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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Can Chickens Eat Star Jasmine? A Few Leaves, but Watch the Yellow Jessamine
Yes, I’d let your hens peck at a few star jasmine leaves. Just keep it to a nibble, not a pile of…
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Can Chickens Eat Star Fruit? Why I’d Skip This One
Keep star fruit away from your chickens. It’s loaded with oxalic acid and a nerve toxin, and there’s no safe amount on…
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Will My Feathered Friends Flock to Honey Bunches of Oats?
So the other day I was sitting out on the porch enjoying a big bowl of Honey Bunches of Oats, as one…
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Can Chickens Eat Star Anise? Why I’d Keep the Pods Out of the Coop
Skip it. A store pod could be toxic Japanese star anise, you can’t tell by looking, and even the real oil is…
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How Long Can Chicken Eggs Stay in the Coop? Hours, Not Days
Hours, not days: collect eggs at least twice a day, refrigerate them soon after, and toss cracked, filthy or hidden-nest eggs.
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How Many Chickens Does a Family Need for Eggs? A Count by Household Size
Two hens for one person, five or six for a family of four, plus what the molt, short days and feed do…
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Can Chickens Eat Sweet Potatoes? Yes, Cooked and a Little
Yes, cooked and a little: about half a tablespoon of mash a hen a day, so one medium baked sweet potato feeds…
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What Is the Best Feed for Chickens? Match the Bag to the Bird
The best feed for chickens is a complete feed made for their age and their job: starter for chicks, grower for young…
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Why Do Chickens Jump on Your Shoulder? You’re the Highest Perch Around
She’s after the highest perch around, and she isn’t scared of you. Why a hen picks your shoulder, and how to keep…
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Why Do Chickens Get Lice? Another Bird Brought Them In
Chicken lice live their whole life on a bird and die within about a week off it. How they get in, how…
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Can Baby Chicks Eat Ants? They’ll Peck a Few, but Keep Fire Ants Away
Yes, baby chicks will peck at ants, and a chick that snaps one up is just doing what chicks do. That doesn’t…
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Can Chickens Eat Venomous Spiders? Don’t Toss Them One
Don’t catch a widow or a recluse and toss it to your hen. There’s no evidence it’s safe for her, and the…
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Can Chickens Eat Chicken Breast? Cooked and Plain, Yes
Yes, if it’s cooked and plain. About a tablespoon of diced breast is a hen’s whole treat share. Skip raw, deli and…
