How to Make High Protein Treats for Molting Chickens

🪶 Protein Power for Molting Chickens

Help your hens bounce back faster with high-protein treats and natural nutrition during molt season.

🥣 Instant Pot Yogurt for Chickens

A simple, protein-packed treat your flock will love — and yes, it’s completely safe for chickens!

Just ½ cup of yogurt provides around 17 grams of protein! I like to serve my flock homemade Instant Pot yogurt about three times a week. For extra nutrition, try mixing in mealworms, black oil sunflower seeds, or crickets — your hens will love the variety.

✨ Two Ingredients — That’s It!

• ½ gallon of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons of starter culture (plain yogurt with live active cultures)

The type of milk, starter culture, and fermentation time make all the difference in achieving a creamy, safe, and protein-rich yogurt for your flock.

🥛 Choosing Your Milk

For the thickest, creamiest results, always use whole milk. Non-fat and low-fat milk will work but create thinner yogurt. Goat milk makes a smooth but lighter texture, while sheep milk produces a rich, sweet batch.

Avoid lactose-free or non-dairy milk — they lack enough natural sugars for the yogurt cultures to feed on, so fermentation will fail.

🦠 Choosing a Starter Culture

Choose a plain, unsweetened yogurt labeled “Contains Live Active Cultures.” Look for beneficial strains such as:

• S. thermophilus
• L. bulgaricus
• L. acidophilus
• Bifidobacterium
• L. casei

Avoid flavored yogurts or those with added sugars—your flock doesn’t need the extra sweetness.

🧭 Instructions for Instant Pot Yogurt

1. Pour ½ gallon of milk into your Instant Pot.
2. Press the “Yogurt” button until it says “Boil.”
3. Place the lid on and let it heat until the beeper sounds.
4. Cool to room temperature, then stir in 2 tablespoons of starter yogurt.
5. Press “Yogurt” again and set the timer for 24 hours to ferment fully.
6. When done, strain off the whey (save it for your compost or pets!).
7. Scoop the finished yogurt into a container and refrigerate or serve to your chickens.

🌾 Fodder Cakes for Chickens

A nutritious, protein-rich superfood your chickens will love — especially during molting season!

🌾 Choosing Your Grain

Making fodder is incredibly easy, and nearly any grain can be used. Below are the top 14 grains most chicken keepers use to make their “Fodder Cakes.”

🌱 Step-by-Step: How to Make Fodder Cakes

1. Choose and rinse your grains thoroughly with clean water.
2. Pour 1 cup of your chosen grain into a mason jar and fill with water, covering completely.
3. Soak for 24 hours, rinsing every 8 hours.
4. Drain the grains, rinse again, and let sit at an angle to drain for another 24 hours.
5. Spread sprouted grains on a tray with small drainage holes on the bottom.
6. Rinse the grains 3–4 times per day for about 7 days.
7. Keep grains damp but never waterlogged — mold can form if overly wet.
8. Feed your “Fodder Cakes” when sprouts reach about 4 inches in length.

For a full tutorial with photos, see my detailed guide:

🐛 Mealworm Mania for Chickens

A high-protein, flock-favorite treat that turns any molting day into a feast of joy (and feathers)!

My hens go wild for this protein-packed apple skewer treat!

🍎 Ingredients for “Mealworm Mania”

• 30 live or dried mealworms
• 2 apples
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• ½ cup chicken scratch
• 1 skewer (for hanging)

🪶 Instructions

1. Take a whole apple and spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the surface.
2. Roll the apple in chicken scratch, pressing gently so it sticks.
3. Stick live mealworms all around the apple — they’ll wiggle and attract attention!
4. Insert the skewer through the apple and hang it in your chicken run.
5. Remove it once your hens reach the apple core to prevent them from eating the seeds.

🐛 Breeding Mealworms for Chicken Treats

Raising your own mealworms is an easy, cost-effective way to provide your flock with an ongoing supply of high-protein snacks. It only takes a few simple supplies to start your own mealworm farm — and your hens will thank you!

Breeding mealworms can save money and provide steady protein.

• 1 container of mealworms (starter batch from pet store)
• Dried oatmeal or bran (as bedding and food source)
• Fresh carrots for moisture
• 3-drawer plastic storage bin setup

🥚 High-Protein Treat Comparison Chart

High-protein snacks are essential for molting hens — just remember to keep treats at or below 10% of their total daily diet (about one tablespoon per bird per day).

🧱 Protein Blocks for Chickens

Easy to make, packed with nutrients, and a swinging good time for your hens during molting season!

My hens waiting patiently for their frozen protein blocks!

🥣 Ingredients for “Protein Blocks”

• 1 cup chicken scratch
• 1 cup dried oatmeal
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon water
• String or twine (for hanging)

🪶 Instructions

1. Mix 1 cup of oatmeal and 1 cup of chicken scratch together in a bowl.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of water.
3. Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are evenly combined.
4. Fill each muffin tin halfway with the mixture.
5. Place one end of a string or twine into the center of each cup.
6. Fill the remaining space to the top and freeze for several hours.
7. Pop the blocks out of the tin and hang them in your chicken run.

“Time for a treat!” — My hens always know when these come out of the freezer!

💪 Protein Highlights

Simple ingredients, high protein, and happy hens — that’s the Backyard Chickens Mama way!

🌻 B.O.S.S. Oats for Chickens

A warm, high-protein breakfast that keeps your hens happy and healthy all winter long.

A warm bowl of B.O.S.S. oats — comfort food for your flock!

🥣 Ingredients for “B.O.S.S. Oats”

• 1 cup oats
• ⅔ cup hot water
• ½ cup black oiled sunflower seeds (B.O.S.S.)

🍳 Instructions

1. Add 1 cup of oats to a chicken-safe serving bowl.
2. Pour in ⅔ cup of hot water (adjust for your desired consistency).
3. Mix in ½ cup of black oiled sunflower seeds (B.O.S.S.).
4. Stir well, then sprinkle a few extra seeds on top for texture and fun.
5. Allow it to cool slightly before serving to your hens.

💪 Nutritional Highlights

This warm, protein-packed meal is a winter favorite in my coop — and my hens always cluck a little louder when they see me bringing it out!

🪶 Serving Protein Treats for Molting Chickens

A little extra protein goes a long way — but timing and moderation make all the difference.

Offering protein treats after they’ve eaten their main feed helps ensure that your hens get the balanced nutrition they need first, while still enjoying the fun (and nutritional boost!) of their favorite snacks.

A simple rule of thumb: treats should make up no more than 10% of your flock’s daily diet. About 1 tablespoon per bird per day of healthy, protein-rich snacks — like yogurt, mealworms, or oats — is plenty.

By giving your hens these thoughtful, nourishing extras, their molts will go more smoothly, their feathers will return fuller and shinier, and they’ll be healthier overall through the colder months ahead.