Does fruit really stop their egg laying?

[BellevueOmlet]

It could be that if they get a lot of sugar, it effects their systems since natural scavenging leads them to a lot of greens and vegetables low in sugar.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I give my hens alot of ice cold watermellon during our scorching summers to cool them off. They love it and I never noticed a reduction in egg production.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

Last summer it was SOOOO hot.... I was feeding 17 chickens a huge watermelon everyday.


My egg count was averaging 11 to 12 each day out of 14 possible layers...


I also feed my birds plenty of garden fresh tomatoes and cantaloupe during the growing season, and apples during the fall.


The apples MIGHT affect laying a little bit. The rest most certainly do NOT.

 

[BellevueOmlet]

OK, good to know it is not the sugar. It would be nice to know if there were any specific elements in certain fruits that effect the chickens in any negative way. You should ask the hatchery for specifics.

 

[tnchickenut]

Quote:
This is correct. As always ONE mellon three times a year won't matter but if you are serving oranges daily... you wouldn't KNOW you are losing eggs because your normal number will be lower than it could be if you didn't serve oranges daily. Trackin?

I serve watermellons ONLY when I have one start to get old on me. I do not serve tomatoes or grapes ever since my first year when they DID slow down and even stop laying for awhile. I go light on the scratch too.

You wouldn't let a child eat candy all day and skip dinner would you? Same for the chickens. They need the good FOR THEM stuff before the candy. So it's also recommended to feed them scratch and goodies in the evening after they had all day to eat their staple diet and range for bugs and other good FOR THEM stuff.

 

[GallusGal]

It's a myth that probably relates to feeding birds a mostly fruit based diet - which would lack the calcium and protein needed for egg laying. If you're feeding a balanced diet and give fruit as a treat, it would be no trouble at all. Chickens do descend from jungle fowl, whose natural diet consists of mostly of bugs, seeds, and fruits.

My guys love fruit and often get the leftovers when I'm done prepping parrot food. Still pumping out eggs every day!

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Mine get an apple a day and lay faithfully.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

If you ONLY feed them fruit, it will affect their laying. As a treat, naw..it won't harm a thing!