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The 10 Easiest Plants to Grow for Your Chickens

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The 10 Easiest Plants to Grow for Your Chickens

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Top Ten Easiest Plants to Grow for Your Chickens

One of the things I love about living on Cape Cod is that it is full of avid gardeners. In the Spring, those gardeners love to have plant sales. I love going to them, because many of the plants you purchase come from other people's backyards. They are hardy, prolific and grow well in the areas where we live. The plant sale that I look the most forward to is run each May by the Thornton Burgess Society.

Thornton Burgess's family was one of the first to settle in Sandwich, Massachusetts in 1637. Thornton Burgess grew up in Sandwich, Massachusetts and became a pioneering naturalist and author. Most of his books were for children based upon the native wildlife that lived around his home. His most famous book, Old Mother West Wind was first published in 1910 which debuted Peter Cottontail. Today's plant sale was located in the gardens of the Thornton Burgess Society's Green Briar Nature Center.

For this plant and herb sale it is always imperative that you arrive early on Friday morning. Even though the sale runs through Sunday, it is not uncommon for them to be sold out on Saturday by lunch. Their prices are wonderful and their selection is fantastic. I love picking up rare goodies. I arrived just as it opened. I scooped up a wagon.

I paused for just a moment to admire a new family of swans.

Within forty five minutes or so, my wagon was full. I always pick up plants for me and for the chickens.

I checked out, loaded my car and came back to admire the gardens. I always find them so inspiring.

Later this Summer, I can't wait to be able to make jam in their old fashioned jam kitchen.

But that would be rushing to Summer.

Top Ten Plants for Chickens
These easy plants are hands down my chickens' favorites
Some I make a point of purchasing and some, Mother Nature provides at no cost.
These are crops that anyone can grow, anywhere across this country, no matter your gardening zone.

1. Nasturtiums~ an annual herb with edible foliage and flowers. They love to climb. My chickens enjoy me planting these outside the perimeter of their run.

2. Beet Greens~planted as cooler weathers crops, don't let your beet greens go to waste. My girls love to gobble these up. As I harvest the beets, I cut off their leafy tops. I toss some into the run for the girls and the rest I store in the refrigerator in a vase of water like cut flowers to save for the upcoming days.

3. Broccoli Greens~As you eat the flowers, they love to eat the leaves and tougher stems. Just be sure they have access to grit.

4. Clover~ Let this favorite grow wild throughout your lawn. It is a favorite of chickens and bees.

5. Dandelions~ Around here these grow from early Spring to late Fall. Try digging them up roots and all and tossing them into the run with your flock. They will love you for it!

6. Carrot Greens~ My girls love to eat the greens from the carrots that I pull from the ground. I treat extras in the same manner as the beet greens.

7. Greens-Mustard Greens, Kale, Cabbage, Chard~ Chickens love these vitamin packed greens. Try planting some mustard greens, kale, chard and lettuce in a planter just for your girls.

8. Grass &Chickweed~If you do not chemically treat your grass, try tossing in some of the clippings after you mow the lawn. Better yet, let the chickens help you mow the lawn by free-ranging with supervision.

9. Berries-Strawberries, blueberries, Blackberries~Chickens go crazy for berries. All these berries too can be planted in containers. Always plant more than you think. Fresh berries are sometimes so hard to share with our feathered friends when they taste so refreshing on a hot Summer day.

10. Sunflowers~Plant some beautiful sunflowers. Harvest the flowers in late Summer and then dry the flowers and seeds. Store them away for a sweet high protein treat perfect for blustery Winter days.

Photo Credit: Tilly's Nest

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Top Ten Easiest Plants to Grow for Your Chickens | Tilly's Nest

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One of the things I love about living on Cape Cod is that it is full of avid gardeners. In the Spring, those gardeners love to have plant sales. I love going to them, because many of the plants you purchase come from other people's backyards.

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This is a list of almost everything you can feed a chicken. However, everybody's chickens have their own tiny brains full of likes and dislikes, so while one person's chickens may come running for grapes or watermelon, another person's chickens may turn up their pointy little beaks at it. Anything on this list is safe to feed and worth a try.

