Do Chicken eat Apples?
Yes, chickens love apples, and the flesh and skin are nutritious treats. Apples contain minerals and vitamins, as well as amino acids and pectin.
Can Chicken eat Crab Apples?
Crab Apples are one of the tastiest and safest foods for chicken to eat so long as the seeds are not provided. With that said, apples should only be served as a treat and not surpass their primary poultry feed.
Can a Chicken eat Horse Apples?
Yes, chicken can eat horse apples.
Apples have minimal protein, but they do contain pectin, vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, and you can serve apples to your hen in lots of exciting ways.
How to Serve My Chickens Apples
Method one: You can slice or chop apples with or without the skin. Some hen keepers love to combine them with other foods.
Method two: You can get more creative and serve apples to your hens and cock by stringing apples with thread along with other foods like raisins, popcorn, cranberries, and watermelon, etc. to create a garland.
You could hang the apples on the chicken run, where your hens will have a go at it and enjoy pecking at them till there is no food left. Ensure you take away the strings as soon as the birds finish eating, as it could be a potential choking hazard.
Some keeps can get really fancy and offer stuffed apples to their chickens; you could stuff them with dried fruit or peanut butter, but ensure you take out the core and the seeds.
Can Chickens Eat Apple Peels?
Chickens can safely eat apple peels; they are not harmful or toxic to your birds. The skins of certain vegetables and fruits are poisonous, so this is a natural concern, but, rest assured apples peels are completely safe.
Some hens are fussy and may not like apples when first served. Others might opt for apples with/without the peel, as peels can be a bit hard.
Can chickens eat Green Apples?
Sure thing! Green apples are safe for your chooks to eat.
However, we recommend feeding only small pieces at a time as you feed apples. If you see that they are not enjoying it or attempting to eat it, quit offering it and leave it out of their diet.
You cannot force your birds to like apples if they don’t, it will just be a waste.
Can Chickens Eat Red Apples?
Definitely! Apples are a great way to reduce waste and make your birds happy.
You should limit feeding apples to no more than 10-20% of their total daily diet. Most scraps are low protein, which is why you want to limit it.
Will a Chicken eat apples?
For a chicken that likes the taste; it sure will enjoy the juicy taste.
Remember to clean up any leftover apple or any other uneaten food from the coop daily and ASAP! This can be a major source of rats which you really do not want in and around your chickens.
We agree that apple fruit and peels are 100% safe for a chicken to consume, how about apple core, let’s look at this subject in more detail, in the next section.
Can Chickens Eat Apple Cores?
No! Chickens should not eat apple cores. Sounds strange? Since apples and their skins are otherwise safe. Let’s find out why below.
There are two main reasons for this.
- The seeds contain cyanide – which in excess can kill your hens through poisoning
- Apple cores are difficult to break down by chickens and can end up getting stuck in your chicken’s throat escalating to choking and other issues.
If you still wanted to offer the core (which has no inherent benefit), you would want to break it down and make it more manageable to consume. You’d also need to take out all the seeds.
For maximum enjoyment and health safety, it’s best not to include the core when offering apples to your birds.
Some poultry keepers will tell you that their hens eat every bit of apple (seeds and all) with no consequences.
However, it is a risk doing this with no real benefit in doing so. You can completely avoid any danger simply by taking this extra step.
Can Chickens eat Apple Seeds?
Apple seeds bear some degree of danger to the well-being of your chickens, and as their keeper, you have a duty of care to your birds.
Let’s look at what cyanide is and how its deadly effect on chickens.
What Is Cyanide and how does it affect Chickens?
Cyanide is a quick-acting, lethal chemical, and it is totally toxic to chickens. Cyanide stops cells in the body from using oxygen when this happens, cells die. When cyanide is combined with iron, it can block cellular respiration.
A lot of foods contain cyanide glycosides such as white clover, arrowgrass, apples seeds, peach pits, sudangrass, cherry, eldercherry, and almond trees. Cynanide poisoning can lead to death within minutes.
Signs Of Cyanide Poisoning In Hens
Hens that lose their life from cyanide poisoning have bright red, oxygenated blood, and have blood-filled body tissues.
Hens will kick the bucket within 30 minutes of ingesting the toxic chemical in lethal doses.
Clinical signs include:
- Difficulty breathing,
- Sudden death.
- Blue to purple colored comb,
Treatment For Cyanide Poisoning In Hens and Poultry
Have your hens consumed apple sees in large quantities? It may not be too late.
Particular antidotes, along with supportive veterinary care, is the fix to treat cyanide poisoning.
For the remedy to work, it must be given before irreversible cell damage has occurred, within minutes of exposure. Sodium nitrate and Intravenous amyl are administered to treat cyanide poisoning.
Finally
Prevention is always better than cure. If you are proactive about avoiding cyanide poisoning among your flock, you will need to prevent the feeding of seeds of specific fruits to your chickens. These include the seeds of: cherries, apricots, apples, peaches and/or pears. Other foods include almonds.
As much as chickens love to forage, you must make sure that they are not foraging among plants that accumulate cyanide.
In Summary
Can chicken eat apples? They certainly can consume them including the peel. You may feel like not giving your chickens apples because the seeds are so toxic. But as long as you’re careful to avoid offering the core and seeds, apples are a wonderful snack.
Aside giving apples to your hens, offer fruits such as melons, bananas, and berries are popularly enjoyed. Vegetables should include non-leafy and leafygreens, pumpkins, cucumbers, tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. You can offer your chickens bread (in moderation) grains like cooked wheat and rice; oatmeal is also a tasty treat.
Since chickens are omnivores, be sure to offer them some cooked meat as well. So, can chicken eat apples, seeds, and peel? I suggest you give them a try!