Pumpkin seeds for young chickens?

[pdxchickgirl111]

I'm sure you all get a lot of questions about pumpkin this time of year. I want to give the guts and seeds from my carved pumpkin to my girls, but are the seeds too big for 10 week old chicks? What age do they need to be to digest them?

 

[Fred's Hens]

After they've been through the Ninja whizzer? They are no longer too big. Just a porridge like goo to mix into their feed.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

They will eat them if they can. If they do eat them, they will be fine. I have served pumpkin seeds to 6 week old chicks but they couldn't eat them well. 8-10 weeks is when they really start to be able to eat the larger seeds.

They will need access to grit or free ranging to digest whole seeds.

I'd definitely serve them. They might be easier to eat, too, then the dried ones I was serving.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Just fed the seeds and guts of three large pumpkins this morning. Whizz them up with the wife's gizmo-whizzer thingie and mixed with feed. Done.

 

[pdxchickgirl111]

Oh good idea with the mixer. Will try that if they have any trouble eating them whole. Thanks!

 

[CHICKENLOVE101]

I'll tell you now, for 10 week chicks giving them pumpkin seeds, no. They are to big. I have given them to my adults though, and the guts. They love them.

 

[pdxchickgirl111]

I haven't gotten around to carving my pumpkins yet so haven't offered them to the girls yet. Now thinking I may just give them the guts and roast the seeds for myself!