Author: Tanner Barnsley
Tanner Barnsley is the pen name on Chicken Rise's backyard chicken guides: what is safe to feed a flock, breeds, coops and chicks. Chicken Rise is written by a small team under pen names; we are not vets, and if a bird is unwell, call an avian vet.
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Buff Orpingtons vs Speckled Sussex: More Alike Than You’d Think
Both are calm, broody English hens with clean legs. Here’s how a Buff Orpington and a Speckled Sussex differ in color, size,…
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Buff Orpingtons vs Australorps: Same Roots, Different Hens
Australorps came from Black Orpingtons bred for eggs. Here’s how the two compare on size, eggs, broodiness, weather and chicks, and which…
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Can Chickens Eat Dried Peas and Lentils? Cook Them First
Can chickens eat dried peas and lentils? Cook them first. Cooked peas and lentils are a fine treat; dried beans never go…
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Can Chickens Eat Beetroot Leaves and Stalks? Yes, Fed Fresh
Yes, beet leaves and stalks are a fine treat for hens, raw or cooked. Feed them fresh, keep it small, and don’t…
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Can Chickens Eat Cheese? Better Not: The Salt and Fat Math
Can chickens eat cheese? Better not. If you do, a thumbnail-sized crumble, shared, is the most; cheddar, feta and parmesan are the…
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Can Chickens Eat Prawn Heads and Shells? Yes, Plain and Same Day
Yes, as a small treat, if they’re plain and fresh. Skip anything from a seasoned boil, feed it the same day, and…
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Can Chickens Eat Oats and Honey Granola?
Well, let me tell you about the time I tried to give my chickens some leftover granola from my breakfast. As someone…
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Can Chickens Eat Oranges or Grapefruit? Better Not
Better not. Keep oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes out of the scrap bucket. If you do share, give a small piece of…
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Can Chickens Eat Cooked Rice and Beans? Yes, Once the Beans Have Boiled
Yes, chickens can eat cooked rice and beans. Plain rice is an easy treat, and beans are fine once they’ve had a…
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Can Chickens Eat Apple Cores and Seeds? Share the Apple, Not the Seeds
Yes, your hens can have apple. The flesh is fine, and so is the peel. Don’t toss a whole core into the…
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Can Chickens Eat Bananas and Banana Peels? Yes, a Little Goes a Long Way
Yes, your hens can eat bananas, and the peel too if you chop it very small. Bananas are a safe treat for…
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Can Chickens Eat Spaghetti Squash Seeds? Yes, if They’re Plain
Yes, raw or plain roasted, never salted. How much squash a hen gets, which leftovers to skip, and why a bitter squash…
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Buff Orpington vs Bantam: One Breed, Two Sizes
A bantam isn’t a breed, it’s a size. A Buff Orpington bantam hen weighs about 36 ounces against 8 pounds for the…