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Your comments and feedback are welcome-please post them on: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feedback-on-learning-center-treats-chart.21530/#post-188621

At the bottom of the page are things you should avoid feeding your chickens.
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Treat

Type

General Opinions

Asparagus

Raw or cooked

Okay to feed, but not a favorite.

Bananas

Without the peel

High in potassium, a good treat.

Beans

Well-cooked only, never dry

Also, greenbeans.

Breads

All kinds-this is a good use for stale bread or rolls.

Feed starches in moderation.

Broccoli & Cauliflower

.

Tuck into a suet cage and they will pick at it all day.

Carrots

Raw and cooked

They like carrot foliage too.

Cooked Chicken

.

They may like it and it won't kill them, but it just seems so... ummm... wrong.

Cucumbers

Let mature for yummy seeds and flesh.

Fish/Seafood

Cooked only.

.

Fruit

Pears, peaches, cherries, apples

.

Grits

Cooked

.

"Leftovers"

Only feed your chickens food items which are still considered edible by humans, don't feed anything spoiled, moldy, oily, salty or unidentifiable.

.

Mealworms
(see photo after the chart)

Available at pet supply stores or on the internet,
although shipping is expensive!

A favorite treat, probably the most foolproof
option in the books.

Popcorn

Popped, no butter, no salt.

.

Raisins

.

.

Tomatoes

Raw and cooked.

.

[/td]

"Do not count on your chickens "knowing" what is bad for them...also The following is from DLHunicorn in response to the listing of cat food in this Treats Chart: (A word to the wise, and thank you, DLHunicorn)

The most favorite chicken treat of all-mealworms! Note the lightning speed of the chicken lunging for them. By the time my camera was ready to take the next shot, all the worms were gone.

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Yogurt's a favorite, and it is very good for their intestinal health.

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Here is Rooster-Red and his chickens enjoying their yogurt.

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Rooster-Red recommends standing back from your chickens when feeding yogurt, because the stuff flies EVERYwhere!

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Here's BYC member Punkin's girls enjoying their first taste of yogurt in June 2008:
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This is a mix of good quality birdseed, raw oatmeal and scratch. I only feed this on cold mornings, and I scatter it sparingly in their run, so they have something to scratch for and occupy their treat-obsessed minds.

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Here's a Gold-Laced Wyandotte rooster belonging to BYC member "Addiedunn" leaping up for his favorite treat-a whole peanut:

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Introducing odd treats can result in some very quizzical looks...

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Here's a bowl of warm oatmeal, girls!

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Warm oatmeal's even better after a big snowstorm:

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Some leftover steamed rice with veggies:
(I'm sure people have experienced exceptions to this list, but if we want to raise our birds the best way possible, it's "better safe than sorry".)

Item

Here's why:

Toxic substance called Solanine.

.

Skin and pit have low levels of toxicity.

Their teeth will rot... no, it's just bad for their systems, and chocolate can be poisonous to most pets.

A quote from Nifty-Chicken, the Administrator of BYC:

"I gave up on my birds knowing what was best for them when I caught them all eating a block of Styrofoam pellets."

Don't feed the following things to your chickens:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/comprehensive-list-of-poisonous-plants-and-trees.627282/
Regarding toxicity , the following is copied from a post by DLhunicorn on May 14, 2007 in a thread titled "Potato Peels". (Thank you DLhunicorn for your tremendously helpful and knowledgeable contributions to BYC!)

do not count on these "toxic" plants immediately being identifiable by finding a dead bird the next morning...usually it is a slow process damaging organs , inhibiting the ability of your bird to utilize the nutrients in their feed, etc..

