Can Hentastic treats replace a hen's normal feed?

No, they're treat and enrichment products meant to sit alongside a proper layers' feed, not replace it. Keep them as an extra rather than a meal, the same way you would treat any other pet.

Do I need a separate feeder for Hentastic blocks?

Some, like the filled henpecker feeder and filled cluck butter feeder, come with their own holder, while others are sold as just the block. Check the specific listing to see whether a feeder is included.

Why do hens need pecking treats?

Hens with nothing to occupy them during the day can develop feather pecking and other boredom-driven behaviours. A hanging or pecking treat gives the flock something to work at, which helps keep them occupied as much as it feeds them.

Are Hentastic treats suitable for all poultry?

They're aimed at hens specifically, so check the pack for any guidance if you're keeping other poultry like ducks or geese, since feeding needs and suitable treats can differ between species.

How long does a Hentastic treat block usually last a flock?

It depends on flock size and how enthusiastically they peck, but a hanging block is meant to last several days of intermittent pecking rather than being finished in one sitting, which is part of what makes it useful enrichment rather than just a quick snack.

Hentastic poultry treats

Hentastic makes treat-style feeders and herby blocks for chickens rather than everyday layers' pellets — cluck butter, herbal chick sticks, henpecker blocks and a couple of hanging and filled feeder formats that double as enrichment as well as food. Everything in the range is meant to be pecked at over time rather than eaten in one sitting.

What's in the range

The cluck butter and ground breaker blocks are herby, fat-based treat blocks meant to be pecked at over time rather than eaten in one go, which gives hens something to work at during the day. The herbal chick sticks and hanging forage feast work on the same idea in a different shape.

Several of the range come as a filled feeder — the filled henpecker feeder and filled cluck butter feeder — so you're buying the holder and the block together rather than needing a separate feeder to hang it in.

Why treat-feeders matter for hens

Hens that spend all day with nothing to peck at other than their main feed can turn to less welcome behaviours, including feather pecking each other out of boredom. A hanging or pecking treat gives them something to work at, which is as much about keeping a flock occupied as it is about the treat itself.

These are treats and enrichment rather than a replacement for a proper layers' pellet or mash, so they should sit alongside your usual feed rather than instead of it.

Choosing between the different formats

A hanging block like the cluck butter or ground breaker suits a run where you want something a flock can peck at throughout the day without it sitting in the mud, while a filled feeder keeps the treat contained and off the ground entirely, which helps keep it cleaner for longer.

The chick sticks and forage feast are better suited to smaller, more frequent treat sessions rather than an all-day fixture, so which format you reach for depends on whether you want a permanent addition to the run or an occasional extra.

The range

Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.

Feathers & Beaky Chicken Treat

A chicken treat for the flock, fed after layers pellets rather than instead

£14.05

Common questions

Can Hentastic treats replace a hen's normal feed?: No, they're treat and enrichment products meant to sit alongside a proper layers' feed, not replace it. Keep them as an extra rather than a meal, the same way you would treat any other pet.
Do I need a separate feeder for Hentastic blocks?: Some, like the filled henpecker feeder and filled cluck butter feeder, come with their own holder, while others are sold as just the block. Check the specific listing to see whether a feeder is included.
Why do hens need pecking treats?: Hens with nothing to occupy them during the day can develop feather pecking and other boredom-driven behaviours. A hanging or pecking treat gives the flock something to work at, which helps keep them occupied as much as it feeds them.
Are Hentastic treats suitable for all poultry?: They're aimed at hens specifically, so check the pack for any guidance if you're keeping other poultry like ducks or geese, since feeding needs and suitable treats can differ between species.
How long does a Hentastic treat block usually last a flock?: It depends on flock size and how enthusiastically they peck, but a hanging block is meant to last several days of intermittent pecking rather than being finished in one sitting, which is part of what makes it useful enrichment rather than just a quick snack.

Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.