Feeding fallen apples, anyone?

[NickB79]

We have bags of fallen apples from the tree that are not to our standards for baking (bruised, wormy, etc). I've read that apple seeds contain cyanide which can be poisonous to chickens, but some other sources say that the amount of cyanide is in such small concentrations that it is of no concern. Does anyone here have an opinion one way or the other? Thanks!

 

[the simple life]

I had not heard that apples were harmful to chickens and I have fed them to my chickens with no ill effects.
I have not however fed them bushels at a time or anything but just a few here and there when I have some that are bruised or whatever.

 

[gritsar]

My chickens have access to our apple trees and they eat the ones that have fallen from the trees whenever they want, with no ill effects.

 

[Imp]

Quote:
Ditto,

My neighbor throws his fallen apples into my backyard (with my permission). The chickens will pick at them. It's funny that he thinks my 4 hens will eat dozens of apples all at once.

Imp- Experienced apple picker upper

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I feed them all time no problems.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Ditto,

My neighbor throws his fallen apples into my backyard (with my permission). The chickens will pick at them. It's funny that he thinks my 4 hens will eat dozens of apples all at once.

Imp- Experienced apple picker upper

Get a couple of cows. What the chickens leave behind, the cows come and hoover up. Same goes for the figs and peaches. The crows take care of our extra pecans and black walnuts.

 

[Akane]

All fruit seeds contain a compound that can be turned into cyanide by the body. The amount is low enough that you generally would have to feed just the seeds to poison anything. I don't know if a report of it happening has ever been filed. The compound was just found in the seeds and the info spread all over the place. Most animals would get sick on the fruit before they ingest enough seeds with it. I'm sure enough apples would do bad things to a chicken. They need to eat a variety of foods or a good poultry feed as their main diet. If they eat apples as their main diet they will probably stop laying from lack of nutrients. Pretty much all fruit is also low in calcium and high in phosphorous. As a supplement or if they come across them free ranging along with other foods I'm sure they'd be great but I wouldn't dump large containers of them in a run all at once.

 

[ChookHappy]

So you're saying I'm way too paranoid when I cut apples in half and remove the seeds when I feed them apples? lol That's good to know, they love apples so I usually buy them a bag every week or two.

 

[chookchick]

Yep, too much work! I just throw in my apple core every day and somehow it disappears. Same with any fruit that gets a little soft. Who needs a garbage disposal?

 

[greathorse]

Yes you are. Mine clean up under my apple trees all summer long I have never had any ill effect at all. I also of course feed them free choice layer pellets I would imagine a diet of only apples would effect their laying egg production.

As a matter of fact they just do an awesome job of cleaning up my apples, they literally get all of them by the was as I do not spray them and so they are too wormy for my use.