Backyard chickens have a way of making almost anything look edible.
Walk into the run with a bowl in your hand and suddenly the entire flock is convinced you brought them something wonderful. Chickens are naturally curious eaters and, as omnivores, can eat a surprisingly wide variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, insects, and other foods.
But just because a chicken will eat something does not mean it should.
So what can chickens eat safely? The most important rule is simple: a complete chicken feed should remain the foundation of your flock's diet. Fruits, vegetables, grains, bugs, and kitchen scraps are treats and enrichment, not replacements for a nutritionally balanced ration.
Below are 50 foods chickens can enjoy, plus the foods and kitchen scraps that are better kept out of the coop.
Quick Answer: What Can Chickens Eat?
Healthy adult chickens can eat many common foods, including:
- fruits
- vegetables
- leafy greens
- grains
- seeds
- insects
- cooked eggs
- fresh garden produce
The key words are fresh, plain, and in moderation.
Avoid allowing treats to become such a large part of the diet that chickens stop eating their regular feed. Too many table scraps and extras can dilute the balanced nutrition laying hens need.
50 Safe Foods Chickens Can Eat
Here are 50 flock-friendly foods you can offer as occasional treats.
Fruits Chickens Can Eat
Fruit is usually a flock favorite. Because fruit can be relatively high in natural sugar, think of it as a treat rather than an everyday replacement for feed.
1. Watermelon
Watermelon is a great warm-weather treat because of its high water content.
Cut it open and let your flock peck at the flesh. During hot weather, chopped fruits and vegetables can also be frozen with water as enrichment, but chickens should still be eating their balanced feed.
2. Strawberries
Fresh strawberries can be offered whole or sliced.
Slightly overripe berries are fine as long as they are not moldy or spoiled.
3. Blueberries
Blueberries are easy to scatter around the run, which gives chickens an opportunity to forage for their treat instead of eating everything from a bowl.
4. Grapes
Chickens can eat grapes.
For smaller birds, cutting large grapes in half can make them easier to eat.
5. Bananas
The soft fruit inside a banana is easy for chickens to eat.
Remove the peel if it is tough, dirty, or has been treated with anything you would not want your flock consuming.
6. Apples
Chickens can eat apple flesh.
Remove the seeds before feeding. Avian veterinary guidance recommends avoiding apple seeds.
7. Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe can be cut in half and placed in the run for chickens to peck.
Melons can spoil quickly in warm weather, so remove leftovers rather than allowing them to sit.
8. Pineapple
Yes, chickens can eat fresh pineapple.
Offer the soft flesh in small pieces and remove the tough outer skin and crown.
9. Peaches
Fresh peach flesh is fine as an occasional treat.
Remove the pit before offering it to your chickens.
10. Pears
Chickens can eat ripe pear flesh.
As with apples, remove the seeds first.
11. Raspberries
Fresh raspberries make an easy occasional treat and can also be scattered around the run for chickens to find.
12. Blackberries
Blackberries are another flock-friendly berry.
If your chickens free-range near blackberry bushes, you may discover that they already know this.
13. Mango
The ripe flesh of a mango can be chopped into manageable pieces and offered in small amounts.
Remove the pit.
14. Cherries
Chickens can eat cherry flesh, but remove the pits before feeding.
15. Plums
Fresh plum flesh can be offered after the pit has been removed.
16. Kiwi
The soft interior of kiwi can be cut into pieces or sliced in half.
17. Papaya
Ripe papaya can be offered in small portions as another fruit treat.
18. Pomegranate
Chickens can peck the seeds and flesh from an opened pomegranate, making it both a treat and a simple form of enrichment.
Vegetables and Garden Foods Chickens Can Eat
Vegetables are one of the easiest ways to add variety to treat time.
Chickens naturally eat plant material while foraging, and Extension guidance specifically recognizes vegetables, root vegetables, squash, pumpkin, and fresh greens as appropriate occasional foods for backyard flocks.
19. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a popular chicken treat.
Cut the pumpkin open and allow the flock to peck at the flesh and seeds.
Pumpkin is still a treat, however. It should not replace their regular ration.
20. Butternut Squash
Butternut and other winter squash can be offered cut open or cooked plain.
Avoid butter, salt, sugar, or seasoning.
21. Zucchini
If your summer garden produces more zucchini than your family can possibly eat, your chickens may be willing to help.
Cut larger zucchini open so they can easily reach the soft interior.
22. Yellow Squash
Yellow summer squash can be offered in much the same way as zucchini.
23. Cucumbers
Cucumber is another high-moisture vegetable that chickens often enjoy.
Slice it or cut it lengthwise and let the flock peck at the interior.
