Dried mealworms and scratch grains as poultry treats for backyard chickens

The Flock Keeper’s Guide to Treats: How to Spoil Your Birds the Right Way

Kourtney Dubay

There's nothing quite like the scramble of a flock running toward you when they hear the treat bag. Treats are one of the best parts of keeping poultry — they build trust, encourage foraging, and make your birds genuinely happy. Here's how to do it right.

The Golden Rule: Treats Are a Supplement, Not a Feed

Before we get to the fun stuff — the rule. Treats should make up no more than 10% of your birds' daily diet. This applies to chickens, ducks, geese, and game birds alike.

Why does it matter? Complete poultry feeds are carefully formulated to meet your birds' nutritional needs — protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals. Every treat you add displaces some of that balanced nutrition. A handful of scratch here and there is fine. A bowl of scratch instead of feed is a problem over time, leading to nutritional deficiencies, poor egg quality, and weight issues.

Treat generously — but treat smart.

High-Protein Treats: The Good Stuff

High-protein treats are the most nutritionally valuable thing you can offer your flock — especially during molt, winter, or any period of stress when birds need extra support.

Dried Mealworms

The undisputed favorite of backyard flocks everywhere. Mealworms are high in protein and fat, making them especially valuable during molt when feather regrowth demands extra protein, and in winter when birds need more calories to stay warm. Chickens, ducks, and game birds all go absolutely wild for them.

🛒 Shop it: Non-GMO Dried Mealworms

Dried Black Soldier Fly Larvae

A nutritional powerhouse — black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are exceptionally high in protein and calcium, making them one of the best treats you can offer laying hens. They're also a sustainable protein source and a great alternative or complement to mealworms. Ducks and geese love them too.

🛒 Shop it: Non-GMO Dried Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Scratch, Seeds & Foraging Blends

Scratch Grains

Scratch is the classic poultry treat — a mix of grains that birds love to scratch and peck through. It encourages natural foraging behavior, keeps birds entertained, and provides a quick energy boost. Toss a handful in the afternoon in winter and it helps birds generate body heat overnight.

Remember: scratch is low in protein and not a complete feed. It's a treat, not a meal replacement.

🛒 Shop it:

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

High in fat and loved by virtually every bird species — chickens, ducks, geese, game birds, and wild birds alike. The thin shells make them easy to crack and digest. A great treat for adding calories during cold weather or supporting feather condition. Scatter them in the run to encourage foraging.

🛒 Shop it: Snow Country – Black Oil Sunflower Seeds

Premium Bird Mix

A specialty blend of seeds and grains that goes beyond basic scratch — great for encouraging natural foraging and adding variety to your flock's diet. Works well scattered in the run or offered as a free-choice supplement alongside complete feed.

🛒 Shop it: Heim Milling – Special Blend Premium Bird Mix, 20 lbs.

Fresh Fodder: Grow Your Own Treats

One of the most rewarding (and cost-effective) treats you can offer is fresh sprouted greens — grown right in your kitchen or garage. Sprouted grains and seeds are packed with live enzymes, vitamins, and moisture that dry feed simply can't provide. Birds go crazy for fresh sprouts, and they're especially valuable in winter when foraging isn't possible.

🛒 Shop it:

Table Scraps: What's Safe and What to Skip

Poultry are natural omnivores and can enjoy a wide variety of kitchen scraps — but not everything from your table is safe. Here's a quick guide:

✅ Safe Table Scraps

  • Cooked grains and pasta — rice, oats, plain pasta; a great way to use leftovers
  • Leafy greens — lettuce, kale, spinach, chard; hang a head of cabbage in the run for hours of entertainment
  • Vegetables — cooked or raw squash, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, peas, corn (off the cob is fine)
  • Fruit — watermelon (a summer favorite), berries, apples (no seeds), bananas, grapes cut in half
  • Cooked eggs — scrambled or hard-boiled eggs are a high-protein treat; just don't feed raw eggs or you may encourage egg-eating behavior
  • Plain cooked meat — small amounts of cooked chicken, fish, or other meat are fine; poultry are omnivores
  • Plain yogurt or cottage cheese — a good source of protein and probiotics; feed in small amounts
  • Pumpkin and squash seeds — a traditional natural deworming supplement; birds love them

❌ What to Avoid

  • Avocado — the flesh, skin, and pit contain persin, which is toxic to poultry
  • Onions and garlic in large amounts — small amounts are generally fine, but large quantities can cause anemia
  • Raw or dried beans — contain hemagglutinin, which is toxic; cooked beans are fine
  • Chocolate and caffeine — toxic to poultry
  • Salty, processed, or heavily seasoned foods — poultry kidneys are sensitive to excess salt
  • Moldy or spoiled food — never feed anything you wouldn't eat yourself
  • Apple seeds and fruit pits — contain cyanogenic compounds; remove before feeding
  • Raw potato and green potato skins — contain solanine, which is toxic

Species Notes

  • Ducks & Geese: Love leafy greens, peas, and anything they can dunk in water. Always provide water deep enough for bill submersion alongside treats — they need to wash food down. Avoid bread, which is nutritionally empty and can cause “angel wing” in goslings.
  • Game Birds (Turkeys, Pheasants, Quail, Guineas): High-protein treats like mealworms and BSFL are especially valuable given their elevated protein needs. Keep treat quantities conservative — diet dilution has a bigger impact on fast-growing game birds than on chickens.
  • Chicks: Wait until chicks are at least 2 weeks old before introducing treats, and always provide chick grit alongside anything other than their starter crumble. Keep treat portions tiny.

The best treat routine is a simple one — a handful of mealworms in the morning, some scratch scattered in the afternoon, and whatever greens or scraps you have on hand. Your flock will reward you with trust, entertainment, and plenty of eggs.

Browse our full Poultry Treats & Seeds collection at BloomingtonFarmAndFeed.com.

Back to blog