How to Feed Acorns to Chickens

Some chicken farmers have bountiful access to acorns because they live in regions with an abundance of oak trees. The acorns that oak trees produce make cheap chicken feed that stays good during the winter months. With some careful collecting and preparation practices, making your own acorn chicken feed is quite simple.

Things You'll Need

  • Flat rock
  • Burlap sack
  • Sledge hammer
  • Crushed egg shells
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Instructions

    • 1

      Search for acorns around your yard or in the nearby woods that have very few blemishes. For example, you don't want acorns previous nibbled by squirrels. Rodents carry diseases you don't want around your chickens. Also, acorns with cracked shells will go rancid quickly, so don't choose them either if you plan on storing them over the winter.

    • 2

      Place a large, flat rock on the ground. Fill a burlap sack with a couple of handfuls of acorns and place on the rock. Use a 5 lb. sledge hammer to crush the acorns inside the sack. Make sure the rock and the sack sit on the ground. Placing them on cement runs the risk of cracking the concrete with the hammer.

    • 3

      Spread the crushed acorns on the ground along with crushed egg shells and other kitchen scraps. The acorns supplement their winter diets and provide chickens with the necessary calories and nutrients they need to thrive and produce eggs.