Can Chickens Eat Apples

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can chickens eat apples

Can chickens eat apples or not? There have been many discussions over time as whether we should feed these fruits to chickens. Are they toxic or are these simple speculations brought up by people who do not know anything for sure, but who keep making assumptions and spreading rumors?

The truth is that some breeds are more sensitive to the food they get, others not so much. So it is really hard to tell if a certain food is considered to be harmful for all the breeds, in general. So, what should we do then? It is better to leave this issue on the hands of the experts that have made some significant research studies and concluded astonishing results.

can chickens eat apples

Can Chickens Eat Apples? What Do The Experts Say?

As we said earlier, the opinions are not unanimous and some say that they can, while others state that chickens are not allowed to eat apples, under any circumstance. However, you can feed these delicious fruits to your chickens with one condition only. Remove the seeds before the feeding process begins. They will eat pretty much anything you will give them, so make them a favor and remove the toxic part of the apple.

The seeds contain a substance that is quite toxic for these pets. It is called cyanide and not only that, it could lead to some serious health issues, but the effects of this substance could result in the death of the chickens. So, just to avoid any unpleasant events from taking place, make sure that you will take the necessary means to eradicate any chance of this happening.

What Not To Feed Your Chickens

Now that you know how serious things could get, here are a few more foods you should avoid giving to your animals and especially to your chickens:

  • Avocado – Whether we are talking about the skin of the avocado or its pit, it should not get into your chicken’s mouth at all. However, you should probably know that they do not really care much for this fruit. Maybe it’s because they sense that there is a potential danger they should watch out for or they sense the level of toxicity. Anyhow, it is best to avoid giving them any of these components. However, avocado flesh is safe to feed them in moderation only.
  • Raw eggs – It might sound surprising, but there have been cases when owners tried out this experiment. The truth is that this way, chickens will turn into carnivores. However, there are times when chickens may eat their own eggs, especially the shell but this is usually a sign of deficiency in their diet or a sign that indicates the fact that they are stressed. If you add some crushed oyster shells to their diet, you will do nothing but to help them. You can also help them to better adjust to the environment they live in by placing more nesting boxes or by decreasing the level of the light in the coop.
  • Candy, chocolate and any type of sugar – Chickens cannot really taste the sweet things, with only 25-30 taste buds, they wouldn’t even realize that they are eating something sweet. Not to mention that these sweet treats can have a harmful effect on the digestive tract. Also, chocolate contains a substance called methylxanthines theobromine which is considered to be extremely poisonous for chickens. So, adding sugar to their diet won’t make them feel happier. Actually, it won’t make any difference in their usual behavior. The only thing that could happen, though, would be to deal with a weak state of health. Something that no farmer would want to handle, right?
  • Junk food – As crazy as it sounds, there have been cases when owners fed this type of food to their chickens. Well, as expected, it does not have any beneficial effects on our health, so why should the chickens be any different? They might get to enjoy it but it surely won’t improve their health. Furthermore, it could only cause issues with the level of blood sugar and will also lead to heart problems.
  • Raw meat – Well, one might think that chickens will only eat fruits, vegetables, seeds and grains, but they can also eat meat. And surprisingly, they can also eat chicken meat. However, if you really want to feed them meat, make sure it is not raw, as it might carry around some bacteria that may cause future infections and lead them to death.

Now you know that your chickens can eat apples and you also know what not to feed them. The rest is up to you.

 

 

References:

http://www.citygirlfarming.com/Chickens/ThingsChickensShouldNotEat.html

http://hencam.com/faq/what-to-feed-your-chickens/

 

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