Feeding Kitchen Scraps to Chickens
If you keep backyard chickens, you’ll quickly discover they’re great at helping reduce food waste. Chickens love scratching through kitchen scraps, and many leftovers can make healthy, fun treats for your flock.
Good Options for Scraps
Fruit and vegetable trimmings, cooked pasta or rice, stale bread, and leafy greens are all favorites. Chickens will happily peck at melon rinds, apple cores, or carrot tops, turning what might have gone in the trash into something useful.
Things to Avoid
Not all foods are safe. Skip anything moldy, salty, or greasy, along with avocado, chocolate, onions, and raw potatoes. If you’re unsure about an item, composting is a safer option.
Keep It Balanced
Scraps are best as treats, not the main diet. A quality layer feed should always be the foundation, with scraps offered in moderation.
Other Treat Options
In addition to kitchen scraps, there are plenty of commercial treats designed for chickens, like dried mealworms or scratch grains. These are especially useful when you want to give your flock an extra protein boost or just encourage them to come running when you call.
Seasonal Favorites
Your chickens will also enjoy seasonal extras straight from the garden or farmers’ market:
- Summer: Cool them down with watermelon rinds or cucumber slices.
- Fall: Pumpkin and squash are a big hit and double as a natural de-wormer.
- Winter: Warm, cooked oatmeal (without sugar) makes a comforting treat.
- Spring: Fresh garden weeds like dandelion greens are a healthy, free snack.
Feeding scraps, seasonal produce, and the occasional store-bought treat is a simple, sustainable way to cut down on waste while keeping your chickens happy and active. It’s one of those small routines that makes backyard chicken-keeping rewarding.