Chickens are natural foragers and can eat a variety of things. However, as they are omnivores birds, that’s why they can eat both plant and animal based matter. Moreover, you might be wonder that during foraging, they can even swallow stones etc. That’s why if you have several fruits in your garden, then it is possible that they would like to peck on. But what about persimmons? Can chickens eat persimmons? Let’s dig into it.
However, as chickens can eat variety of foods that’s why eating persimmons is not an exception. As they can eat it, not only this but they would like to have persimmons. However, like other fruits, persimmons can be good for chickens as well as they offer several minerals and nutrients.
But in which order do we have to offer persimmons to chickens? And is their excessive amount of chicken’s food suitable for them? To find the answers of such all the questions, explore this article.
Can Chickens Eat Persimmons?
Persimmon is an edible fruit that contains a lot of nutrients and minerals along with fiber. However, personally, this fruit is my favourite and not only this, but this fruit is widely edible across the world.
But do ever you wonder that can you feed persimmons to your chickens. As we have to feed them fruits as well because only seeds and insects cannot provide them with all the necessary nutrients and minerals. So for their healthy growth, we have to add fruits to their daily food.
And if you have persimmons for it, you can also feed them, as they also offer a lot of nutrients and minerals. However, for chickens, persimmons are a good source of vitamin A and C. As persimmons are rich in vitamin C, that’s why it can cause feather pecking issues in chickens.
In which chickens start pecking on their feathers and can hurt their selves as well. That’s why there is no harm in offering persimmons to chickens but make sure that you are doing this in moderation.
However, make sure that you are not offering them persimmons that do not ripen well because persimmon is a citrus fruit and can be harmful to chickens. Moreover, persimmons can be detrimental for chickens as it contains a high amount of sugar.
As sugar can increase the weight of a chicken, that can lead to fewer amount of eggs with a high infertility rate. That’s why moderation is the key to health. So make sure that you are not offering too many persimmons to chickens.
How To Serve Persimmons to Chickens?
However, serving persimmons to chickens can depend on how your chickens like to eat and how you want to feed them. It means that there is not a specific method to feed persimmons to chickens.
But there are several ways with which you can serve persimmons to chickens. For example, you can hang persimmon in the coop of chickens so that they can keep pecking on it. However, you can also mix persimmons with the other fruits or food of chickens.
But if your chicken is a picky eater, you might have difficulty feeding persimmons to chickens. However, for that, you can pick several tricks to feed persimmons to your chickens. For example, you can offer persimmons to chicken repeatedly until he is warming up to it.
However, you can excite them for the persimmons after eating the fruit in front of them. As they might get attracted towards the fruit if they see you eat. Moreover, you can encourage the chickens to eat persimmons by offering fruit in different sizes, shapes, etc.
Can Chickens Eat Raw Fruit?
However, a precise answer to this question is yes. As chickens can eat raw fruits without any concern. Not only natural fruits, but they can cook fruits as well. But as we know that there is no need to cook fruits like vegetables.
Moreover, as we know that during foraging food, they can swallow small stones as well. That’s why eating raw fruits is not an issue for them. However, they can eat raw fruits and vegetables as long as they are easy to eat.
What Foods Are Bad for Chickens?
However, there is no doubt that chickens can eat a variety of foods, including meat, vegetables, and fruits. But there are several foods that are not belonging to their coop. So let’s dig into such foods.
Apple Seeds and Apple Cores:
As we know that apple seeds contain cyanide components which is a dangerous poison. And not only chickens, but these seeds have to be avoided by everyone. Because if chickens or any other bird eat these seeds, then they can affect with cyanide poisoning.
However, we also have to avoid consuming apple seeds as they are harmful to us if we consume them in enough amounts.
Now let’s talk about the apple cores, that can chickens eat them or not? However, eating apple cores is not harmful to chickens, but they have to avoid it because if they eat large pieces of apple cores, then it can cause choking in chickens.
Potato Leaves:
However, potatoes are not harmful to chickens, but their leaves and the green potatoes shouldn’t be given to them. Because potato leaves and green potatoes produce solanine compounds during the sunlight.
This compound is dangerous to chickens, that’s why we have to avoid offering potato leaves and green potatoes to chickens. However, there is no harm to feeding white potatoes to chickens.
As, white potatoes are healthy for chickens, and they can provide them with beneficial nutrients and minerals.
Avocadoes:
As the potatoes leaves produce a solanine compound, which is harmful to chickens, avocado leaves also produce persin, a compound toxic to chickens. However, persin is not only toxic to chickens, but it is also toxic to other birds and animals.
That’s why we have to avoid giving avocadoes leaves to chickens. As persin can cause heart and breathing issues in chickens.
Chocolates:
As chocolate is a favourite snack for numerous people worldwide, but it shouldn’t be given to chickens. However, chocolate can be harmful to chickens due to two reasons.
Firstly, processed chocolate contains a compound named theobromine, this compound is toxic to birds and animals.
Secondly, as chocolates are sugar enrich snacks, they are not healthy for birds as well. However, not only chocolates but any processed food shouldn’t be given to chickens.
Not only sugary foods but avoid offering salty foods to chickens because they can cause dehydration in chickens.
Read also: Can Chickens Eat Apple Cores?
A Final Thought:
This article will give you all the necessary information about can chickens eat persimmons? As persimmon is a delicious fruit and is a favourite of several people around the world. However, it can provide vitamin A and C to chickens.
Not only this, but persimmons are a good source of several antioxidants, riboflavin, folate, thiamin, manganese, etc.
But persimmons shouldn’t be given too much to chickens because excess vitamin C can cause feather pecking issues in chickens. But this only happens when you try to feed excessive persimmons to chickens, so moderation is the key to good health.