Yes, chickens can eat asparagus. They can eat it whether it’s cooked or raw. Asparagus is rich in many nutritious, yet low in calories. This makes them a great treat for chickens.
Is Asparagus Safe For Your Chickens?
Asparagus doesn’t contain any toxins, so it’s safe for your chickens to eat.
The only thing you need to be aware of is the berries of the asparagus. It will produce small red berries about 6 to 10 millimeters in diameter. The berries are mildly poisonous, which can harm the chickens. This only applies to asparagus that you’ve grown yourself in the garden.
For store-bought asparagus, you don’t need to worry since only the stems are sold.
Is It Healthy For Chickens To Eat Asparagus?
Asparagus is healthy food for chickens since it’s high in vitamins and minerals, yet low in calories.
Nutrition Facts
Half a cup (90 grams) of cooked asparagus contains:
- Calories: 20
- Protein: 2.2 grams
- Fat: 0.2 grams
- Fiber: 1.8 grams
Source: NutritionData
Below are some health benefits of feeding asparagus to your chickens:
An Excellent Source Of Antioxidants
Asparagus is high in antioxidants. This compound helps protect cells in the body against free radicals or oxidative stress. These two factors in large amounts can lead to many diseases, chronic inflammation, and aging.
When there is plenty of antioxidants in the body, the cells are less likely to be damaged. This will cause the chickens to be healthy and less likely to become ill and develop diseases.
Improve Digestive Health
Asparagus contains a good amount of dietary fiber, which is important for the chicken’s digestive health. One cup of asparagus has about 1.8 grams of fiber, which makes up 7% of your chicken’s daily fiber needs.
Can Baby Chickens Eat Asparagus?
Baby chickens can et asparagus, but it’s best to wait until they are about 3 weeks old. This will give them enough time for their digestive system to develop properly.
When they are under 3 weeks old, the chicks should be on a diet of starter feed. The feed contains all the nutrition that they need to grow strong and healthy. Starter feed should be continued to be fed to them until they are 8 weeks old.
Once the baby chickens are at least 3 weeks old, you can introduce asparagus to them. It’s best to cook the vegetable to make them softer and cut them into smaller pieces. Then give them to your chicks. If there is a hen around, she will teach them how to eat it. If not, the chicks will learn to eat it themselves.
Are Asparagus Berries Toxic?
If you grow asparagus in your garden, you’ll probably see red berries growing on them. These berries are actually very toxic to both humans and chickens.
If your chickens eat red berries, they will have digestive problems such as diarrhea and an upset stomach.
How Do You Feed Asparagus To Your Chickens
Before feeding any asparagus to your chickens, make sure that they are fresh. The stalks should be firm and greenish. If it’s limping, dry, or wilted, discard it.
Raw asparagus can be fed to your chickens, but they won’t eat it due to its toughness.
Instead, cook the asparagus first. Make sure that you don’t use any seasonings when cooking it. Seasoning such as salt is harmful to the chickens.
After it’s cooked, cut the asparagus into small pieces. This will make it easier for them to eat and digest.
How Many Asparagus Should You Feed Your Chickens?
Asparagus should be fed to your chickens in small amounts. While it’s packed with nutrition, asparagus doesn’t have enough nutrition to keep chickens healthy.
For an adult chicken, one or two pieces of asparagus for them, while young chickens should each be given a half piece of asparagus.
How Often Should You Feed Asparagus To Your Chickens?
Asparagus should be fed to your chickens in moderation. Since this vegetable isn’t one of their staple food, it should be given to them as a treat. This means asparagus should only make up 10% of their entire diet. The rest should come from commercial chicken feeds. Depending on the age of your chickens, there are different types of feed and each of them is formulated with the right amount of nutrition.
Therefore, you can feed asparagus to your chickens, once or twice a week. Also, when feeding them asparagus, make sure to provide chicken feed for them as well.
Other Vegetables That Chickens Can Eat
Cabbage
Cabbage is healthy and packed with vitamins and minerals. You can feed them cooked or raw cabbage to your chickens.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are packed with nutrition and are high in water content. During the summer, you can give them cucumbers to keep them hydrated.
Carrots
Chickens can eat carrots, and it’s healthy for them. You can feed them either raw or cooked carrots. The carrot top can also be fed to them. Avoid canned carrots as those are usually high in salt.
Conclusion
Asparagus is nutritious and healthy for the chickens to eat. You can either feed them raw or cooked asparagus, but it’s better to feed them that are cooked.
