Scraps for chickens?

[Candice_17]

I saw on the incubating topic mention of feeding chickens scraps. I'm wondering what can I feed them? Its no secret I do daycare and I think I throw more food away than the kids eat. What can I put in a bucket for the chickens? I already do potato peels, egg shells, any veggies we don't eat all of. But what about sandwiches or tater tots or chicken nuggets or mac n cheese?

[BUDDYSGIRL]

I throw out left over veggies ,peels, shells etc... but not meats or table scraps. It probably doesn't hurt but I have dogs, and a pig that I'd prefer not to get them and it encourages other critters like possum and fox to be lurking around in the wee hours of the night.
Although my dogs get deer legs and such from the deer hunters camp.

[MrsJake]

We used to have a bunch of chickens when I was younger. We had some meat pens and some layers. Anyway, they will pretty much eat anything... meat and junk and whatever. It's not that great for them to have too much greasy stuff, but there's plenty of wacky stuff that you throw away that is in chicken/turkey feed. Bone meal, meat scraps, whatever. They will pick through what they don't want, so it's easier to feed that stuff in a trough so that you can dump out the food that they don't eat every once in a while. Just my 2 cents, good luck

[wildhorses325]

chickens eat anything.we have given them fries,tator tots,and some meat.we once threw left over KFC chicken to the dogs but a chicken ate instead, ,and wanted more...lol

[Candice_17]

Good, maybe now I won't feel so wasteful! I used to give the scraps to the dogs, but they are inside a lot and let me tell you, people food stinks when a dog digests it My lab used to run me out of the room.

[bixfarmboy]

KFC for chickens now that is chicken lick'n good

[kiowaruby]

Haha Yeah we used to always feed our chickens table scraps when we had them including left over chicken, that was probably their favorite.

[Candice_17]

Let me tell you, we have close to 70 chickens and so we go thru a lot of food. Since I started giving them scraps we have seen a 30% drop in thier food consumption. Its great!!! They beg for thier scraps. I can't gather eggs without giving them the scraps first. They all flock around you trying to jump into the bucket. I think my chickens love me now.

[BUDDYSGIRL]

I never give my chickens scrap meats, I never have any because I don't eat many meats, but they get alot of vegetables.

[tlrohr]

Candice, my chickens get everything from carcasses and vegetables to Amish bread --- which I make 8 loaves once a month. They learned that when I carry the bowl out --- they have something coming and they just cannot wait. They really do love the carcasses from chicken, duck or turkey and they will pick the bones clean. I laughed the 1st time I gave them the turkey --- went out there the next morning and could not find a bit of meat left. Who would have thought they were cannibals --- just glad they do not treat eachother that way. Yesterday they got leftover spaghetti and meatballs (cut up) --- they loved that also. I always buy mine a few things at the store --- avocadoes, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant -- anything reasonably priced ($1 or less). I spend $10 on them and it all last about 2 weeks.