Did you know that your chickens can actually help you eat healthier? Everything on the homestead is related, and that includes you and your chickens. What you feed your chickens can actually reflect upon your lifestyle. The treats you give your chickens depends on what your diet is, which should be affected by the season. The treats can be anything from table scraps to garden scraps to supplements, but each will vary depending on the season. Homestead Chicken Treats by Season is a little guide I put together to help you feed your flock healthy and safe foods based on the seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter.

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Why Feeding by Season is Important

A chicken’s dietary needs change based on the seasons. However, not only do their dietary needs change, but also what is available in their diet will change as well. This is especially true for free-range flocks. Before we dive into the treats, let’s first do a quick a review of what a homestead flock’s normal diet should consist of.

Every chickens’ diet should consist of a base ration. The base ration should be a complete chicken feed that provides all the essential energy, protein, vitamin, and mineral needs of the chicken. There are many types of chicken feed, but for homestead chickens, I highly recommend feeding them a mash or whole grain ration (find out why in this post on Picking out a Homestead Poultry Feed).

A base ration should be provided free-choice everyday for your homestead flock. Then you can start providing supplemental foods like treats and supplements. That’s when feeding by season becomes important. Certain treats are more beneficial during certain times of the year. Also, feeding your flock by what’s in season can help enhance the nutrition they are receiving, save money, and still ensure a healthy flock.

Of course, feeding by season will depend on regional considerations. This guide is based off of Michigan seasons and what is available at certain times. Produce availability, weather patterns, and your flock’s dietary needs will all depend on what region you live in.

Also, make sure you get a basic understanding of what foods are safe and unsafe for chickens to consume, check out Good and Bad Table Scraps for Chickens. And remember, these are still considered treats and should be a limited portion of your flock’s diet!

Spring Treats

Let’s start off with spring treats! These are treats that I offer when the weather is starting to warm up, but we still have occasional cold spells. The weather fluctuations vary greatly and may put some stress on the flock as they adjust to the potentially dramatic temperature changes. Also, production is starting to pick-up and I am usually considering my breeding flock’s dietary needs as well.

Spring treats should be nutrient dense to make up for the potentially un-varied diet of the winter months. Highly nutritious spring treats will also help your flock stay in tip-top shape during the most productive time of the year.

Best Treats for Spring

• flax seeds
• whole oats
• eggs
• sprouts
• fodder
• leafy greens: lettuce, kale, swiss chard, spinach, bok-choy, arugula
• weeds: dandelion, plantain, clover

In Season Treats

• strawberries
• raspberry leaves
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• okra
• celery
• radishes
• garden seedlings & sprouts

Seasonal Supplements (focus on nutrition & protein)

• probiotics
• garlic
• kelp
• herbs: parsley, nasturtium, sage
• sunflower seeds (for spring molters)

Summer Treats

Summer is the time when the weather is starting to stay consistently warmer and may even include some scorching, dry spells. During the summer months, my flock hardly gets any treats at all. They usually spend most of their days free-ranging and I don’t tend to have too many table scraps during the summer months.

That being said, the limited treats that I do give my flock have to meet certain criteria. During the summer, the flock is trying to stay cool, production may drop a little bit, and feed consumption may decrease. That means treats have to decrease too, and the treats that are offered should provide some benefit.

I try to give my flock low acidic, cooling treats during the summer. The low acidic treats helps the body maintain a proper pH level which allows the hens to continue with good production and puts less stress on all of the body’s systems. Ironically, fatty treats are actually beneficial during the summer. Fat metabolizes without heat and also increases feed retention time. That means what feed is consumed will stay in the digestive tract longer which enhances nutrient absorption. This is beneficial during the summer months when feed consumption is usually lower.

Check out a Summer Diet for Chickens for more tips on what to feed your flock during the summer!

Best Treats for Summer

• watermelon & other melons
• cucumber
• blueberries
• strawberries
• grapes
• dandelion
• mealworms
• black soldier fly larvae

In Season Treats

• cantaloupe
• cherries
• peaches
• raspberries
• plums
• blackberries
• leafy greens: lettuce, kale, swiss chard, arugula, collard greens
• zucchini
• tomatoes
• summer squash
• green beans
• peppers
• potatoes
• garden weeds

Seasonal Supplements (focus on nutrition & hydration)

• garlic
• electrolytes
• herbs: mint, parsley, echinacea, thyme

Fall Treats

Fall is the time when the temperatures start dropping, the days start get shorter, and flock productivity drops due to the fall molt. Treating and supplementing tend to increase during the fall and winter due to the fall molt, harvesting season, lack of nutritious free-ranging, and the holidays.

High protein treats and supplements are always a trademark of the homestead flock’s fall diet. The protein helps them through their fall molt as they concentrate their energies on growing back new feathers for the winter. High protein and nutrient dense treats can also help your flock prepare for the winter months when they will be expending extra energy to stay warm.

