Pumpkin Treats for Chickens

Chickens love pumpkin, seeds and all. After Halloween, halve an uncarved pumpkin, fill it with oats and mealworms, and let the flock clean it out.

Use only fresh, unpainted pumpkins with no candle wax or mold.

Why your flock will love this

• Uses leftover Halloween pumpkins
• Seeds, flesh and all
• Keeps the flock busy for hours

Ingredient notes

• Fresh pumpkin Safe

  Never painted or moldy.

  Flesh and seeds are a favorite flock treat.

• Rolled oats Safe

  Rolled oats are a filling winter treat.

• Dried mealworms Safe

  High-protein treat, great during molt.

See every ingredient in the safety guide

How to make Pumpkin Treats for Chickens

Pumpkin Treats for Chickens takes about 10 minutes from start to finish and makes 2 pumpkin halves. It is an easy recipe. You will need a large knife. Read through every step once before you start, and set out all the ingredients so nothing is missed.

Ingredients and why they are here

You need 3 ingredients. Each one is checked against the ingredient safety guide for chickens.

• 1 small fresh pumpkin: Never painted or moldy. Flesh and seeds are a favorite flock treat.
• 1 cup rolled oats: Rolled oats are a filling winter treat.
• 1/4 cup dried mealworms: High-protein treat, great during molt.

Step-by-step instructions

1. Cut the pumpkin in half and leave the seeds inside.
2. Fill each half with oats and mealworms.
3. Place cut side up in the run.
4. Remove the rind after 2 days.

Tips for success

• Leave the seeds in; chickens love them.
• Do not use carved jack-o-lanterns that have sat out with candles.
• Remove leftovers before they rot.

How to store it

Let everything cool completely before you pack it away, since trapped steam causes sogginess and mold. Keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days. If anything smells off or shows mold, throw it out.

How much to serve

One pumpkin half for 4 to 6 hens.

Swaps and variations

No fresh pumpkin? Use butternut squash. Change one ingredient at a time so you can tell how each swap affects the texture.

Why chickens love it

Uses leftover Halloween pumpkins. Seeds, flesh and all. Keeps the flock busy for hours.

Feeding tips for chickens

Treats should make up no more than about 10 percent of what your flock eats, with a complete layer feed as the base. Offer treats in the afternoon so hens fill up on feed first. Provide grit and oyster shell free choice, and always keep clean water available. Remove leftover fresh food before evening to avoid attracting rodents.

Make it ahead

To save time, measure and prep the ingredients the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Label containers with the recipe name and date so you always know what to use first. Most of the work in this recipe is hands-off, so it fits easily around a busy week.

What to watch for

A drop in egg laying often means too many treats and not enough layer feed. Watch for pasty vents in chicks and soft-shelled eggs in hens, which can point to diet problems. Isolate any hen that looks lethargic or stops eating, and call a vet who treats poultry.

Shopping list

Before you start, check that you have fresh pumpkin, rolled oats and dried mealworms. Most of it is at the grocery store; hay, pellets, feed and supplements are at pet or feed stores. Buy fresh produce close to the day you cook.

Safety notes

Never add onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes, raisins, xylitol or salt, and check the safety guide before trying a new ingredient with your hen. This recipe is general information, not veterinary advice.

Frequently asked questions

Are pumpkin seeds a dewormer for chickens?

There is little evidence. Use a vet-recommended dewormer if needed.

Can chickens eat raw pumpkin?

Yes, raw flesh and seeds.

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