Toxic Plants:

* Regarding feeding CAT FOOD to chickens,

"You all know how I feel on cat food and I have posted the links and reasoning behind my objections several times ...it can potentially be detrimental to your birds health and even deadly in the right circumstances and for this reason I feel it should be left off the chart (as when you put it on it is as if you are condoning its use) I will repost here one of the sources for my objection:

..."While it is nutritionally essential, methionine excesses are far more toxic to poultry than similar excesses of tryptophan, lysine, and threonine (National Research Council, 1994). Force feeding methionine to excess You can read and discuss more about chicken treats here: can result in death to chicks (National Research Council, 1994). A dosage of 2 g per mature cat per day (20 to 30 g/kg dry diet) for 20 days induces anorexia, ataxia, cyanosis, methemoglobinemia and Heinz body formation resulting in hemolytic anemia (Maede, 1985). ..."

-Feeding & Watering Your Flock Forum Section
-Topic/Question of the week-Feeding table scraps to your flock
-Topic of the Week - Feeding Treats

Testing the review.

I totally forgot about the green bean rule..and fed my chickens raw green beans? What will happen?

My birds went crazy over the cantaloupe! They LOVE cherry tomatoes (which was too funny watching the ducks try to eat!) and pears as well!

Thanks for the post! I'll definitely think about feeding them these things when they move out to the coop!

Your chickens are GORGEOUS, are those Blue Langshans? You can tell they are well cared for and really healthy. Thanks for the article.

Very informative!
I have given mine cat food. YIKES!
What about dog food?
Yogart is good to know, I often feed it to my spoiled piggy.
Thank you!! <3

My girls LOVE warm oatmeal. They also eat apple cores and grapes. And chives!!

When you say beans, do you mean legumes, like kidney beans, or green beans?

Both dry beans or green beans should be cooked.

Has anyone fed their chickens steamed rolled oats? I cook them in a crockpot for a few hours until they are soft and open up. I have read an article by the Chicken Chick that says oats are bad. Anyone else have trouble with feeding chickens Oats? http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2018/01/the-shocking-effect-of-oatmeal/ Here is the link.

I don't give the hens oatmeal anymore, they like it too much and I get attacked... so no more of that!

Are these treats okay for chicks 2-4 weeks old?

This was very informative. I'm new to raising chickens and had no idea that you give them treats. Thanks for the info.

This was very informative. I'm new to raising chickens and had no idea that you give them treats. Thanks for the info.

Great, comprehensive list. Good for any flock master to know
thank you
~M

my girls love oatmeal!

I give my hens a special oatmeal:
laying pellets omega 3 purina, mixed with
dried cherries
meal worms
hen scratch
sometimes scrambled eggs
or hamburger.
but if that roo keeps attacking my leg,......He is gonna be dinner!!!

Oh and sometimes steamed rice

flash update: collected 7 eggs and the rooster attacked the bucket I use.. Cracked 4 of them... instant scrambled eggs, I dont waste stuff!

At what age can I start feeding them treats?

my chicks were eating cooked rice with meal worms at 2 weeks old.
now they are laying eggs everyday! yes 2 weeks old.

Citrus made the not list. My hens eat the fallen lemons and oranges all winter. Do I need to stop this?

Why not feed the hens well? most of us have eggs for whatever reason, so why not make those eggs special and chemical free? aka: Eat healthy!

Excellent Article! Thanks for the list of what not to feed as well. Very helpful for this newbie.

Wow, definitely learned a lot from this article. Love the pics and how the author made it a fun and interesting read. Thanks!

Wow! Thank you! Informative and fun! I'm going to keep this list handy! I like the idea of warm oatmeal on cold days for the hens! Like making hot mash for the horses on Sunday mornings... I'd wondered about something for the chickens too! Perfect!

MY CHICKENS EAT STYROFOAM TOO!?!

My chickens are committed grass grazers, I am surprised by how much they like to graze, even when offered a continual supply of hi-protein pellets. They come running for snacks, and they are especially fond of meat, eggs, and dairy. Whenever I feed them low protein snacks - like leftover stale, home made WW bread, rice, or corn - I supplement it heavily with a high protein source, which could be extra, hard boiled eggs, milk fermented with kefir, chicken livers, hamburger, mealworms, superworms, etc. I also trap and give them earwigs, and they love whole baby mice. They free range and get their own goodies, too, which I think helps a lot to keep them happy. Sometimes I see them jumping up to grab grass seed heads, and I think it may be good husbandry to knockdown the grass in their pasture fields. I am considering growing worms or grubs, maybe crickets. They do love their insects. and sheep pebbles. And water in dirty puddles. I am amazed that I can even tolerate them.