24. Carrots
Carrots can be chopped, shredded, or cooked until softer.
Large raw carrots may simply be harder for chickens to eat.
25. Broccoli
Both the florets and tender portions of broccoli can be offered.
Hanging a broccoli head can also turn snack time into enrichment.
26. Cauliflower
Cauliflower can be broken into smaller pieces or hung where chickens can peck at it.
27. Cabbage
A head of cabbage is one of the easiest DIY enrichment treats for a flock.
Hang it securely or place it where chickens can peck and pull pieces away.
28. Kale
Fresh kale can be offered in manageable pieces or hung as a leafy-green treat.
29. Romaine Lettuce
Romaine can be offered fresh and clean.
Leafy greens can also encourage normal pecking and foraging behavior.
30. Collard Greens
Fresh collard greens are another leafy option that can be chopped or hung for the flock.
31. Brussels Sprouts
Plain Brussels sprouts can be chopped or cooked until tender.
32. Peas
Fresh or cooked plain peas can be offered in moderation.
Avoid peas prepared with butter, salt, sauces, or seasonings.
33. Sweet Corn
Chickens generally love corn.
Fresh corn on the cob can also keep a flock occupied as they work to remove the kernels.
Corn and scratch grains are treats, though, and should not become the basis of the diet.
34. Bell Peppers
The ripe pepper fruit can be offered to chickens.
Remove the stem and keep chickens away from the leaves and other parts of the pepper plant.
35. Ripe Tomatoes
Chickens can eat the ripe tomato fruit.
Do not treat the rest of the tomato plant as food. Extension guidance identifies tomato foliage as the problematic portion of the plant.
36. Beets
Beet roots can be chopped, grated, or cooked plain.
37. Radishes
Radishes can be chopped into smaller pieces and offered fresh.
38. Turnips
Turnip roots can be chopped or cooked plain.
Root vegetables are among the produce Extension educators suggest as occasional chicken treats.
39. Sweet Potatoes
Cook sweet potatoes before feeding them and serve them plain.
Do not confuse sweet potatoes with green or sprouting white potatoes, which belong in the foods-to-avoid section below.
40. Bok Choy
Fresh bok choy can be chopped or hung for chickens to peck at.
41. Fresh Clover and Tender Greens
Chickens naturally forage on tender plants and greens.
Only offer plants you can positively identify as safe, and never use lawn or garden clippings that have recently been treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
Protein, Grains and Other Chicken Treats
Chickens are omnivores.
That means plants are only part of what they naturally eat. Chickens also scratch through soil searching for insects and other small sources of animal protein.
42. Cooked Eggs
It sounds strange the first time you hear it, but chickens can eat cooked eggs.
Eggs provide protein and can be chopped or scrambled plain.
Do not add salt, butter, cheese, or seasoning.
If feeding shells back to laying hens, Penn State recommends drying and crushing them very finely rather than offering recognizable pieces of eggshell.
43. Mealworms
Mealworms are an especially popular chicken treat.
They can also encourage natural scratching and foraging behavior when scattered around the run.
44. Crickets
Chickens naturally eat insects, and appropriately sourced crickets can be offered as an occasional protein-rich treat.
45. Oats
Plain oats can be offered in moderation.
Oats are also commonly included in scratch-grain mixtures.
46. Wheat
Wheat is commonly used in poultry diets and can be offered as part of an appropriate grain treat.
47. Barley
Barley is another grain frequently found in scratch mixtures.
Like other scratch grains, it should remain an extra rather than replacing balanced feed.
48. Millet
Millet is a small grain that can be used as an occasional foraging treat.
Scatter small amounts through bedding or the run rather than simply filling another feeder.
49. Sorghum
Sorghum, also known as milo, is used as a poultry-feed grain and can be offered appropriately as part of a varied treat mixture.
50. Unsalted Sunflower Seeds
Plain, unsalted sunflower seeds can be given in small amounts.
Skip the salted or flavored versions made for people.
What Foods Should Chickens NOT Eat?
This is the part worth remembering.
Chickens are enthusiastic eaters and don't always have great judgment about what they pick up.
Some foods should stay out of the run altogether.
Avocado
The safest approach is to avoid feeding avocado to chickens.
Avocado contains persin, and veterinary toxicology references document avocado-associated heart injury in susceptible birds. Chickens appear more resistant than some other bird species, but they are still listed among susceptible animals.
That means there isn't much reason to experiment with it as a backyard-flock treat.
Rhubarb Leaves
Do not feed rhubarb leaves.
Rhubarb leaves are toxic and should be removed from the edible stalks.
If your flock has access to a garden containing rhubarb, prevent them from freely eating the plant.
