Feeding your chickens apples

[cypressdrake]

My chickens been eating apples for 10 years and love them, no problem.

 

[Fancychooklady]

Mine eat apples year round. I live on the apple isle and am surrounded by orchards. A word of warning, my daughter cut an apple up into cubes and fed it to my prize light sussex roo. He choked. RIP. I always stomp on the apple, just be careful nobody has their head in the way. The seeds contain cyanide.

 

[DaveTaunton]

I usually chop them in half and leave it at that. They seem happy enough with that

 

[4 the Birds]

Apples are great to feed to chickens. We have apple trees along our fence row and I often collect a bucket full and slice the apples 3 or 4 times into round slices. The goats also eat the apples.

 

[Emma Smith]

I am doing a science fair project and my question is how food affects there growth. I was wondering what kind of simple house can I make? I also have an apple tree in my yard and I want to feed them Apples can I? I will read more of what you said.

 

[DaveTaunton]

I've had no problems with feeding them apples from my tree. The ones that have fallen aren't properly ripe yet but they don't mind. They're quite happy going mad for those too

Simple house I'm not too sure on as we're converting our shed into a coop. But there is I section on here where users have uploaded their coops. Good luck!

 

[buttercup95]

I've been feeding mine apples for about a year. I haven't had any problems yet.

 

[Barbedwirecat]

The apple seeds only contain trace amounts of cyanide. The seeds must be chewed or crushed for them to release it. It would take a very very large amount to cause harm and most seeds will pass through the digestive tract without incidence. They are pretty tough little seeds which helps them come out and be fertilized. If you are very worried about it--core your apples first (I have a tool that just removes this and slices all at the same time) and give it to them.

I would also caution mushy fallen apples that have been sitting for awhile. They can contain alcohol. Drunken chickens probably wouldn't be too fun and I'm not sure of the effects on their liver/kidneys with processing it out.

I have been feeding recent fallen apples from my trees which we do not use fertilizers or pesticides on and we have super happy chickens with no ill effects. They do eat them whole and it becomes a fun game watching them chase and peck the apples!

BEST fun thing to give them this time of year? WHOLE pumpkins. Smash/crack one on the ground and watch the feast begin!! Mine leave nothing.

 

[Chicken Miller]

Mine go crazy for the privilege to gobble up as much as they can get off of my cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon rines!! They've worked on a single pear for days. And the best part is the bugs that also come to eat this exposed fruit. They love it!!

 

[Chicken Miller]

Love the idea of the pumpkin! Can't wait to try it. My kids will love the show, and sounds like my girls will love the treat!