Where do you get whole baby mice? Are they live?
I've been hoping to get some for mine

Davi, I used to buy these "pinkies" at pet stores where they sell reptiles. My chicks, bearded dragon, box turtle, and Russian tortoise would feast and squabble over them, laid in a pile on a single large plate. It was a sight to behold. They were indeed live, and they are a good whole food for many kinds of creatures. They are tiny, though, and one doesn't go far; so I switched to rat pinkies. All these are pricey, though, so I switched again to frozen rat pinkies sold by Layne Laboratories. mail order. It was a big success when the reptiles would eat the thawed rat pinkies; chickens will eat anything. Nowadays, I look for mice nests under bales of hay and the like. It is not too hard to raise your own if you live in a mild climate or have heat in an out building. Works best with breeder mice and a rat mother/brooder. You might be able to get some on-line through reptile supply retailers, like LLReptile. You could Google Mice Feeders, too. Caveat emptor, though.

Oh my goodness! I got identical looks from my chooks when I gave them lobster also!

Can you imagine, I put some shiny marbles in their run and my Beetov-hen pushed all of them back outside the fence. I guess she likes her run free of distractions... Silly bird!

And she still does!

how do i save this list to pinterest?

We fed our previous flock chicken livers for the extra protein when they were molting. They loved it. It was hilarious to see a chicken get a large chunk of a liver and start cackling about it. The others were run after her to get it even though there was a trough full of livers still there left. Her cackling made them think she found a prize.

The last couple of years I have been saving a couple of squash and zucchini from the garden. I either slice it super thin or dice it into small chunks then freeze. Then on super hot days, I'll put it out for the chickens, it's a cooling treat and they love it!

Great idea, it gets pretty hot in Santa Clarita, CA in the summers I am going to do this

Frozen slices of watermelon make great chicken(and childrens') icypoles for hot days.

Very informative!! Thanks very much!! I cannot wait to try some of these Do chickens like wheatgrass and is it ok to feed? Any other type of herb/plant one can grow at home for them to enjoy?

My chickens love wheatgrass! They also totally helped themselves to the mint, thyme, and parsley plant beds lol.

So in the past I have frequently fed oatmeal, but I read this the other day from a source I trust. http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2018/01/the-shocking-effect-of-oatmeal.html
Thoughts?

I needed to read this TODAY! I have given raw whole-oats to my chickens in the past mixed with their scratch as a "treat" during the cold winter months. Not anymore! Thank you again

Just to clarify (I commented on her blog article on this and she responded, which I appreciate) it sounds like very small amounts as a treat *occasionally* is ok, but not ok in large amounts or as a meal replacement.

I read the article and I was surprised. I have fed them warmed oatmeal only a couple of times at the end of a day. No more though.

Always good to be reminded of what chickens can and cannot have!

Should you feed chickens moldy bread?

Definately not! Only feed your chickens what you would still eat yourself.

Re mealworms..you forgot to add "CHICKEN Soup"
Soak said favourite mealworms in a large bowl of hot water, leave overnight .
Take offering to girls....they will devour plumped up mealworms,.... And drink the 'soup' till its vanished!!! 2 for 1 lol
They also love 'ready BEAK'. Mix 1>1 warm water and milk into porridge oats,
Add few raisons, chunks apple, Great treat on cold mornings
HAPPY CHOOKs

Our chickens don't like redworms. But they like Kefir. We add water to "rinse" off the empty kefir bottle and put in a bowl. It's fun to watch them drink it, but I make sure to watch from a distance or I get splashed.

And they love the perennial tree collard. They jump up to eat to get to the leaves many times in the day. We also have "bamboo scaffolding" around it and the girls roost on the horizontal bamboo to feed on the leaves.

Quote: "I gave up on my birds knowing what was best for them when I caught them all eating a block of Styrofoam pellets."

