What Parts Of Thanksgiving Dinner Can I Share With My Chickens?
Fall weather has changed from colorful to cold in my region. Most of the trees have shed the last of their leaves. The Thanksgiving holiday is almost here. You may be wondering what parts of your family feast are safe to share with your flock. Here is short list of kitchen scraps from Thanksgiving and whether or not they are safe to share with your flock.
Kitchen scraps as treats is a great way to provide your chickens with a nutritional boost but this should be done in moderation. I provide kitchen scraps in addition to my complete layer feed, not as a substitute for it. A nutritional imbalance from too many treats can result in things like soft shelled eggs, poor feather regrowth, prolapse, and other health issues. I’m careful to only give my flock treats 3 times per week to avoid accidentally creating a nutritional imbalance.
Discerning which treats are safe for your chickens depends of a few factors. I always encourage people to err on the side of caution and if there is any reason they hesitate to feed a particular kitchen scrap, then don’t, and instead rely on your chicken’s complete and safe poultry layer feed. Don’t force your chickens to eat scraps they appear to have no interest in or to eat food they are avoiding. Chickens have senses you don’t and can detect issues with food you may not be aware of. If they appear to be actively avoiding something it is often with good reason.
Items like avocado, alcohol, chocolate, caffeine, and highly processed foods are toxic to your chickens. It is also not recommended to NOT feed them raw beans, rice, or oats as prior to cooking these items have a different chemical composition and additionally when eaten raw they could expand in your chickens’ stomach causing injury or death. Once cooked however beans, rice, and oats are safe for your chickens. Avoid feeding moist treats to your chickens prior to experiencing freezing temperatures as moist treats can adhere to their face, comb, and waddles potentially causing frostbite. You can additionally process any scraps you want to share with your chickens with a knife or food processor to make them easier and safer for your chickens to eat.
Turkey– Cooked leftover turkey is safe to share with your chickens. Cooked turkey meat is an excellent source of protein.
Bread stuffing– Bread stuffing is safe to feed to your chickens in moderation. Chickens enjoy bread but it lacks a lot of the essential nutrients they need to stay healthy and to make healthy eggs. It is safe for them to eat in small portions.
Plain dinner roll-Dinner rolls are safe to feed to your chickens in moderation. Chickens enjoy bread, it just lacks many nutrients they need to remain healthy.
Green bean casserole– Green bean casserole is safe to share with your chickens. Both green beans and mushrooms are safe for your chickens. Remove any onion topping and if the casserole itself contains onions do not feed it your chickens. Onions contain sulfur compounds which can cause health issues or death within your flock.
Cranberry sauce-Cranberry sauce in moderation is safe for chickens however they should not eat a lot of it especially the very processed sauce because it is very high in sugar. Sugar free (**as in no sugar, not sugar substitute. Sugar substitutes are toxic to chickens) or natural sauce is healthier for your chickens. You can also string raw washed cranberries for your chickens and hang it somewhere they can access it for an enrichment activity.
Cooked yams and sweet potatoes-Yams are part of the lily family and sweet potatoes are part of the morning glory family, neither of these plants are nightshades. Once cooked both sweet potatoes and yams are safe for your chickens.
Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or other dessert items-Dessert items are not safe to feed to your chickens. High levels of sugar are toxic for your chickens.
Chicken can eat raw squash, pumpkin, and most leafy greens. The vast majority of vegetable scraps are safe for your chickens.
I do not recommend feeding them white potato parts or white potatoes. White potatoes contain solanine which is a toxin that is harmful to chickens.
I hope this has been a helpful starting point for your research about healthy kitchen scraps for chickens to supplement their complete poultry layer feed. Check out Chuck’s other social media for more backyard chicken and homesteading content.
Chuck and the Chicks 