Arugula is a type of salad green. They have long leaves that can be used for salads, cooking, and garnishing. Arugula is more often used in the Mediterranean area than in the U.S. If you use arugula often, you may wonder if your chickens can eat them.
Yes! Chickens can eat arugula. It’s part of the chicory family, which is a plant that is in the daisy family. It has leaves that are similar to lettuce but with a darker green color. Their favorite way to eat it is when it’s mixed with other greens like kale or spinach. Arugula gives them a nice variety and adds some extra nutrition to their diet as well.
Is Arugula Safe For Chickens To Eat?
Arugula is safe for most chickens to eat, but it’s not recommended that you feed this leafy green them regularly. Arugula is a bitter green related to mustard that has a peppery taste, and it’s often used as a salad green or garnish. Chickens are not really fans of spicy food, and they tend to pick around arugula in favor of other greens (such as grass, dandelion leaves, or broccoli).
However, if you have some leftover arugula in the fridge and it’s going bad—or if you just want to give your girls something different than the usual table scraps—tossing them a few bits of arugula won’t hurt them. If your hens seem to enjoy the arugula as much as you do (a few will likely peck at it while others will ignore it), then feel free to keep offering a little bit every week or so.
What Are The Benefits Of Chickens Eating Arugula?
When you feed your pets, you want to be sure that they are getting the best nutrition possible. You can help your chickens reach their full potential by providing them with a diet that includes arugula.
Arugula is part of the brassica family of vegetables, which includes other plants like kale, brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
It contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals which have many benefits for chickens.
One benefit of feeding your chickens arugula is that they will have stronger bones. Chickens need calcium to grow strong bones; arugula is a good source of this important mineral.
Another benefit of feeding your chickens arugula is that it will increase their egg production. Chickens will lay more eggs when they eat foods high in protein like arugula.
A third benefit of feeding your chickens arugula is that it can improve the health of their feathers. Many birds molt each year, but if your chicken’s feathers are looking dull or damaged then adding some fresh green vegetables into their diet may help them maintain shiny plumage!
Can Baby Chickens Eat Arugula?
Yes, baby chickens can eat arugula. But as with most things when it comes to chicken care, there are a few things to keep in mind.
The main thing that makes arugula safe for your baby chicks is that it’s not a grassy green—which can be dangerous because chicks don’t have fully developed digestive systems just yet. Arugula is much more delicate than grass (it’s also delicious and nutritious!).
This means that your little ones can digest it without issue. In fact, they’ll get a lot out of it! Arugula is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as iron and calcium.
But just like there are things that make arugula especially good for your chicks, there are other things that make it tricky to manage. For example, arugula goes bad quickly (but isn’t THAT true for everything?). So if you’re going to feed it to your baby chickens, you’ll want to feed them fresh ones.
How Do You Feed Arugula To Your Chickens
If you want to feed your chickens arugula, make sure it’s raw, fresh, and free of any pesticides or chemicals.
Also, be aware that they will probably only eat the leaves—you can give them the stems, but they won’t eat them.
You can also combine arugula with other greens like lettuce or broccoli and either serve it by itself or as part of a larger meal.
In addition, you can mix arugula with other leafy greens to create a mixed salad for your birds—just make sure no dressing or ingredients containing sugars are included in the salad.
How Often Should You Feed Your Chickens Arugula?
Arugula is safe for chickens to eat in any amount. However, we don’t recommend feeding more than 10% of their diet as arugula as this could lead to mineral imbalances.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
-Never feed your chickens more than half a cup of arugula at one time. Overfeeding can lead to digestive issues and dehydration.
-Chickens that have been fed arugula at least once per week are less likely to develop heart disease than those who have never eaten it or who have never eaten it regularly.
Conclusion
Arugula is an edible, leafy green and is also considered to be a superfood. Chickens love arugula as much as many humans do, but it should be given in limited amounts to chickens, like most plants.
