DIY Chicken Treats

DIY Chicken Treats
by Cheryl L. McClure

MYO (make your own), GYO (grow your own), DIY (do it yourself). Whatever the case may be, it's easy and anyone can do it!! Below are three ways to provide some treats for your flock.

DIY Flock Block
I made my own flock block for the chickens and put it in a suet basket to keep the goats out. But you can make them in an 8" x 8" pan to hang out for your flock. They will love it!!

Makes two 8x8 blocks

• 2 cups layer crumbles
• 2 cups scratch
• 1 cup of an Omega3 feed supplement like Omega Egg Maker
• 4 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup Cracked Corn
• 3/4 cup Wheat Germ
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup Calendula petals (optional) like Starwest Botanicals Organic Calendula Flowers
• 3 eggs, beaten, include finely crushed shells
• 2 finely diced apples
• 1 cup applecauce
• 2 cups molasses
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup melted Coconut Oil (or any oil)

​​​Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease 2, 8" x 8" pans

Mix all dry ingredients together in one bowl. Mix all wet ingredients in another bowl. Add wet to dry ingredients, mix well.

The mixture should hold together and not be oozing liquid. If it is still watery, soak up excess water with bread, squeeze the liquid out and then add bread pieces back into mix. Combine.

Place mixture into prepared pans and press down, packing tightly. You can also size them to fit a suet basket if you like. Create a small hole in the top for hanging if desired.

Bake for 2 hours. After baking turn off the stove and leave the blocks in the oven for several hours until cool. Remove when completely cool.

Hang that baby out and the chickens will have a grand time snacking!!

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Rye Grass Sprouts in a Container

Our chickens spend most of their time in a protected fenced area so they are not easily exposed to predators. When they get to free range we babysit them so they are safe and our vegetable garden is safe as well as the landscape that they typically like to scratch up! This is a great way to supplement our chickens with fresh grass even though mowing in the fall and winter is not uncommon so we can always give them the bagged clippings as well.

Here's what to do!

• Use any container. We used an old hospital wash pan
• Add some soil to the bottom
• Sprinkle Rye Grain Seeds on top, press it in and cover with about a 1/8" of plain soil or potting soil
• Lightly water
• Place in greenhouse or put saran wrap over the top and put in a sunny area

Check about once a week.
In 2 - 3 weeks you will have grass!

Cluck cluck cluk!!

They will be curious at first but soon they will know what a great treat you have for them.

Nom nom!! Cluck Cluck!

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Rye Grass Sprouts in the Chicken Run

• Use any clear plastic container bottom. We used an old oblong storage container
• Rough up the area where you want the grass to grow. Make sure it will get a lot of sun
• Sprinkle Rye Grain Seeds on top, press it in and cover with about a 1/8" of soil
• Lightly water
• Place the storage container upside down over the area planted
• Pin down the sides with metal pins so the chickens won't move it

Check about once a week.
In 2 - 3 weeks you will have grass!
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You can see the container is just flipped over to make a mini terrarium and we used metal pins on the edges to secure it.

Rye grass sown right into the ground and now ready for the chickens to eat.

They love this but it won't take long and their snack will be gone! We have decided to make a couple of snack stations in their run so that periodically they will have a new fresh snack of rye grass.

Once they're all done, they'll want some more so make 'em some more!!

​Happy chicken treating!
Cheryl @ Pickle Creek Ranch