Can Chickens Eat Popcorn

Popcorn is surely delicious and everybody enjoys it. But will your chickens enjoy it too? And most importantly, can chickens eat popcorn? Yes, your chickens can eat popcorn and will have a great time while doing it! Just make sure it’s popped and unsalted. The salt can be quite harmful for your feathered pets’ health.

Can Chickens Eat Popcorn? How Much?

Popcorn treats are delicious and healthy! If cooked properly, without additional spices, popcorn can really be a healthy snack not only for you, but for your chickens also. It is a beneficial source of fiber and magnesium and your pets will have a blast pecking on it.

If you do have some leftover popcorn from Friday night movie, your flock will go crazy over some unsalted popcorn!

What Selection Of Popcorn Is Safe For Chickens?

Kernels that are simply air-popped in a brown paper bag in the microwave contain almost no sodium and no saturated fat. This variety is best to be given to chickens. However, the pre-packaged store- bought, microwave, and movie theater selections are most of the time processed and contain lots of salt and additives. Don’t feed any of these type of popcorn to your feathered friends.

What Do Popcorn Contain?

1 oz of popcorn contains:

Is your Flock Utterly Bored?

Have you recently observed a drop of enthusiasm in your chickens’ behavior? All they do is sit around all day and eat? That means they’re completely bored (obviously). Well, this can happen to every chicken owner, don’t worry. It’s quite common. And luckily, it can be easily mended with a couple of tricks.

Interesting Leftovers From Your Kitchen

You most probably are already aware of how joyous and lively your chickens act when they suddenly notice you arrive with a couple of tempting treats for them to devour! This will instantly make them up and running again, feverously pinching and foraging!

Nonetheless, moderation is the main aspect you have to keep in mind when it comes to treats. Don’t feed your flock too many snacks, regardless of how much you wish to show them your appreciation! It may eventually lead to obesity.

Consider The Chicken Swing

As dogs need their colorful chewing toys to hinder them from chewing your rugs and wires, your feathered pets would certainly not mind a toy or two to make the day go faster! Such an idea would be adding a chicken swing to your chickens’ coop! They’ll unquestionably have endless amounts of fun and you may also catch a glimpse of their silly behavior, having your share of enjoyment.

Consider Adding Perches To Your Chickens’ Netted Area

By adding perches to your chickens’ netted area, they will have something to climb on, thus you will manage to stimulate their instinctive curiosity! Chickens are quite nosy animals; they will attentively explore any new addition to their netted area with increased interest.

Pick a couple of tree branches or some old wood and put them to better use by providing your flock with entertainment means! They’ll wander around the perches endlessly and will surely present themselves interested in the unusual change! It’s easy, low-cost and fun!

How To Deal With Egg-Eating Chickens?

This is another issue chicken owners often struggle with – how to deal with egg-eating chickens? Benefiting from your own egg production is definitely one of the reasons you considered taking up these feathered pets. The disappointment of owning a chicken and having to buy eggs from the store is pretty upsetting, right?

Sometimes, your chickens might be devouring the eggs the second after they have laid them. Remember, this habit is quickly learned by the rest of the flock.

Thus, as soon as you notice any signs of egg-eating issues, take into account the following pieces of information.

Why Do Chicken Eat Eggs?

It is important to understand what triggers the appearance of this unsettling issue. Reasons often include: the presence of broody hens, bored chickens, and possible outcome of broken eggs which may determine your chickens to give this lovely ingredient a try.

Improper diet is a factor which strongly contributes to this problem. If your chickens’ diet is short of vitamin D, calcium and protein, your feathered pets will aim at providing these needs themselves and devour the eggs.

Stress, which is often caused by sudden change or perhaps by a broody, intimidating hen, may also lead to the settling in of this disturbing habit.

Improper nesting area. Make sure to provide your chickens with a dark, secluded, quiet location to lay their eggs in, in order to prevent them from becoming stressed and anxious, which may lead to eating the eggs.

Insufficient water intake. If your chickens are thirsty and the water seems out of their reach, they’ll aim at eating the eggs for their liquid.

How To Deal With This Problem?

•  Make sure to collect the eggs on a regular basis.
• Locate broody hens in a different area in order to prevent them from intimidating other hens.
• Pay special attention to your pets’ diet – it must incorporate your chickens’ dietary needs.
• Make sure the nesting area is smooth enough in order to hinder eggs from getting broken.
• Place fake eggs in the nesting area (plastic,wooden, ceramic) so that your chickens won’t associate eggs with eating, thus breaking this troublesome habit.

References:

http://www.tillysnest.com/2011/11/what-can-chickens-eat.html

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/472885/ok-to-feed-popcorn-to-the-chickens

http://www.today.com/health/popcorn-healthy-veggies-depends-how-you-pop-it-547868

http://blog.mypetchicken.com/2014/08/19/4-strategies-beat-flock-boredom/

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/10/egg-eating-chickens-how-to-break-habit.html

http://www.calorieking.com/foods/calories-in-popcorn-air-popped-popcorn_f-ZmlkPTYxNzI5.html