What your chickens can and can’t eat! | BackYard Chickens
Food
Yes/No
Acorn Squash, fruit, skins and seeds
Yes
Alfalfa
Yes
Almonds
Yes
Almond Butter
Yes
Amaranth, raw
No, Raw amaranth contains growth depressing antinutrients
Amaranth, cooked or extruded
Yes
Ant
Yes, Typically chickens won’t eat ants. Be sure no pesticides were used on any colony
Apple
Yes
Apple, seeds
No, Contain cyanide
Banana
Yes
Banana, skin or peel
Yes
Basil
Yes
Benefits the immune system
Bean Sprouts
Yes
Beans
Yes
ONLY cooked beans, never dry
Beet, leaves/leafs/greens
Yes
Beets
Yes
Bell Pepper
Yes
Bird Seed
Yes
Edamame
Yes
do NOT feed uncooked soy
Egg shell
Yes
Great source of calcium
Egg, boiled/scrambled/cooked
Yes
Only feed cooked eggs, so they don’t start eating their own eggs
Eggplant
Maybe?
Much debate on whether raw eggplant is safe for chickens, as it is in the nightshade family. Cooked is safe for chickens
Eggplant, leaves
NO
Contains Solanine
Eggs
Yes
Cooked only, to prevent encouraging egg eating
Fish
Yes
Flax seed
Yes
French Fries
No
Salty/fatty foods are unhealthy
Green beans
Yes
Green peppers
Yes
Grits
Yes
Ham
Yes
In moderation due to salt content
Honey
Yes
Honeydew
Yes
Kale
MAYBE
Kidney beans
Yes
MUST be cooked
Kiwi
Yes
Lemon
In moderation
Lettuce
Yes
Maggots
No
Risk of botulism
Mango
Yes
Mealworms
Yes
Save money byraising your own
Meat scraps
Yes
Avoid fat, only feed cooked scraps, and only in moderation
Mice
Yes
My chickens love them!
Minnows
Yes
Mushrooms, store bought
Yes
Mushrooms, wild
No
Potentially toxic
Nightcrawlers
Yes
Nuts
Yes
Only shelled and unsalted
Oatmeal
Yes
Oatmeal, uncooked
Yes
Oats
Yes
Okra
Yes
Olives
Yes
Limit cured olives due to salt
Onion
No
Can flavor eggs in smaller quantities. In larger amounts, can cause anemia
Orange
Yes
Orange peels
Yes
Oregano
Yes
Excellent for immune health & as a water additive
Papaya
Yes
Pasta
Yes
Feed in moderation, as it contains nearly no nutritional value
Peaches
Yes
Remove pit
Peanut Butter
Yes
Peanuts
Yes
Pears
Yes
Peas
Yes
Pecans
Yes
Only shelled and unsalted
Pepper seed
Yes
Peppers
Yes
Pickles
Yes
Limit due to salt
Pineapple
Yes
Plum
Yes
Remove pit
Pomegranate
Yes
Popcorn, popped
Yes
Unsalted, unbuttered only
Popcorn, unpopped
Yes
Porridge
Yes
Potato, cooked or mashed
Yes
Potato, peel
No
Contains Solanine
Potato, raw
No
Contains Solanine
Potato, sprouted
No
Contains Solanine
Pumpkin
Yes
Pumpkin, Seeds
Yes
Quinoa
Yes
Only washed or cooked, as raw contains saponins unpalatable to poultry
Radishes, and greens
Yes
Raisins
Yes
Raspberries
Yes
Raw chicken
No
Risk of salmonella
Rhubarb
No
Contains some oxalic acid
Rhubarb, leaf
NO!
Highly toxic, contains oxalic acid
Rice
Yes
Cooked only
Rice, brown
Yes
Cooked only
Rice, cooked
Yes
Rice, uncooked
No
Rodents
Yes
Chickens naturally eat rodents. It is a good idea to keep poisons out of the area so chickens do not eat a poisoned mouse, leading to the bird being poisoned
Scrambled Eggs
Yes
Seaweed
Yes
Shrimp, meat and shell
Yes
Snails
Yes
Can carry gapeworm
Spinach
Yes
Squash
Yes
Strawberries
Yes
String beans
Yes
Sunflower Seeds
Yes
Great for molting birds
Sweet Potato
Yes
Tomato, ripe fruit
Yes
Tomato, leaf or green fruit
No
Contains Solanine
Turkey Carcass
Yes
Cooked only
Walnuts
Yes
Only shelled and unsalted
Watermelon
Yes
Watermelon, rind
Yes
Wheat
Yes
Wheat Berries
Yes
Yam
Yes
Yogurt
Yes
Feed in moderation as chickens cannot digest milk. Good for probiotics