Fall is also a great time to offer natural worming treats on a daily basis. Pumpkins are usually in proliferation during the fall and their seeds are coated with a natural coating that can help keep internal worm populations under control. Other natural worming supplements are also usually harvested during the fall, like carrots and nasturtium flowers.

Best Treats for Fall

• bugs: black soldier fly larvae, mealworms
• sunflower seeds
• whole oats
• sardines
• meat scraps: cooked chicken, cooked beef, venison
• eggs
• pumpkins

In Season Treats

• green beans
• peas
• apples
• cranberries
• grapes
• pears
• squash: acorn, butternut, buttercup, spaghetti, sweet potato, etc…
• beets
• leafy greens: lettuce, spinach, kale
• cabbage
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• carrots
• sweet potatoes
• potatoes
• garden scraps (including leaves, stems, and weeds)

Seasonal Supplements (focus on protein & worming)

• garlic
• herbs: nasturtium, parsley, oregano, cilantro, nettles, dill
• kelp
• brewer’s yeast
• blackstrap molasses
• hemp seeds
• millet
• quinoa
• apple cider vinegar

Holiday Leftovers (Thanksgiving)

• cooked turkey
• cooked ham
• cranberries (not sugary cranberry sauce though)
• sugar-free mashed potatoes
• leftover wholegrain biscuits, bread, & rolls
• roasted vegetables (carrots, Brussel sprouts, parsnips, cauliflower)
• sugar-free stuffing
• gravy (in moderation)
• sugar-free squash
• leafy green salads
• cornbread
• sugar-free green bean casserole
• cooked pasta
• bacon

Avoid: too much sugar, onions, beans, or dairy products like cheeses or creams

Winter Treats

Winter is usually the hardest time for my flock and I tend to increase my treating and supplementing with beneficial foods that will help my flock deal with the cold, harsh weather. Chickens can handle the cold weather better than hot weather, but that doesn’t mean they don’t burn more energy or don’t have different dietary needs during the winter.

During the winter, high energy and high protein treats are helpful. Both protein and carbohydrates produce some internal heat when they metabolize. Carbohydrates also provide a quick source of energy that can be utilized immediately. Winter is about the only time I encourage feeding extra carbs to your flock. This means scratch grains and table scraps like bread, biscuits, and pasta are okay to give your flock on occasion during the winter. However, I prefer feeding high-protein or fatty treats before my flock roosts at night to provide them lasting energy to stay warm through the night.

Another essential part of my winter supplementing and treating regime is the inclusion of leafy greens and produce. Nutrient dense treats are important during the winter when my flock doesn’t have access to natural foraging. The leafy greens also help balance out the acidity of the high protein treats.

Best Treats for Winter

• quinoa (quinoa suet cakes recipe)
• bugs: black soldier fly larvae, mealworms
• sardines & other fish/seafood
• meat: cooked chicken & other fowl, cooked beef, cooked pork, venison
• leafy greens: lettuce, kale, swiss chard, spinach, bok-choy
• cranberries
• corn
• unsalted, chopped nuts: almonds, cashews, peanuts
• sprouts
• fodder
• scratch grains
• coconut oil
• bacon fat & lard

In Season Treats

• broccoli
• Brussel sprouts
• cabbage
• cauliflower
• sweet potatoes

Seasonal Supplements (focus on energy & nutrition)

• probiotics
• garlic
• herbs: ginger, parsley, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, oregano, echinacea
• wheat
• millet
• whole oats (soaked in warm water)

Holiday Leftovers (Christmas)

• cooked turkey
• cooked ham
• sugar-free mashed potatoes
• sugar-free squash
• bone broth
• roasted vegetables (Brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower)
• stew
• wild rice
• fruit and/or leafy green salads
• corn
• leftover whole grain rolls, bread, or biscuits
• whole grain stuffing
• sausage stuffed mushrooms
• bacon

Avoid: too much sugar, dairy products (like cheeses and creams), beans, asparagus, and onions

Hopefully this treat guide will help both you and your flock eat a healthy diet all year round! Eating what’s in season is beneficial for both you and your chickens and can help meet certain dietary needs that pop up based on the season. Spring treats that are nutrient dense helps your flock stay productive and deal with seasonal stress factors. Summer treats that are low-acidic and cooling helps your flock stay cool and hydrated. Fall treats should provide protein and de-worming properties to help your flock prepare for the winter. Winter treats can help provide extra energy and heat for helping your flock deal with cold stress and still keep their diet varied!

For more tips on raising your chickens on the homestead, sign up for our weekly newsletter and become a modern pioneer with us! You can also check out The Trading Post for helpful resources or contact us with any questions!

Happy Homesteading!

by Alexa