Valentine's Day is right around the corner which of course prompted me to come up with a chicken-friendly heart-shaped treat for our flock.

They were a big hit with all of our chickens and so easy to make! And if you don't raise chickens, the wild birds will love these treats too.

Valentine Heart Seed Treats for your Chickens

To make these Valentine heart seed treats, I used a variety of my chickens' favorite seeds including sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and flax.

Pumpkin seeds are thought to act as natural wormers, flax seeds add beneficial omega-3s to your chickens diet and to the eggs they lay, and sunflower seeds are high in protein.

I also added some dried grubs which are a great source of protein and calcium. Peanut butter is also a good source of protein.

Cinnamon is excellent for respiratory health and aids in circulation. And the dried cranberries added some nice Valentine color!

What you Need

4 cups total mixed seeds, nuts, dried fruit and insects*
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup cool water
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey

*sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax seeds, dried mealworms, grubs or crickets, dried cranberries, raisins, blueberries, etc. (feel free to use whatever ratios you want and substitute or omit any ingredients)

You'll also Need

Instructions | Spray the baking sheet and cookie cutters with cooking spray, arrange your molds on the sheet and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

In a small bowl, pour the packet of gelatin into the cool water and whisk. Let sit for a minute, then pour in the boiling water and whisk to combine.

Pour the gelatin mixture into the mixing bowl over the dry ingredients,  stir to combine, then add the coconut oil, peanut butter and honey. Mix well to be sure all the seeds are coated.

Press the seed mixture into each of the cookie cutters, packing it down with your fingers. Using the chopstick, make a hole at the top of each mold so you can hang your treats later.

Refrigerate or freeze the molds for several hours or overnight until the molds are set. 

Unmold the hearts and string the ribbon through the holes, using the chopstick to help push the ribbon through if necessary.

Hang the hearts in your run for your chickens - or hang them up in a tree or on a fence to treat the wild birds.

Be sure to remove the ribbons once the treats have all been eaten.

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