*Never feed moldy or rancid foods.
What to Feed:
| Food | Type | Rating | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruits: | |||
| Apples | Raw or applesauce | Good | Seeds contain minor levels of cyanide, but not enough to be toxic. |
| Bananas | Without the peel | Great | High in potassium, a good treat. |
| Berries | All kinds | Great | Good treat, especially strawberries. |
| Grapes | All kinds, seedless only | Great | Cutting them in half makes them easier to swallow. Great fun for the chickens. |
| Peaches | Without the pit | Good | Pit contains cyanide compounds, but the flesh is great. |
| Pomegranate | Raw | Great | Seeds and flesh are a big treat. |
| Raisins | All, not sugar covered | Great | Good treat, most chickens love them, |
| Strawberries | Whole plant | Great | All berries, use as a treat, not much nutritional value. |
| Vegetables: | |||
| Asparagus | Raw or cooked | Fair | They will eat it, but not a favorite. |
| Beans | Cooked well, never dry | Great | They will also eat green beans. |
| Beets | All kinds | Great | They will eat the greens too. |
| Broccoli | Raw (no stems) or cooked (with stems) | Great | Put it in a suet holder and they will peck at it all day. |
| Brussel Sprouts | Whole head | Great | Hang from the ceiling in coop in the winter and they will have something to play with and greens to eat. |
| Cabbage | Whole head | Great | Hang from the ceiling in coop in the winter and they will have something to play with and greens to eat. |
| Carrots | Raw or cooked | Great | They like the carrot greens too. |
| Cauliflower | Raw or cooked | Great | Put it in a suet holder and they will peck at it all day. |
| Corn | Raw or cooked | Good | Not a great source of protein but a good treat and found in most scratch grains. |
| Cucumbers | Mature growth | Good | Chickens like both the seeds and the flesh. |
| Eggplant | Cooked | Fair | In moderation, leaves should not be fed. See Solanine* below. |
| Herbs | Most types | Good | Some help with respiratory issues, some are egg laying stimulants. There will be an additional post about herbs and animals. |
| Kale | All kinds | Great | Any leafy green is a big treat. |
| Kohlrabi | Raw or cooked | Good | Like beets and turnips, if they eat it, they will eat the greens and all. |
| Lettuce | All kinds | Great | Any leafy green is a big treat. |
| Melons | All kinds | Great | Seeds and flesh are goth good treats. |
| Okra | All kinds | Fair | Doesn't seem to be a favorite, but won't hurt them. |
| Parsnips | Raw or cooked | Good | Nutritious. If raw, best grated or chopped. |
| Peas | All kinds | Good | A good treat and high in protein. |
| Peppers | Cooked | Fair | In moderation, leaves should not be fed. See Solanine* below. |
| Potatoes | Cooked only, includes sweet potatoes/yams | Fair | In moderation, leaves should not be fed. See Solanine* below. |
| Pumpkin | Raw or cooked | Great | Both seeds and flesh are a nutritious treat. |
| Radish | Raw or cooked | Good | Chickens like then. If raw, best grated or chopped. |
| Spinach | All kinds | Great | Any leafy green is a big treat. |
| Sprouts | Microgreens | Great | Wheat and oat sprouts are great. Good for greens in the winter. |
| Squash | All kinds, halved | Good | They will eat the seeds and the flesh and leave the skin. Good source of nutrition. |
| Swiss Chard | All kinds | Good | Chickens will eat the entire plant. |
| Tomatoes | Cooked | Fair | In moderation, leaves should not be fed. See Solanine* below. |
| Turnips | Cooked | Fair | Not a huge favorite. |
| Zucchini | All kinds, halved | Good | They will eat the seeds and the flesh and leave the skin. Good source of nutrition. |
| Other: | |||
| Cat food | Wet or dry | Fair | In strict monderation only. High protein, but not formulated for chickens. Has additives they don't need. |
| Cheese | Cottage cheese included | Fair | Feed in moderation. Good source of protein and calcium, but fatty. |
| Crickets | Alive | Great | Provides protein and fun to watch chickens try to catch them. |
| Eggs | Cooked, scrambled or hard boiled | Fair | If a good source of protein, however, not necessarily a good idea to feed chickens, chicken products. Never feed raw. Don't want chickens eating their own raw eggs. |
| Flowers | No pesticide treatment | Fair | Marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies and sunflowers to name a few. Usually chickens will stay away from harmful flowers. |
| Grains | Wheat, corn, flax, bulgar, etc. | Good | Usually fed as scratch grains to keep chickens entertained. Should be fed with a protein enriched complete feed. |
| Mealworms | Alive or dead | Great | The biggest favorite!! Live, purchased at pet stores. Dried can be purchased at many livestock feed stores. |
| Meat | Cooked | Fair | Feed in moderation. Do not feed raw due to bacteria. Low fat meats such as fish are the best. |
| Oatmeal | Raw or cooked | Great | Cooked is nutritionally better. |
| Pasta | All kinds, cooked | Fair | Fun to eat, but not a lot of nutritional value. |
| Popcorn | Popped, not butter or salt | Fair | Not much nutritional value. |
| Rice | Cooked only | Fair | Pilaf mixes are okay and have more nutrition than white rice. |
| Sunflower seeds | All types | Good | Black Oil Sunflower seeds are the best due to higher fat content. |
| Yogurt | Plain or flavored | Good | A favorite and good for a chicken's digestive system. Plain is better that flavored. |
What you Should Not Feed:
(listed rating as “never” are foods that should never be fed!)
| Food | Type | Rating | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artichoke | Raw or cooked | Never | Do not feed vegetables that have a woody texture. Much of the vegetable is not edible. |
| Avocado | All parts | Never | Pits and skin contain Persin which is a toxin. |
| Bread | All kinds | Fair | Startches are not the best treats. |
| Celery | Cut small | Fair | Not a good treat because of the stringiness. Not well liked. |
| Cereal | Cheerios type | Fair | Avoid highly sugared cereals. |
| Onion | Any part | Fair | Not recommended as onions and garlic can negatively affect the taste of the eggs. |
| Potato skin | Green peelings | Never | See Solanine* below. |
| Rhubarb | Any part | Never | Leaves contain oxalic acid that is toxic. |
| Milk | Any type, yogurt is okay | Never | Chickens do not have the enzymes to digest milk. Lactose in yogurt is already broken down and okay to feed. |
This list was based on the Backyard Chicken Forum, but enhanced by my own research.
*Solanine is a glycoalkaloid poison found in species of the nightshade family, such as the potato, the tomato and the eggplant that can affect the gastrointestinal tract and the nervous system. It can occur naturally in any part of the plant, including the leaves, fruit and tubers. Not produced in large enough doses to affect humans or animals in any of these items. To note, humans and anumals should stay away from potatoes that have skin that has started turning green as the potato has elevated levels of Solanine.