I love to give my chickens their own Christmas tree in the run each winter!
I cut down a little pine tree from the woods, set it in a bucket full of stones to keep it in place, and then decorate it with edible ornaments and garlands for them.
One year I made these yummy edible garlands. Another year I made apple ornaments. Other years, I just string popcorn and cranberries for the tree or fill pine cones with peanut butter and roll them in sunflower seeds.
This year, I needed a new ornament idea because we were shooting the holiday episode of my TV show Welcome to my Farm. So I wanted to share a brand new edible holiday treat for chickens.
These edible ornaments are so festive with pops of red, green and yellow - and your chickens will love them! The coconut oil provides some nice healthy fats as well to keep them warm this winter!
Edible Coconut Oil Chicken Christmas Tree Ornaments
What you Need
What you Do
Melt about 2 cups of coconut oil until liquid.
Since coconut oil has such a low melting point, it will usually melt if you just spoon some into a glass jar then set it in a pan of hot water.
While the coconut oil is melting, mix the cranberries, split green peas and cracked corn in a large bowl. I used maybe two cups total.
Stir in the cornmeal. Pour in the melted coconut oil and stir well to combine.
Spoon the mixture into a donut pan or mini donut pan like I used, or into a regular cupcake or muffin pan (then you'll just have to poke a hole in each to hang on the tree).
Since coconut oil is solid at room temperature, the ornaments will solidify if you leave them out on the counter, or your can refrigerate or freeze them to make them harden faster.
Once solid, use the tip of a butter knife to pop them out of the pan and then poke a tree branch through the center hold of each.
Your chickens will love them!
Watch me make these Edible Coconut Oil Chicken Christmas Tree Ornaments!
