Chickens are omnivores with famously indiscriminate appetites — they’ll eat almost anything they can fit in their beaks, from kitchen scraps and garden vegetables to insects, small mice, and each other’s eggs. This makes the question of what they can and can’t eat genuinely important, because their willingness to eat something is absolutely no indication of whether it’s safe for them. This guide covers the most commonly fed foods, identifies the genuinely dangerous ones, and provides the context you need to make good feeding decisions.
Quick Facts
| Safe Treats | Most vegetables, fruits, cooked grains, mealworms, scrambled egg |
| Toxic Foods | Avocado (especially pit/skin), chocolate, dried beans, onions in excess |
| Nightshade Caution | Tomato/potato LEAVES are toxic; ripe fruits are safe in moderation |
| Never Feed | Moldy food, raw dried beans, coffee grounds, salt in excess |
| Best Diet Base | Quality commercial complete feed — not primarily kitchen scraps |
| 80/20 Rule | 90% balanced feed, 10% treats maximum for proper nutrition |
The Foundation: Commercial Complete Feed
Before getting to the treats, the foundation: chickens have specific nutritional requirements for protein (16-18% for layers, 20%+ for growing birds), amino acids (methionine, lysine, cystine), vitamins, minerals, and the correct calcium-to-phosphorus ratio for laying hens. A quality commercial complete feed (layer pellets or crumbles) is formulated to meet all of these requirements.
Treats and kitchen scraps are fine in moderation but should never constitute more than 10-20% of the diet. A flock living primarily on scratch grain and kitchen scraps will have nutritional deficiencies, poor feather quality, reduced egg production, and weakened immunity. Think of treats as supplements to a complete diet — not replacements for it.
Safe Foods and Good Treats
Vegetables: Most vegetables are safe and nutritious. Leafy greens (kale, spinach, Swiss chard, lettuce) are excellent. Broccoli, peas, corn, carrots, squash, pumpkin, cucumber, and most root vegetables are safe. Cooked vegetables are generally more digestible than raw. Tomatoes (ripe, red) and potato flesh are safe despite belonging to the nightshade family — the toxic parts are the green leaves and stems.
Fruits: Most fruits are safe as occasional treats. Apples (remove seeds — they contain small amounts of cyanide), berries, watermelon, melon, bananas, and citrus in small amounts are all popular treats. Limit high-sugar fruits to occasional treats rather than daily feeding. Protein treats: mealworms, crickets, scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, plain cooked meat (no seasoning), and plain cooked fish are excellent high-protein treats.
Foods to Avoid
Avocado: The flesh, skin, and pit all contain persin, a fungicidal toxin that causes myocardial necrosis in birds — essentially heart failure. Even small amounts can kill a chicken. Never feed any part of an avocado.
Chocolate and coffee: Theobromine in chocolate and caffeine in coffee are toxic to birds and most animals. Even small amounts can cause neurological symptoms, cardiac arrhythmias, and death. Raw dry beans: Dried kidney beans, navy beans, and most legumes contain phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) in their raw form, which is highly toxic to chickens. Cooked beans are safe. Onions in large quantities: Small amounts in cooking are generally fine, but large amounts of raw onions can cause hemolytic anemia. Garlic in large quantities has similar properties. Moldy food: Never feed any moldy or spoiled food — mycotoxins produced by mold are toxic to chickens and can cause serious illness and death.
The Nightshade Confusion
The nightshade family includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplant — all of which are widely grown in backyard gardens. The toxic compound in nightshades is solanine, which is concentrated in the green parts of the plant: leaves, stems, and the green parts of unripe fruit. Ripe tomato flesh and ripe pepper flesh are safe for chickens. Green tomatoes contain higher solanine levels and should be avoided.
The greens of potato plants, tomato plants, and eggplant plants are all toxic and should not be fed. Cooked potato flesh (not green, not raw) is generally safe in moderation. Green potatoes — those that have developed a green skin from light exposure — contain elevated solanine and should not be fed to chickens or humans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can chickens eat banana peels?
Yes — banana peels are safe for chickens, though most birds prefer the flesh. Banana peels are high in fiber and contain some nutrients. Chop them up to make them easier to eat. Like all treats, they should be fed in moderation rather than as a dietary staple.
Is bread safe for chickens?
Plain bread is not toxic to chickens but has very little nutritional value and fills them up without providing the protein, vitamins, and minerals they need. Moldy bread is harmful — never feed any moldy food. Think of plain bread as junk food — not harmful in tiny occasional amounts but not a beneficial treat. Whole grain bread is marginally better than white bread but still not a nutritious choice.
Can chickens eat cat or dog food?
Plain canned cat or dog food (not flavored or seasoned) can be fed as an occasional protein supplement. It should not be a regular feed source due to additives, salt content, and the different nutritional profile compared to poultry feed. Dry kibble can cause impacted crop if fed in large amounts without adequate water. High protein cat food as an occasional boost during molt is a common practice.
Are kitchen herb scraps safe?
Most fresh culinary herbs are safe and many have potential health benefits: oregano (antimicrobial properties), thyme, parsley, basil, mint, lavender, and rosemary are all commonly fed to chickens. Avoid rhubarb leaves (oxalic acid — toxic) and stick to culinary herbs rather than medicinal herbs, which may have potent effects at the quantities a chicken might consume.
Can chickens eat eggs?
Yes — cooked eggs (scrambled or hard-boiled) are an excellent protein source and are often used to encourage sick birds to eat. The main concern with feeding raw eggs is that it may encourage egg eating behavior (hens eating their own freshly laid eggs), which is a bad habit once started. Cooked eggs eliminate this risk. Always cook eggs before feeding back to chickens.
From Our Community
Real questions from backyard chicken keepers like you:
Q: My hen seems off but I can’t pinpoint what’s wrong. What should I check first?
A: Start with the basics — is she eating and drinking? Check her crop (should be empty in the morning), look at her droppings, listen to her breathing, and feel her keel bone for weight loss. Any one of these can point you toward the cause.
Q: How do I know when to call the vet vs. treat at home?
A: Call a vet when: symptoms are severe or worsening rapidly, multiple birds are affected, there’s blood, prolapse, or labored breathing, or when 48 hours of home treatment hasn’t helped. When in doubt, call — most poultry vets are happy to advise by phone.
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Related: foods chickens cannot eat | complete chicken feed guide