Can chickens have cherries?

[bulldog-girl]

I have a cherry tree right next to the chicken run and the cherries drop from time to time in the pen. Are cherries bad for chickens? What if they eat the pit?

 

[dangerouschicken]

We pit them first, but if the tree is right there, it's not like you can stop them

 

[gritsar]

I researched this subject about a week ago when I had some cherries I wanted to share with my chickens. The cherries are okay, but the pits can be toxic. I wasn't sure if mine would have the sense not to try and eat the pits, so I pitted them for em.

 

[bulldog-girl]

This has me worried. Are chickens smart enough to spit out seeds? I would think the seed would just "pass". I can't prevent the cherries from falling in the run as the tree is way too tall.

 

[MsBentleyboy]

I don't know the answer about cherries but I have heard that giving fruit to your laying hens can stop them from laying. However, I've also heard others say they give their hens fruit with no problems. I don't want to risk it since I waited so long to get eggs.

 

[dangerouschicken]

They won't stop laying. We feed them lots of stuff other than Layena and they keep on laying. Mine eat fruit, scrambled eggs, toast bits, old Cheerios, cheese, all kinds of stuff. Basically whatever my kids drop on the floor

 

[MsBentleyboy]

see... I get conflicting info. Wonder if it depends on the breed?

 

[dangerouschicken]

Maybe, but I have 8 different breeds!

 

[banter]

We have free ranges that eat cherries, blueberries and blackberries with no problems. They don't get a lot of cherries though.

 

[sbluvinit]

MY BIRDS ARE FREE RANGE AND THEY SPOTTED A CHERRY TREE WE CUT DOWN THEY WENT OUT BACK FOR DAYS UNTIL THE CHERRIES WERE GONE, I DIDNT PIT THEM, MY EGG PRODUCTION DIDNT CHANGE, THEY LOVED THEM THATS ALL I KNOW. NO ONE SEEMED SICK OR ANY THING.