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Can Chickens Eat Apples? Yes, chickens can eat apples as a part of their balanced diet. Apples are packed with beneficial nutrients that are great for your chickens when given in moderation and prepared the correct way. The main thing you have to remember is to remove the seeds before giving them to your chickens.
Everyone has a favorite fruit. From peaches to bananas, apples are a popular choice. But what about our feathered friends? Can chickens eat apples? Some people believe they can, while others say it is not safe for birds to consume fruit. In order to put this debate to rest, we need some more information in order to be clear.
In this blog post, you will learn more about whether or not chickens can eat apples and more.
Are Apples Ok for Chickens?
Yes, you have nothing to worry about when your chickens eat your apples. These fruits are safe and nutritious for the birds, and you should regularly feed them apples. Apples will help improve your chickens’ immune systems and enhance their digestion.
Is It Safe for Chickens to Eat Apples?
Yes, it is safe for chickens to eat apples as long as you have prepared them in the correct way and have removed the seeds. Apples are good for chickens because they are rich in nutrients and minerals that will benefit the overall health of your chickens as long as they are fed in moderation.
Apple Nutritional Information
Serving Size: 100 grams
| Amt per Serving | |
| Total Fat | 0.16 g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.6 g |
| Fiber | 2.1 g |
| Sugars | 13.3 g |
| Calcium | 6.0 mg |
| Iron | 0.02 mg |
| Magnesium | 4.7 mg |
| Potassium | 10 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.035 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.068 mg |
Learn more information about apple nutrition here.
Can Chicken Eat Apples with Skin?
Yes, chickens can eat apples with skin. The skin is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber that will help with digestion and other health benefits. Apple peels are one of the most nutritious things that you or your chickens can eat but make sure that you have properly clean the apples after you have brought them home from the market.
You can also just give your chickens apple peels if you have eaten the apples themselves rather than putting them into your compost bin or into the trash. These peels are a nice treat for your chickens.
Can Chickens Eat Apple Seeds?
No, chickens cannot eat apple seeds as they contain cyanide poison. The poison could interfere with their metabolic process. An intake of cyanide could cut off the oxygen supply to your chickens’ cells, leading to health complications. If, after feeding them apples, you notice the chickens having difficulty breathing and their comb changing color, it could be a sign of ingesting apple seeds. You will need to provide them veterinary care before they die.
It is important that you limit the chances of your chickens ingesting apple seeds as to prevent any issues with your flock. I have found that if I core the apples that it is super easy and the chickens still love them.
Can Chickens Eat Apples Whole?
Like humans, chickens also know the nutritional value of apples. They love this fruit, eating its flesh and skins to benefit from its nutritious content. Apples are rich in minerals, vitamins, pectin, and amino acids, useful nutrients for healthy chickens. Incorporating several fruits into your chickens’ diet is very important in ensuring a good mix of vital nutrients that could not be available in their normal feeds. Nevertheless, remember to go slow on the fruits; they should not replace the main chicken diet.
Another thing to remember is that apples are high in sugar, and you do not want your birds gorging in too much sugar, resulting in serious issues for them. Fruits also don’t have protein, which your chicks need to prosper, hence the need for moderation with the fruits.
What Age Chickens Can Eat Apples?
Often chicks raised by a broody hen in the backyard or the wild are introduced to treats early in life. The mother will call them to the feast of bugs and greens in their early days. Therefore, you can introduce them to juice or blended apple before giving them the flesh for some beak work. However, some people wait until the birds are one week old before introducing an apple treat. Remember treats are not the main meal; therefore, teach the chicks to differentiate proper food from deserts. Exercise caution with fruits, providing them with little amounts.
Can Baby Chickens Eat Apples?
Yes, baby chickens also love apples in imitation of their parents. However, you should chop them to remove the seeds for easy chicks’ consumption and digestion. Alternatively, you can serve them apple sauce, providing your little birds with carbs, potassium, vitamin K, and fiber.
Can Young Chickens Eat Apples?
Absolutely! Apples are delicious to young chickens, and these fruits can help them grow, owing to their nutritional content. If you have young chicken, regularly give them the apples treat, and they will grow to love your presence. They will grow healthy and strong, and you will rarely see diseases invading the flock.
How To Prepare Apple for You Chickens?
There are several ways to prepare apples for your chicken for easy eating. First, it is good to clean the apples and wash off any pesticide that could affect your chickens’ health. Remove the seeds from the fruit by cutting them in the middle of scooping the mid-section. You could decide to cut them into cubes and mix with some fruits and hang them on a string. Or you could stuff the whole apple with peanut or almond butter and hang them for your chicken to peck.
How Much Apple Can You Give Your Chickens?
The answer to this question depends on the number of chickens you have. The general rule is to give one chicken one-quarter of an average apple, twice or thrice a week. You could hang several apple fruits on a string or rope for the chicken to peck. Additionally, you can boost their moods by playing the Chicken Boules with them.
How Do You Feed Apples to Chickens?
There are several methods you can use to excite your chicken with this delicacy. You could stuff three to four apples with natural peanut butter, almond butter, or cranberries and serve these to your flock.
You could also use the apple garlands method, where you dice your apples into cubes and join them with a thread. Some also add grapes, cranberries, zucchini, sliced banana, or beets on the thread. After fixing the fruits with the thread, you can hang them in the run for your chicken to peck. Remember to remove the string before they finish the fruits and eat it up, as this could choke your birds.
Additionally, you can hang apples using a stick or string for your chicken. Ensure you have washed and cored whole apples, hanging them in the run. Your chicken will love pecking on these fruits as they hang without rolling them on the ground. Your chicken will enjoy clean fruits, and their coup will be kept clean.
How Often Can Chickens Eat Apples?
Apples are fruits used as treats to the bird, not the main meal. Remember that treats should be 10% of their daily meals, meaning you could give apples your chicken maybe once a day in limited quantity. You want the chicken not to develop a strong love for fruits and cultivate a repulsion towards the main meals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some of the most commonly asked questions:
Can Silkie Chickens Eat Apples?
Yes, silkies can eat apples. They also benefit from apples’ nutritional value, and supplementing their diet with apples will go a long way in enhancing their health. You can add another treat like oats, wheat, corn, carrots, and peach.
Are green apples bad for chickens?
No, green apples are not bad for chickens. Chickens can eat red, yellow, green, or any other color of apple without any issue as long as you follow the same basic rules of removing the seeds for your chickens. Your chickens can eat the flesh, peel, and even the core of the apple as long as the seeds have been removed.
Can Chickens Eat Applesauce?
Yes, you can treat your birds with fresh apple juice or sauce, and they will thank you for it. When crushing the apple in a blender or otherwise, remember to remove the seed to avoid cyanide poisoning. Though the seeds have this poison in small amounts, eating many apple seeds will cause health complications for the birds.
In Conclusion
In this blog post, we’ve discussed the many benefits of including apples as a healthy treat for your chickens. The great thing about adding fresh fruit to their diet is that it’s not only good for them, but they enjoy eating it too!
