Are Nuts Safe for Chickens?

Buff Hooligans

Scrambled
12 Years
Jun 11, 2007
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I am almost finished with a chart of all the foods chickens can eat (with a section with what they should NOT be fed). The chart will be a feature within the "Learning Center" of this forum.

But I can't find whether nuts are safe for chickens? I'm assuming salted and flavored nuts would be unwise, but what about raw or boiled? Anybody?
 
peanuts are associated with high levels of mycotoxin so I would not advise them due to this....
Almonds I believe are unsuitable...
 
Thank you Diana - I'll remove nuts from my Treats Chart this afternoon. If you go to my Personal Page, then click for the "second page", you will see the chart. Let me know what you think of it. I haven't gotten any other feedback, so I could use your help.
Thanks,
Buff
 
Mine have eaten about 2 pounds of Walnuts(shelled) that were for cooking, and they cam running everytime I opened the bag so they must have liked them and none have died, so they cant be tooo bad for them. I know they would prefer them in a cookie, but I'm not baking for the chickens.
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dlhunicorn, why do you believe almonds are unsuitable? I'm aware of the issues with peanuts. I have also heard of some problems with Brazil nuts and I think it was mold, but I'm not sure. I've never heard of any other nuts being a problem.

In general, if I wanted to feed nuts to my chickens, they would be shelled and the pieces would be a reasonable size. They are nutritious, but I wouldn't feed them in large quantities at one time, due to the fat content.
 
I will have to go look that up I just vaguely recall reading about it somewhere and made my mind up then and there to avoid them and cannot recall if I saved the reference to it or not but will happily look for it again...
The "danger" with any treat often is the quantity... too much of a good thing...is a bad thing.
(I will look at your chart and get back to you on it )
 
Diana, you will note that in the chart (at the end) I "copied and pasted" part of a thread you participated in several months ago. (I gave you credit...)
 
I took a quick look at your chart...(thank you for giving me "credit" however the information comes from univ. and veterinary sources>I just file it in my little library)
I find it hard to comment on your chart... as most who know me know, my birds are my pets and I want them to outlive me
lau.gif
...in other words I take NO chances with anything that might harm them in anyway....there are more like me who want that same level of information . Many others however figure in a certain level of loss associated with a farm flock and only want info and warnings on things that will harm in the short term. How do I advise you then??? Many things will affect whether or not a bird becomes ill from something...its health status for instance and age.
Take the apple for instance:
1)... most seeds and pits of fruits have the potential to make a bird very ill (this is not only dependent on how much the bird has eaten but also on its health status at the time of eating it)... ... a bird that free ranges will find other things to munch on and so will probably not pig out on the seeds, however if you have them penned up in their coop (winter for example) and they are bored they just might make themselves seriously ill eating all that comes their way...if you want my opinion then I would say to advise to remove the pits and seeds from any fruit given (though it is in general not going to knock them dead when found in a field and occasionally ingested)
in addition :
The peel from apples bought in stores will often have chemicals in them that do not wash off (and parents are advised therfore to peel the apples for small children) >and for this reason I would never give my birds any unpeeled apples (apples from an organic source or a tree which has not been sprayed is of course entirely different)

All canned vegetables (dependant on the amount given of course) have too much salt in them...

raw legumes should never be fed....avoid at all costs

The danger with raw eggs is the white...the substance AVIDIN in raw eggwhite inhibits uptake of crucial BIOTIN ...this is why eggs should always be cooked before feeding back to birds.
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/poultry/faq.htm
 
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