The Holidays Are Coming — and So Are the Leftovers
There’s nothing quite like the holidays on the homestead. Between Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas feasts, there’s always an abundance of delicious food — and if you’re like me, your first thought might be, “Can the chickens have some of this?”
After all, our hens are part of the family too! But while chickens can safely enjoy many fresh kitchen scraps, some holiday dishes can actually be dangerous for them.
As we head into the season of mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie, here’s a helpful guide to keep your flock healthy and happy — without any unwanted holiday “surprises” in the coop.
Foods Chickens Shouldn’t Eat from Your Holiday Table
❌ 1. Stuffing and Casseroles
Stuffing may smell irresistible, but it’s a bad idea for chickens. It often contains onions, garlic, butter, salt, and spices — all of which can harm your birds.
- Onions and garlic (in large amounts) can cause a condition called hemolytic anemia, leading to weakness and pale combs.
- Salt and fats can stress a chicken’s kidneys and liver.
❌ 2. Mashed Potatoes and Gravy
Plain, cooked potatoes are fine, but mashed potatoes made with milk, butter, cream, or salt should be kept off the menu. Gravy, with its fat, flour, and seasonings, is a no-go too.
Chickens can’t digest dairy well — it can cause diarrhea and digestive upset.
If you want to offer them a treat, bake or boil a few plain potatoes or sweet potatoes and serve them without any toppings.
❌ 3. Cranberry Sauce and Sugary Sides
While cranberries themselves are safe (and even healthy), cranberry sauce is loaded with sugar and sometimes artificial sweeteners, which aren’t good for your flock.
Avoid giving your chickens any desserts or dishes with sugar, chocolate, marshmallows, or syrup.
Chickens don’t process sugar like we do — it can upset their gut balance and attract pests in the coop.
❌ 4. Bread, Rolls, and Pie Crusts
We’ve all been tempted to toss leftover bread or crusts to the chickens, but too much refined grain can lead to nutrient imbalance and even impaction if it gets soggy or sticky.
A small amount of whole-grain bread is fine as an occasional treat, but skip the buttery rolls, pie crusts, and biscuits.
❌ 5. Turkey Skin, Fat, and Bones
While cooked meat in small portions isn’t necessarily harmful, most poultry scraps from the holiday table are too greasy and salty. Avoid turkey skin, fatty bits, and bones, as they can splinter or cause digestive issues.
If you want to add extra protein to your chickens’ diet during winter, go for mealworms, scrambled eggs, or black soldier fly larvae instead.
❌ 6. Green Bean Casserole
While fresh or steamed green beans are perfectly safe, green bean casserole typically includes fried onions, cream of mushroom soup, and heavy salt. These ingredients are harmful to chickens and can cause digestive distress.
❌ 7. Alcohol or Anything with Caffeine
This one should go without saying — no wine, beer, eggnog, or coffee for your flock! Alcohol and caffeine are both toxic to chickens and can cause heart irregularities and neurological issues.
Safe Holiday Scraps Chickens Can Enjoy
Now for the fun part! There are plenty of healthy scraps you can share with your flock — and they’ll be thrilled to help you “clean up” after dinner.
✅ Safe, chicken-friendly treats include:
- Plain vegetables: carrots, peas, pumpkin, squash, broccoli, green beans
- Plain mashed or cooked potatoes or sweet potatoes
- Cooked rice or oats (unsalted and unbuttered)
- Fruit trimmings: apple peels, pear cores, melon rinds (in moderation)
- Scrambled eggs or mealworms for an extra protein boost
Just remember: treats should make up no more than 10% of your chickens’ diet — their regular layer feed should always come first.
🐔 A Homesteader’s Holiday Reminder
As much as we love spoiling our flocks, chickens do best on consistency — balanced nutrition, clean water, and moderation in treats.
When in doubt, keep it simple. If it’s salty, sugary, greasy, or processed, it’s probably best left off the chicken menu.
After all, your birds have their own “holiday feast” every day — fresh feed, scratch grain, and maybe a little warm oatmeal on a cold morning. (That’s one of my favorite winter treats to make for them here at J & J Homestead!)
Final Thoughts
The holidays are a season of abundance — and gratitude. For many of us homesteaders, that gratitude extends to our animals. Sharing a little love with your flock is part of the fun, but knowing what’s safe to share is part of responsible homesteading.
This Thanksgiving and Christmas, keep your chickens happy, healthy, and well-fed — without the stuffing and sugar. They’ll thank you with strong shells, bright combs, and maybe even an extra egg or two this winter.
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