Can Chickens Have Fennel?

[DaviJones]

I'm at a restaurant giving away free fennel, grabbed some for myself and thinking some gerring the chickens some as well. Can they have it without ill effects, I've heard it's a relative of onion and garlic, so I was kind of worried on that. They're about 12-14 weeks if that factors in. Thanks again!

 

[DaviJones]

Just some pepole I think might know, @casportpony @lazy gardener @Wickedchicken6

 

[lazy gardener]

Without looking it up, I can say with fair assurance that it is not in the allium family. I would simply toss it into the run. If they eat it, fine, if not, it will become one with the deep litter.

 

[DaviJones]

Thanks! Going to get one now

 

[Wickedchicken6]

I haven't used fennel as a feed. It's not a seed that is common to our growing area. But I was incredibly curious as to whether it can be used as a livestock feed. It appears that it can be and from quickly skimming, as an additive to your main feed, it seems it should be beneficial.

Here's a couple of links to information on fennel seeds as a poultry feed.
Quite interesting!

http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.500.9172&rep=rep1&type=pdf

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2015000200199

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4299994/