Are fruits and vegetables ok to feed?

[Sonoran Silkies]

Many people will chime in and say their chickens eat stuff on that chart and it didn't hurt them. But whatever you do, NEVER EVER let any bird eat chocolate. Not that anyone in their right mind would have any left over!

I see this all the time, and yet I have never seen an actual scientific study that showed that animals other than canines were sensitive to it. FWIW, I rarely have chocolate here because I mostly dislike it, and if it were not nutritious, I wouldn't feed it to them anyways.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are widely varying views on what is or is not good for them. There is also some flat-out incorrect information out there. An example. Normal potato peels are fine for them. The green potato peels contain a substance that can harm humans and chickens. But the myth is out that it is all potato peels and once a myth gets started, it never dies. Normal potato peels are OK. It is the green ones that can be dangerous.

Another thing about it is that very seldom will one bite kill you or them. They are not going to fall over dead after they eat one bite. It takes a certain concentration before any harm is done. How much it takes depends on the substance and the size and health of the chicken. I’ll use apple seeds for this example. Apple seeds, like most fruit seeds, contain cyanide. Have you ever swallowed an apple seed? If so you swallowed cyanide. Why aren’t you dead? Because there is not enough cyanide in one apple seed to harm you or a chicken. I have absolutely no problem with my chickens eating an apple on the ground in my orchard. They are not going to get enough cyanide to harm themselves. When I make apple butter or apple sauce, I have a lot of seeds left over. Since I know a concentration of seeds might be harmful to them, I dispose of those seeds where the chickens can’t get at them. Would I kill my chickens if I dumped a big pile of apple seeds where they can get to them? Probably not, but since I know there is a possibility of a problem, I take what I consider reasonable precautions and don’t do that.

Another side to this is that not all damage to them is immediately evident. The damage can be to the internal organs where you can’t see it. But that kind of damage is usually due to long term exposure, not just eating one bite of something one time.

I try to practice moderation and don’t sweat the small stuff. I know certain things could possibly harm them, so I try to not give them access to large quantities of those things. But if they occasionally get a bite or two, it’s no big deal.

As far as cherries and plums. You can pit them first if you wish. It won’t hurt anything. Like apple seeds, they also contain cyanide, plum pits for sure, and probably cherries. But I found a plum pit in the gizzard of a cockerel I processed last year. They can and do eat them. One bite won’t kill them.

 

[galanie]

I see this all the time, and yet I have never seen an actual scientific study that showed that animals other than canines were sensitive to it.  FWIW, I rarely have chocolate here because I mostly dislike it, and if it were not nutritious, I wouldn't feed it to them anyways.

I haven't seen one either, but I've read enough anectedotal evidence that I wouldn't take the risk. Also, I've yet to hear someone say "Oh I give my chickens chocolate all the time and no problems" like I've heard with nearly everything else on that list.

 

[bird boy]

I throw all kinds of left over produce and fruits , peels, seeds, apple cores, peppers, and you name it into our chicken yard. The chickens seem to know what they want to eat and leave the stuff they don't want. I have been raising chickens for about 12 years and can't say that I have ever lost a chicken to fruits or vegetables.

 

[gale65]

Dang, what is up with the trolls here lately?? I guess the name says it all.

Anyway, we give our chickens apple cores all the time. No problems so far. I have 12 chickens and just over 1700 posts if that matters.

 

[weimlikeschicks]

I'll take advice from a person who knows everything there is to know about their six hens over one who knows nothing about their six thousand.

You guys watch power point presentations about the internet in your club? LAME.

I'm glad there are people who know so much about things like chickens (or cars, or sailing, or the law, butchering, manufacturing....) so that I can come to them when I need help, instead of having to make all those hard mistakes myself while I learn.

I give my little chicks (13 chicks and 25 posts... that's like 2 posts per chick, I must be a genius!!!) spinach and some dandelion from the yard and the larger ones have been outside a few times and eat what they like. I thought the list looked quite similar to the list for dogs when I first read it so I'm just kind of going with that.

 

[gale65]

Just want to mention that when I posted, there was a troll post above my post by someone calling themselves RR Twit. Otherwise my post looks insane.

 

[karhpern]

Thanks so much for all the input. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't accidently feeding my new found pets something that I shouldn't. So far so good!

I have to agree, always nice to ask people who have "been there done that" so you don't make a costly mistake!
Thanks again!! I look forward to many more posts!

 

[Gargoyle]

Here is a list from www.grit.com:

Common Foods and Plants Toxic to Chickens

• garlic

I've seen a number of threads here saying that garlic is beneficial, that is has medicinal and anti-parasitic properties, and this is the first I've seen giving any negatives (other than the possibility of garlic flavored eggs, which I personally consider a plus). I've been sprinkling garlic powder on their daily bowl of chopped veggies, and haven't seen any problems.

Can anyone confirm the claim from grit.com that it is toxic?

 

[ZoeZoo]

Quote:Gargoyle Remember that anything in too much *can* be toxic... even water. So as long as you're only giving them a very small amount, I see no problems. Infact, garlic really gives the immune system a boost!