-shop and telling them they can stuff themselves full of whatever they want. It's likely to end in tummy-ache. And for tiny chicks, that can mean big problems. Chicks love healthy treats from a very young age - but make sure they always have a supply of grit freely available. Find out all about what makes a healthy treat for your chickens, here. Some of my Wyandotte chicks (and one Sablepoot!) tasting lettuce for the first time. Important: treats need grit! Remember though, it's very important that as soon as you give your chicks anything other than a starter feed they will need to be given grit in a separate feeder - otherwise they won't be able to digest it. For tiny chicks a dish of sand is fine - they'll take it as they need it. Apples, pears and other fruits. Fruits are every bit as good for our backyard chickens as they are for us. Full of vitamins and low in fat, they're an excellent choice as a healthy treat. Make your hens an occasional fresh fruit salad and watch them blossom! Planting a few fruit trees in your chicken run, or allowing your flock to free range in an orchard, works well as the hens will eat fallen fruit (the wormier, the better) and at the same time fertilise the ground. I have apple, pear, fig, peach and persimmon trees in my run and there's nothing I like more than to shake a few ripe fruit from the trees for them in the late afternoon sun. My chickens love to forage for fruit in the autumn when the fruit is on the ground - the wormier, the better! My chickens love foraging for fruit under the apple trees, searching for wormy windfalls! If you don't have space for full size trees try dwarf varieties, buy fruit when it's in season (and therefore inexpensive) or see if you can do a deal with friends or neighbours for some windfalls. Any chicken favourites? This will depend entirely on your chickens. Mine have a particular liking for figs and persimmon, but won't eat apples unless they're finely grated. Picky. Any issues with fruit? Apples: Some people don't like to give chickens apples but the flesh itself is fine - apple seeds do contain arsenic but they'd need to eat them in massive quantities to have any effect. My chickens often peck at windfalls and have never suffered any adverse effects. Citrus fruits - You'll see a lot of advice about not giving these (oranges, lemons and grapefruit) to poultry - but there's no scientific base for that advice. It's handed down by word of mouth and internet forums. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mrsd3tayqI&feature=youtu.be