can i give my chicken oranges and mangos

[dancingbear]

Interesting info, Ivan, thanks for posting it. I doubt the seeds would be a problem in the amounts they'd get just from an orange or two.

We have a lot of poke weed around here. I study wild edible and medicinal plants, and found out that poke berries are a great anti-infective, but the seeds are extremely toxic. The seeds are also extremely hard, so the easiest way to deal with the problem is to swallow the berries whole. The hard seeds pass harmlessly through the digestive tract. As long as the seeds aren't broken open, they're not a problem. In one location where I kept chickens for awhile, then later some ducks, there were poke weeds growing out from a slope behind the barn, and hanging over the pen. I know the birds ate the berries, because there was purple poop all over! They were all fine, no ill effects at all.

I've used the poke berries myself, with good results and no ill effects. I was careful to swallow them whole, and not chew, so the seeds would remain intact. I am not advising anybody else to do likewise. Anybody who does, is doing so at their own risk, just like I did!

 

[ivan3]

We keep the Castor Bean plants down by the road, way out of their range (they are staid dowagers now and stick to their favorite areas near the house).

 

[dancingbear]

Mine get into everything, I wouldn't dare plant castor beans! Beautiful plants, but I'll pass on those, and the oleanders!

 

[peacegecko]

i found the secret trick to getting your chickens to eat anything (that isn't bad for them like beans and potato peels)
they will eat all of the following:
mango peels,
avocado peels and seeds,
all citrus, including peels
and all alliums: onions, garlic, etc

if: you grind it up in a "universal" food chopper/grinder. i have a hand crank, universal brand no. 2 food chopper grinder (new they are 20 bucks, i got mine at the flea market, they look like meat grinders) or any other food processor that will grind your food up real small (i think the hand crank ones work better on citrus and onion than the cuisinart/juicer/blender style ones)

this is important to do instead of just chopping it up, because it would take you quite a while to chop them that small. believe me, i am all for not using extra appliances, and i am a whirlwind with a knife and cutting board, but these hand grinders are indispensible when it comes to food, especially because you can grind up hard things too like avocado pits. and we make orange juice every day, so we are feeding our 10 chickens (along with lots of other different foods) 10 ground up whole orange peels a day, and they just wharf it down, they love it. just toss in the onion and mango peels and everything else, it makes it real easy for them.

 

[crossedwires]

the toxic element in citrus pith/seeds is at its most toxic when dried. when fed fresh and in small amounts it rarely gives any problems, however note in small amounts as the other risk with citrus is same as for humans, eat alot of fruit and you poo runny poo ALOT! this can cause dehydration and dehydration is never good in a chicken. so little now and then is fine. there is a myth that it stops calcium being absorbed this is an old myth and one of the ones that will always be around.
BTW the substance that is toxic is d-Limonene mainly its found in the seed oil, but also the pith, before there is a panic i should also point out d-Limonene is also toxic to us! bet you never knew that

but i also bet before you knew it was toxic to humans you never thought twice about eating an orange lol
seriously tho the levels it contains even to chickens are not worth worrying about as long as you dont feed them solely on oranges and nothing else

 

[ottovan]

I've found they eat whatever you feed them while they're growing up for sure. Then sometimes they'll try something new as adults. I just taught my baby quail how to eat watermelons, rice, grass, eggs, cheese, pineapples, tomatoes, bread, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries. Will try garlic and onions though I hear that will make the eggs taste funny however that will be awhile(few more weeks). Quail are 1 week and 3 days old. I grind in up at first, they will eat stuff whole now if soft enough. But you have to introduce it ground up first - that the easiest way. I have a small handcranked grinder that I got at second hand store.

 

[Missy821]

I know mine like mango peels, but I was wondering if I could give them the pit/hard center bit of the fruit as well? I wouldn't expect that they'd eat the whole thing--in the same way that they leave the rind behind on watermelon slices. I think they'd just pick it clean. Does that sound okay?

 

[peacegecko]

yes they will pick it clean. and again with the watermelon rind, they will eat it if you grind it up. they love it! its just they cant peck at hard stuff to be smaller sizes, but once it is ground they absolutely love all the fresh food you give them. the mango pit should be fine too.

 

[ottovan]

Quote:
they'll love you forever give them them the pit!

 

[Missy821]

Thanks for the help! I gave them a few frozen mango pits I'd stored, and they devoured them!