My chickens absolutely love our garden! Our chicken run and garden are separated by a tall fence and the chickens stand at the fence and beg me for their favorite vegetables. It’s hilarious! I’ll toss over some cucumbers, zucchini, a few tomatoes or other rainbow-colored snacks. They go wild and it’s fun knowing they love these treats so much all while being good for them.
Chickens can eat a variety of vegetables as part of their diet, providing them with essential nutrients. Vegetables not only add nutritional value but also stimulate their natural foraging instincts, as chickens are attracted to the colors and textures. While I provide high-quality chicken feed as the primary component of their diet to ensure they receive all necessary nutrients, I like to incorporate vegetables as healthy snacks and treats.
Vegetables can also reduce feed costs, especially if chickens are allowed to free range or if you supplement with garden produce. However, it’s crucial to maintain a balanced diet for optimal health and egg production. Here are some safe and nutritious vegetables that you can offer your flock.
Vegetables Chickens Can Eat
1. Leafy Greens like lettuce, spinach, kale and Swiss chard are great options for chickens. These vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals that support overall health.
2. Broccoli is a nutritious vegetable that chickens can enjoy. It is high in antioxidants and vitamins, making it a healthy treat for your feathered friends. My chickens don’t actually care for broccoli that much, but it is good for them! I guess they’re a lot like humans! Haha!
3. Carrots are a good source of beta carotene and fiber, and chickens enjoy pecking at them. You can feed carrots to your chickens either raw or cooked.
4. Peas are a good source of protein and fiber for chickens. You can feed them fresh or frozen peas as a tasty treat. Peas in a Flock Fixer frozen treat are really fun.
5. Bell Peppers are rich in vitamin C and can be a colorful addition to your chickens’ diet. They can peck at slices of bell peppers for a crunchy snack.
6. Pumpkin are a seasonal favorite for chickens. They can eat the flesh and seeds of pumpkins, which are good sources of nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are also really good for their gut.
7. Cucumbers are hydrating and low in carbs, making them a refreshing treat especially in the summer. My chickens go absolutely wild for cucumbers!
8. Zucchini is another vegetable that chickens can enjoy. You can feed them raw or cooked zucchini as part of their diet. I love throwing a large overgrown zucchini in the run. It’s fun for the chickens to peck at it, keeping them from boredom.
Tips for Feeding Vegetables to Your Chickens
When feeding vegetables to your chickens, it’s essential to remember a few things:
You will want to introduce new vegetables gradually to ensure that they don’t cause digestive upset.
Absolutely avoid feeding chickens spoiled or moldy vegetables. Just like it would us, this would make them sick.
Balancing their diet with a mixture of vegetables, grains and commercial feed is crucial for their overall health. I go a step further and give them Chicken E-lixir in their water every day. It’s a daily vitamin for your flock and helps keep their digestive and immune systems running like they should. It also contains calcium for their bones and egg production as well as electrolytes to help keep them hydrated.
There are a few vegetables that chickens cannot eat that can actually harm them. You can get that list here. If you’re chickens love asparagus I’d love to hear about it! While it’s one of my favorite vegetables, my chickens turn their beaks up at it! Haha!
Until next time,
–The Wing Lady
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You can’t always see it, but your flock will experience a weakened immune system during times of challenge. Flock Fixer is a vitamin-rich additive that helps hydrate, restore vital nutrients and balance digestive health.
Chicken E-lixir - Daily Vitamin for Chickens Chicken E-lixir is added to drinking water as a daily vitamin for keeping chickens healthy by promoting digestive health. For everyday use, it contains a unique blend of organic oregano essential oil, prebiotics, calcium, vitamins D & E and electrolytes.