Freezing pumpkins

[kareninthesun]

I know it's early, but once Halloween is over, most pumpkins including cooking ones can be purchased for nearly free. I normally prep and freeze them to use throughout the year. But can I buy, just slice whole and leave the seeds/inards intact then freeze them as treats for the hens? I know they like all of it, but wonder of the integrety and vitamin content once thawed. Would the texture or taste be compromised much?

 

[suki'smom]

You have to steam cook it first or it will turn to mush. I make pumpkin pies every year and freeze the pumpkin puree but I have to cook it first for it to freeze well.

 

[saladin]

Pumpkins keep extremely well. I feed around 3000 lbs of pumpkin each winter. I just simply place them on palates in the barn right after All Hallow's Eve and then feed them throughout the winter.

If you can keep them from freezing they will keep longer. Many (dare I say most?) will keep for 4 months or better.

 

[Eris]

I agree with saladin. Pumpkins are known to keep well in root cellers, basements, barns or even outdoors if protected. I would suggest not freezing them and just storing them. A great search would be "pumpkins root celler" on google.

 

[redhen]

Yes, you can just slice, seeds and all, and put in freezer baggies and freeze...(for the chickens...) I do it all the time.... pumpkin, squash, watermelon....
My chickens dont care if the pumpkin is soggy or not.... really....

 

[lindseythefork]

I would just store them somewhere cool. I finally JUST threw out a pumpkin that's been on our porch since Halloween. So they keep for quite awhile.

 

[krcote]

Quote:
You CAN freeze them whole with the seeds/innards intact! I have done it myself! They do not turn to mush. All I did was lop the pumpkins into quarters or so and wrap them in a fair amount of plastic wrap, then dropped them in the freezer. As for taste.... you do remember you are feeding them to chickens after all right? Can't say I got much of a chance to taste the pumpkin as there were 25 beaks eating as fast as physically possible.

 

[louisebailes]

never would have thought of this lol i love finding new treats for my chucks,

 

[louisebailes]

you all seem well informed, my chucks love bread my 3year old is obsessed with giving it to them, is it ok for them to eat it??

 

[so lucky]

It's OK to feed a little as an occasional treat, but bread is generally not very nutritious and if they fill up on bread, they won't want to eat the healthier food. Maybe you can find a more nutritious treat your kiddo can feed them.