My chickens destroyed a pool noodle my kids left within pecking distance of their run....silly things! REALLY freaked me out being new to chickens but they all were fine thank goodness!

Haha, a while back one of my Orpington cockerels got into a random Styrofoam stash that somehow ended up in the yard, and he ate so much of it that he wouldn't eat his grower pellets! Then it became impacted and I had to spend many nights feeding him oil soaked bread, massaging his crop, worried sick about him until he managed to 'pass' it... All over my lap! He also got a bad case of wry neck due to vitamin deficiency and I had to hand feed him a strict diet of vitamins, special high selenium nutrient dense feed mix (honestly it was like preparing a gourmet salad, hahahah), and pediatric electrolyte water several times a day. All the while he was wearing a truly daft looking neck brace made from a toilet roll, just to stop him doing somersaults and vomiting on himself! What an ordeal - Yikes! Some birds seem to be able to pass the Styrofoam just fine, even if rather messily, but I suppose it depends on both the individual bird and the type + amount of polystyrene; coz Orpy was a very sick lad indeed! Maybe there are certain biodegradable/non-toxic/water soluble types they could play with as a fun toy, but I always recommend just keeping it all away from them to be on the safe side. You don't want to lose a bird over something so silly, like I very nearly did.

I have never had styrofoam around my birds. That crap is bad. But I did give them cat treats they love them. With a picky eater I have had lots of cat food the cat would not eat and the chickens love it. Now I read it's bad, scary , glad I didn't poison them.

I have heard that whey is good to feed chickens and to soak their oats with, but since lemon juice or citrus acid is often used to produce the curd, I'm confused as to whether or not that counts as being harmful since citrus is harmful. Would love to be able to soak their oatmeal in the whey if it's safe regardless of the agent used to produce the curd in my cheese. Anyone have any first hand knowledge on this?

Thanks for a comprehensive list of do's and dont's.
I will be using the suet feeder idea.

How old do my baby chicks need to be before they are allowed treats?

I'd really wait until that five week mark, at that point they are young adults and their systems are more developed. When you start feeding treats at an early age, most commercial brands are high in fat. And you will have to supply them with some sort of chick grit if feeding non production food types.

What kind of yogurt can I feed? Or does it not matter?

Best bet is plain, unsweetened types. You will laugh your posturn off watching them eat it though...they cover themselves in it so keep that in mind.

I've asked twice and nothing yet. I don't know what happened to my post's. So here I am. How much feed should it take to feed nine chickens and six ducks.

Not sure about ducks, with my six hens and one rooster they eat approximately a 1/4 to a 1/2 quart a day plus left overs and scraps. Layer feed mixed at some points with Feather Fixer. Winter time and colder months its more on the 1/2 side of life as they consume more to feed that little furnace they have.

Don't feed apple core because the seeds have cyanide in them

The amount of cyanide in one seed is very minuet. Apple seed extracts are also used to treat Lime Disease in dogs and cats, as well as people. Can it be avoided? Sure can to play on the safe side.

I see no mention of celery so I am wondering if I can feed my four week old chickens the leaves off of celery?

I figured I would follow up my question. I did done research on other sites and they all said yes. I gave my girls some and they seemed to have either eaten it or burried it. Lol

I feed my grown hens and rooster celery whole..not a huge favorite in the flock by any means of the word. It's very ok to give chicks that, just make sure as they develop and the weeks go by you are adding chick grit for them to access.

My birds won't eat celery, I tried

I love the pictures of them with oatmeal but I would not really like them eating chicken...

My uncle back home feeds his chicken, chicken almost every week lol

Can someone explain to me how to post a picture...

Either by clicking on the picture icon or click on "upload a file". Might have to be in the full editor to see them.

If I could figure out how I'd post a video of my girls...and the ducks...and the pet Turkey arguing over a deer carcass! Also note that birds like shiny stuff and will eat anything they can fit in their beaks. Like sockets. And screws.
Then there was the time my hubby saved a hen from choking on a big toad.....
Really it would be easier to list what they DONT eat!

