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Backyard chicken flock block

Course Pet Treats
Cuisine American
Keyword backyard chickens, chicken treats, homestead, winter chicken care
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 1 loaf
Chicken feed, scratch, seeds, mealworms and oats bound with eggs and molasses and baked into a block for hens.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken feed (whole grain or mash); only 1 cup if using pellets or crumble
  • 1 cup scratch grains (2 cups if using pellet or crumble feed)
  • 3/4 cup black oil sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup dried mealworms or grubs
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats (raw/dry)
  • 1/2 cup flour (whole wheat preferred) or cornmeal
  • 2/3 cup unsulphured black strap molasses
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
  • 4 eggs whisked
  • Optional: 2 cloves raw garlic, chopped; 2 Tbsp dried oregano; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp dried chili powder or cayenne (or 1 tsp red chili flakes)

Directions

  • Heat the oven to 325°F.
  • Mix all the dry ingredients (feed, scratch, mealworms, sunflower seeds, oats, flour, dried herbs and spices) in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (coconut oil, eggs, molasses, fresh garlic).
  • Stir the wet mixture into the dry a little at a time; it will be sticky and clumpy.
  • Press firmly into a pan lined with parchment, about 2 inches thick.
  • Bake for about 35 minutes (add 5 to 10 minutes for blocks 3 inches or thicker, or bake 30 minutes if you divide it between two smaller pans).
  • Let cool in the pan; the block firms up as it dries.

Notes

Serve on a tray or plate, or in a hanging treat basket (string alone may not hold it). Refrigerate and use within one week; wrap well and freeze, best used within a few months.
Safety: treats in moderation; use unsulphured blackstrap molasses only; skip corn in hot weather; don't add calcium if feeding young birds or a mixed flock. Garlic is an optional chicken ingredient, fine for chickens, but keep this block away from dogs and cats.