Pumkins

[Kathy1]

I would like to feed my girls pumpkins from my garden,( completly organic). My question is can they eat the seeds? The reason I ask its that I read on here that pumpkin seeds are a treatment for woms. They do not have any worms but I dont want to give them to them if the seeds will cause an upset in their systems.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Pumpkins are very good for chickens, I just half mine and put them in the runs. They love the pulp and the seeds, the seeds are a natural wormer for them.

 

[chantecler]

HI

My guys love the pumpkins!!!

N

 

[AnthonyT]

Just break them up a bit and let them have at it. They love pumpkin (and squash also)! I haven't really found anything that at least some of my chickens won't eat from the garden.

 

[Kathy1]

Oh great thanks!! I have some I can bring them out for breakfast tomorrow!

 

[Kathy1]

edited ...double post

 

[Promiselandfarm]

Ours got organic pumpkin yesterday and loved it no runny poop or any adverse reactions. Ours did not have worms that I am aware of but we give ours veggies from the garden if they are not to our liking for personal use. This one got busted so they gobbled it up.

 

[redhen]

would other winter squash seeds work for a wormer?...like a blue hubbard squash?...Wendy

 

[12 Acres]

The seeds must be ground if you want to take advantage of the natural worming properties. Info I found on pumpkin seeds as a natural wormer:

"Pumpkin seeds, freshly ground. Try to grind up pumpkin seeds finely right before feeding as opposed to grinding them several days in advance. If you must grind them in advance, keep them in a sealed container in the freezer and take out a day's portion right before feeding. You don't want moisture to enter the seeds. The seeds need to be raw, not baked and salted. Give 1/4 to 1 teaspoon per meal to your animal, depending on size (a cat will get 1/4 teaspoon, but a German Shepherd would get 1 teaspoon). This is effective against tapeworms and very safe."

From another site:

"Ground raw hulled Pumpkin Seeds are a good natural wormer. There is a coating on the seed that paralyzes the worm and then the worm can be expelled by the digestive action of the gut. It is good to feed something that will cause the animal to have a slight diarrhea (flush) like molasses or skim milk about an hour or two after the seeds have been eaten."

*Note- the seeds only paralyze the tapeworm and roundworm*

 

[AnthonyT]

As tapeworms firmly attach to the gut with the hooks on the scolex I highly doubt that just paralyzing them would do much good. Once the hooks are in, they are pretty much in. Also, why would you have to grind them first? The gizzard is going to pulverize them once ingested. If you were feeding them to a cow or goat I could see the reasoning behind this but chickens are built to eat whole grains.