A kind neighbour who always shows a little love to the animals next door has become a hot topic on the internet.
On TikTok, Playing Chicken (@playing.chicken) shared that his neighbors hang bags full of kitchen scraps they've collected over the week on their shared fence to feed to their chickens every weekend.
The video, which has garnered 46,400 likes and 781,200 views on TikTok so far, shows the birds happily munching on scraps that their owner had scattered in the garden.
“We have the sweetest neighbors! The chickens are so happy,” the TikTok user captioned a video of their chickens munching contentedly on lettuce leaves.
According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), 13% of American households kept backyard chickens in 2020, up 8% from 2018.
Chickens' foraging habits make them good at avoiding foods that are bad for them, says nutritionist Patrick Biggs, who writes for pet food company Purina Mills. Feeding hens leafy greens can also result in darker egg yolks, Biggs says.
He also recommends healthy snacks like lettuce, kale, turnip greens, and chard. Fruits like watermelon, strawberries, and blueberries are nutritious when consumed in moderation, says Biggs. Beets, broccoli, carrots, Swiss chard, pumpkin, squash, and cucumbers also make nutritious snacks.
“When birds are free to roam, they will find their favorite plants and feed on them. To keep birds out of your favorite garden areas, consider installing chicken fences or tunnels in your yard and creating a chicken-friendly garden for your chickens to explore,” the nutritionists write.
Chicken keepers should avoid feeding their pets garlic and onions, as these can make the eggs taste bad. Also to be avoided are avocado seeds and skins, undercooked or dried beans, rhubarb and spoiled or salty foods, as these contain toxins that can be fatal to chickens if ingested.
TikTok users were touched by this touching act of neighbourliness.
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“And I know you're throwing fresh eggs back,” one user said, to which the original poster replied, “Of course.”
“I used to have a bucket and I'd tip over both sides of the fence to get scraps and take home a few eggs,” another chicken owner wrote in the comments section.
“Our old neighbors did this for us! Mostly for their goats, but we also have chickens and rabbits so they bring them all in to see which animals can eat what and then bring them back. So grateful,” commented another TikTok user.
“During season, my neighbor would pick lychees from his tree and leave them in a big box in our garage. I don't think he's alive anymore but I will always remember him,” one commenter wrote.
Newsweek Playing Chicken was reached for comment via TikTok, but the details of the incident could not be confirmed.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom, seeking common ground and finding connections.