Hi never thought about shinny things but. Have seen my jersey giant down a huge rat she caught! Uughhhh

A rat! How did those eggs taste?

@Farmer Connie hope this helps??

Well Done!:> Thank You!!!!!

My chickens basically attack my dog when he eats his wet dog food

We have a tamed feral kitty who MOVED into chicken run of her own accord!? She gets her can of wet food at night, but only AFTER chickens have retired. The big ones will chase her out of her little crate, occupy her crate, and eat her canned food. They LOVE it!

We have to feed our dogs in a large kennel to keep the chickens out. Our Rooster will push the dogs off their dinner and they are not brave enough to come back.

Very informative article. Thanks.

Thank for this list, we have 6 chicks, and they are growing so quickly, I'm trying to keep up with their appetites!

Thanks for all the info- very informative and like your comments on feeding chickens chicken and catfood. Seems cat and dogfood all have chicken in them, also. Doubly, ugh, wrong to me ... just saying! Want to add that I lost a chicken, presumably to wild growing mushrooms. I try to pull up all of these, but with 2 acres of free ranging available to my chix-an impossible task. Second the comment on not trusting your chickens to know what is best for them!!!

oh my!

My chickens weren't sure about the raisins I gave them but after one brave hen gave it a try others joined.
I also buy unsalted sunflower seeds at the checkout counter, they disappear so I guess they eat them. But their favs are tomatoes, watermelon, and lettuce, and a few like the eggs I don't get to before they do.

My chickens watch the tomatoes grow when they turn pink they sneak in to the garden to eat them off the vine. They risk the wrath of Mom and the hose for a tomato.

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Chicken Treat Chart-the Best Treats for Backyard Chickens

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This is a list of almost everything you can feed a chicken. However, everybody's chickens have their own tiny brains full of likes and dislikes, so while one person's chickens may come running for grapes or watermelon, another person's chickens may turn up their pointy little beaks at it.

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If you are lucky enough to keep chickens and enjoy gardening, it is only a matter of time until you begin designing and growing plants with them in mind. Of course, chickens will happily dine on scraps from the kitchen but you'd be surprised at how they enjoy parts of vegetable plants that we normally do not consider consuming. Chickens will happily dine on carrot tops, peels and trimmed ends. They love beet greens and they will devour an entire broccoli plant!

Over the years, we have begun to interlace edible plantings among our perennial gardens. Not only does the foliage add a burst of color, but we love to increase the garden's yield by thinking outside the raised beds. Our chickens enjoy their own garden exploration time with supervision. In fact, we grow an entirely chicken friendly garden right near their coop for them to enjoy. We have planted a small area of grass filled with clover and dandelions. Adjacent to the coop is a garden filled entirely with chicken safe plantings including hosta, coral bells, marjoram, mint, cilantro, swiss chard, raspberry bushes, nasturtium, chives, celery, cabbage, sunflowers and scabiosa.

We have mulched this garden with pine wood chips. We find that these wood chips not only provide the same garden benefits as mulch, but they are much easier to tidy up after the chickens have spent time exploring and scratching. Whenever we add new tender plantings to the garden, as a precaution from overzealous chickens, we surround the new plant with chicken wire to keep it safe until it is well established. If left to their own devices, chickens can be devastating to gardens. Therefore, if there are areas where you prefer chickens not roam, it's best to fence them off or try and redirect their interests by tossing a bit of chicken scratch in the opposite direction.

If you are unable to allow your flock to freely wander about their surroundings don't let that stop you from gardening for your flock. Simply snip off tasty sprigs of garden goodies and toss them into the run.

All of these plants are entirely edible and safe for your flock.

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If you are lucky enough to keep chickens and enjoy gardening, it is only a matter of time until you begin designing and growing plants with them in mind. Of course, chickens will happily dine on scraps from the kitchen but you'd be surprised at how they enjoy parts of vegetable plants that we normally do not consider consuming.

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Here are some websites that will help you decide what items the first graders should plant in their garden boxes.

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Here are some websites that will help you decide what items the first graders should plant in their garden boxes.