Sunflower seeds or Kernels clarification

[Tlco]

Please solve the big debate between my mother and I. I say we can give the whole Sunflower seed to our chickens. She says no only the inside kernel the chickens can't crack the shell. So which is it, please and thank you. Can i give my chickens Sunflower seeds whole or should i just give them the kernels? Or does it matter? These are only for treat purposes not for main consumption.

 

[ashlierami]

Please solve the big dt
ebate between my mother and I. I say we can give the whole Sunflower seed to our chickens. She says no only the inside kernel the chickens can't crack the shell. So which is it, please and thank you. Can i give my chickens Sunflower seeds whole or should i just give them the kernels? Or does it matter? These are only for treat purposes not for main consumption.

They can be given whole. I give my chickens bird seed and it had sunflower seed. They eat it whole and love it.

 

[Ra_]

They eat the shell and all. Good fiber.
Get the small Black Oil Sunflower seed.
Available at your big stores.
Make sure they can get grit. My birds just eat the native sand.
You can also plant the seeds for even more nutrition and volume of food.
Planted these last Sunday and this morning I moved the fencing to cut them off a slice.
I am starting a fresh patch today, so that I will be able to feed them some every day.

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

Mine bang them on the ground with their beaks to break apart the shell to get to the kernal. Some scratch feeds come with unshelled sunflower seed.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I get the cheap Scratch Grains and there's no Sunflower Seeds.
I buy a 7 lb bag of Cardinal mix and it has black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS), Safflower seeds and Sunflower hearts (kernels).
I mix it into 25 lbs of Scratch. . My chickens love the Boss and search them out first.
I provide Poultry Grit separately so they can grind the whole seeds and grains in their gizzard. . . GC

 

[Criticalicious]

Chickens eat the whole sunflower seed, shell and all. As others have said, chickens eat grit and rocks which is stored in the gizzard and used to break down their food. So they don't need you to crack the seeds for them. Talk about spoiled! Having said, that I squish open larger snails so my chickens can eat them, mostly because I don't like snails in my garden.