Green or Sprouted Potatoes
Green potatoes can contain increased levels of solanine, a glycoalkaloid toxin. University of Minnesota Extension specifically cautions backyard chicken keepers that potatoes are not among the produce they should casually offer as treats.
For a simple backyard rule, leave green, sprouted, and questionable potatoes out of the chicken run.
Raw or Dried Beans
Don't dump bags of uncooked dried beans into the coop.
Some beans contain lectins and other antinutritional compounds that interfere with digestion and nutrient use. Heat treatment can deactivate many of these compounds, but the effect varies by bean and preparation method.
For everyday flock keeping, the simplest rule is to avoid feeding raw dried beans.
Moldy or Spoiled Food
This one is important.
Do not use your chickens as a disposal system for rotten food.
Fresh kitchen scraps are one thing. Moldy, decomposing, or spoiled food is another.
Spoiled feed and decaying matter can expose poultry to botulism and other hazards. Remove uneaten scraps before they have a chance to rot.
If you wouldn't describe it as fresh enough to be food anymore, it doesn't belong in the chicken run.
Chocolate and Cocoa
Keep chocolate and cocoa products away from chickens.
Chocolate contains methylxanthines including theobromine and caffeine, and veterinary guidance advises against feeding chocolate to birds.
Caffeinated Foods and Drinks
Coffee, energy drinks, caffeinated soda, tea, coffee grounds, and similar products are not chicken treats.
Avian veterinary guidance recommends avoiding caffeine.
Alcohol
Chickens should never be given alcoholic beverages or foods containing meaningful amounts of alcohol. Avian veterinary guidance specifically lists alcohol among foods to avoid.
Very Salty Foods
Skip heavily salted human snacks like:
- chips
- pretzels
- heavily salted popcorn
- processed snack foods
- heavily seasoned leftovers
These foods offer little nutritional value and can add unnecessary sodium to the diet. Veterinary guidance for birds recommends avoiding salty junk foods.
Candy, Desserts and Highly Processed Foods
A chicken stealing a crumb isn't the same thing as deliberately feeding the flock junk food.
Cookies, candy, pastries, sugary cereal, and heavily processed foods provide calories without the balanced nutrients chickens need.
Treat time is better spent on produce, grains, or other foods that provide both enrichment and nutrition.
Pesticide-Treated Garden Clippings
Garden scraps can seem like free chicken food, but know where they came from.
Do not feed grass or plant clippings from areas recently treated with pesticides.
The same rule applies to plants you cannot confidently identify.
Can Chickens Eat Table Scraps?
Yes, some table scraps can be fed to chickens, but "table scraps" is a very broad category.
Good scraps might include:
- leftover plain vegetables
- fruit pieces
- leafy greens
- small amounts of plain grains
- unused garden produce
Not-so-good scraps include:
- salty restaurant leftovers
- greasy food
- heavily seasoned dishes
- sugary desserts
- moldy leftovers
- foods from the avoid list above
Poultry Extension guidance recommends limiting scraps and scratch grains so that they do not replace a complete feed and removing leftovers before they begin to spoil.
Think of scraps as extras, not dinner.
How Much Should You Feed Chickens as Treats?
There is no need to turn treat time into a math problem.
The easier rule is that your chickens should still be eagerly eating their normal complete feed.
If treats are constantly available and the flock is filling up on fruit, bread, corn, or kitchen scraps instead of their formulated ration, you're giving too much.
This matters especially for laying hens because egg production requires a properly balanced intake of protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and calcium.
Treats should add variety and enrichment. They shouldn't redesign the flock's diet.
Do Chickens Need Grit When Eating Treats?
Often, yes.
Chickens don't have teeth. Instead, the gizzard helps mechanically grind food.
Birds with regular access to appropriate ground may find small stones naturally, but supplemental poultry grit is useful, especially when chickens consume whole grains, grass, and other fibrous foods.
Remember that oyster shell and grit are not the same thing. Grit helps grind food, while oyster shell provides supplemental calcium for laying hens.
Can Chickens Eat Bread?
Chickens can eat small amounts of bread, but that doesn't make bread a particularly useful treat.
University of Minnesota Extension notes that chickens will eat bread and kitchen scraps, while emphasizing that these extras do not provide complete nutrition.
An occasional piece isn't the concern. A flock filling up on bread instead of chicken feed is.
Can Chickens Eat Watermelon?
Yes. Watermelon is an especially useful summertime enrichment treat because of its moisture content.
During extreme heat, Extension poultry specialists recommend maintaining balanced feed intake while using chopped fruits and vegetables, including watermelon, as occasional frozen enrichment.
