You only has to look to eBay to know the truth of the statement "One man's garbage, is another man's treasure."
Likewise, we humans toss out carrot peels, beet tops, less-than-perfect lettuce, and other vegetable trimmings that any chicken would gratefully use the "Buy It Now" button to get her beak on.
So we've found a way to make everyone happy. We keep a large bowl on the kitchen counter. As we prepare dinner, vegetable and fruit scraps get saved in this bowl and are distributed to the girls the following morning.
Any fruit or veggies left over in the kids lunch boxes also make their way to the scrap bowl. I've even given the girls cooked barley left over from beer that I've brewed at home.
Chickens love these treats and run to the door of the pen when they see me coming with the familiar white bowl. Blueberries and grapes are particularly treasured and it's hilarious to watch the girls grab these morsels and dash off to a private corner to enjoy them unmolested.
Table scraps are great for the girls, who get supplementary nutrition from them, as well as high entertainment value; they love playing with apple cores, celery stalks, carrot tops and anything else that comes in the scrap bowl.
We benefit too. Not only do we recycle scraps that would normally get thrown away, the extra veggies in their diet make the yolks from our chicken's eggs a beautiful deep orange-yellow color. I'm sure our eggs are higher in vitamins and minerals than if we feed the chickens a diet solely comprised of chicken feed.
So it ends up being a win for everyone. eBay for Chickens -- One man's garbage, is truly a chicken's treasure.
And there's no charge for shipping and handling.
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