What Not to Feed Your Chickens: Common Toxic Plants and Foods

There are many plants that could pose a poTenTial risk to your birds if ingested, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they will. some chickens will instinctively keep a distance from toxic plants, and some will not. plus, not every toxic plant is equally toxic. This isn’t a comprehensive list by any measure. if you’re unsure of a plant’s toxicity, ask the horticulture experts at your local nursery or consult your avian veterinarian. and remove them from the coop after a day or so. Dairy products are also fine in moderation. In fact, yogurt is a great source of probiotics; when mixed with the crumbs and powder at the bottom of the feed bag, it makes a great treat while keeping waste to a minimum. Pasta, stale bread, and rice are tried-and-true favorites, too, as long as they are well cooked and offered in moderation. Cooked eggs and crushed eggshells are also well loved by chickens. As long as the eggs are cooked and the shells are crushed, this treat won’t encourage egg-eating behavior.

Whatever the food item, just be sure that the pieces are a manageable size for a chicken to gobble up. Leafy greens, in particular, should be chopped or torn into smaller pieces. Chickens tend to get greedy and excited when they see the scrap bucket — a potentially lethal combination if an individual swallows large, whole chunks of food in a hurry.

Kristina Mercedes Urquhart writes for Chickens magazine and is the author of the book The Suburban Chicken. She lives on a homestead in North Carolina, where she grows her own food and raises livestock.