If you're dealing with hot weather, see our guide to how to keep chickens cool in summer and recognize signs of heat stress.
Can Chickens Eat Tomatoes?
Chickens can eat the ripe tomato fruit.
The distinction is important because tomato foliage and other parts of nightshade plants contain compounds you don't want to intentionally feed to the flock.
Offer ripe tomatoes and keep chickens from treating the entire tomato plant like a salad bar.
Can Chickens Eat Bananas?
Yes. The soft banana fruit can be offered occasionally.
There's no need to make bananas a regular part of the diet, but a ripe banana that would otherwise go unused can make an easy flock treat.
Can Chickens Eat Grapes?
Yes. Offer them fresh and in moderation.
Larger grapes can be sliced for smaller chickens, while adult hens can usually handle them without much help.
Can Chickens Eat Pineapple?
Yes, fresh pineapple flesh can be given occasionally.
Remove the tough skin and crown and offer manageable pieces.
This is also a good example of why checking individual foods matters. Chickens can eat a huge variety of produce, but not every plant or every part of a plant is safe.
Can Chickens Eat Rice?
Plain rice can be offered in small amounts.
Avoid turning leftover heavily salted, buttered, fried, or seasoned rice dishes into chicken food.
Remember that rice is still an extra. It does not replace complete chicken feed.
Can Chickens Eat Eggs?
Yes. Chickens are omnivores, and cooked eggs can be used as an occasional protein-rich food.
Serve eggs plain.
If you give eggshells back to your laying hens as a calcium source, dry and crush them finely so they no longer resemble intact eggshells.
What About Chicks?
Be more careful with young chicks.
Growing birds have different nutritional requirements from adult laying hens, and commercial starter feeds are formulated specifically to provide the protein, vitamins, minerals, and energy they need for development.
For very young birds, balanced starter feed should remain the priority rather than experimenting with lots of treats.
If you're unsure whether a particular food is appropriate for the age of your birds, check with a poultry veterinarian or your local Extension office.
A Simple Rule for Feeding Chickens
When you're standing in the kitchen wondering whether the flock can have something, run through four questions: Is it fresh? Is it plain? Do I know that the food and the part of the plant I'm feeding are safe? Will they still be eating their normal chicken feed?
If the answer to all four is yes, you're probably thinking about treats the right way.
When you're uncertain, don't experiment. There are plenty of foods on the safe list, and your chickens won't be offended if you keep the questionable leftovers for the trash instead.
The Bottom Line
Chickens can eat an impressive variety of foods.
Fresh fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, grains, insects, and a few other simple foods can make treat time more interesting and give your flock opportunities to peck, scratch, chase, and forage.
But variety should sit on top of a good diet, not replace it.
Start with a complete feed appropriate for your chickens' age and life stage. Keep clean water available at all times. Then use safe treats as exactly that: treats.
Your chickens get the fun of discovering what's in the bowl, and you get to stop Googling every vegetable in your refrigerator before walking out to the coop.
If you're still waiting on those first eggs, read our guide to when chickens start laying eggs and the signs to watch for. And if your hens have slowed down, see why chickens stop laying eggs and the common causes to check.
Chicken Feeding FAQ
What are the best treats for chickens?
Fresh vegetables, leafy greens, small portions of fruit, insects, and occasional grains are all useful options. The best treat is one that adds enrichment without replacing balanced chicken feed.
What vegetables can chickens eat?
Common options include cucumber, zucchini, pumpkin, squash, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, peas, corn, and other safe garden vegetables. Offer produce fresh and free of mold or pesticide residue.
What fruits can chickens eat?
Chickens can enjoy watermelon, strawberries, blueberries, grapes, bananas, apples with the seeds removed, cantaloupe, pineapple, pears, peaches without pits, and many other fruits. Fruit should remain an occasional treat rather than becoming a major part of the diet.
What should you never feed chickens?
Keep chickens away from avocado, rhubarb leaves, green or sprouted potatoes, raw dried beans, chocolate, caffeine, alcohol, moldy food, and heavily salted or processed foods.
Can chickens eat kitchen scraps every day?
A small amount of suitable fresh scraps can be fine, but scraps should never crowd out a nutritionally complete poultry ration. Too many extras can dilute the nutrition chickens need, especially laying hens.
Can chickens eat food that's starting to go bad?
No. Overripe produce is different from rotten, moldy, or decomposing food. Spoiled food should be discarded rather than fed to poultry because decaying material can create serious health risks.
Do chickens know which foods are poisonous?
Do not rely on them to figure it out. Chickens explore their environment by pecking and may consume plants or foods that aren't safe. If you know something poses a risk, keep it out of their reach.