There are many foods available that you can feed your backyard chickens. These birds are not picky and will eat almost anything you give them. As for avocado, you may wonder if you can feed your chickens.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado?
Yes, chickens can eat avocados. However, there are certain parts of the fruit that cannot be fed to them. Avocados contain persin, a toxic chemical present in the skin, pits, and leaves. Toxicosis has been linked to the consumption of any component of the avocado. Even just 5% of an avocado has been reported to kill a tiny bird in 48 hours.
In reality, there are portions of the avocado that chickens can eat and other parts that are poisonous and lethal to chickens. I like to be cautious rather than sorry.
Therefore, I avoid giving my hens anything that contains a component that is deemed harmful. If you must, you should be OK if you give your chicken the meat of avocado. Avocado peel has a poison called persin, and if your birds ingest too much of it, they will have respiratory issues and will most likely die within a day or two. Persin can also be present in avocado stones, although most hens ignore that portion of the fruit anyhow.
Is It Safe For Chickens To Eat Avocado?
I can say that particular parts of avocado are safe for chickens to eat. Avocados are abundant in fats and oils that are beneficial to human health. You may still give avocado to chickens safely. Feeding your chickens the skin and pit of an avocado poses a risk.
Avocado plants contain persin, a toxin that is harmful to both birds and humans. Persin is extremely detrimental because of the anatomy of hens. Furthermore, chickens are significantly smaller than humans. It means that an amount of persin that is harmless for humans might be lethal to chickens.
How To Feed Avocado To Chickens?
If you do decide to feed your hens avocado, keep the following guidelines in mind to keep them safe:
To harvest the fruit for feeding your bird, use a scoop. As a result, you can leave the sections nearest to the skin as an extra precaution.
Removal of skin: Permanently remove the avocado’s peel and pit before feeding it to your hens. Remember that these are the two sections of the apple that contain the most persin. Make sure there are no missing bits of skin on the flesh you feed your chickens.
You may combine it with a few additional veggies with avocado. We advise you to combine avocado with other veggies that are lower in fat. It will assist in providing extra nutrients to your hens while also preventing them from consuming too much fat.
Remember that, while avocado is nutritious, it should not be a regular component of your chicken’s diet. At most, hens should have avocado once or twice each week.
Can Baby Chickens Eat Avocado?
No, baby chickens can’t eat avocados because they aren’t favorable for the health of baby chickens. Baby chickens are more sensitive than mature ones regarding their health.
Instead, baby chickens should be fed starter feed. The feed is formulated and made specifically for baby chickens. It contains all the nutrition, especially protein, that they need to grow up strong and healthy.
Once the baby chickens are about 3 weeks old, you can start to feed them avocado. Since the flesh is soft, you can give them a slice of the fruit. Make sure to only give them a small amount.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado Peel?
Chickens should not be fed any avocado peel or skin. This part of the fruit contains persin, which is harmful to the chickens.
When feeding them avocado, peel away the skin and discard it.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado Leaves?
Avoid feeding avocado leaves to your chickens. It contains persin, which is a fungicidal toxin that is very harmful to chickens.
If you have an avocado tree, avoid letting your chickens near them.
However, chickens tend to know what’s harmful to them and will usually stay away from the leaves of the avocado plant.
How Many Avocados To Feed Chickens?
The edible section of avocado has some persin and fat, so restrict the serving size to approximately a quarter of an avocado per bird every few days. A tiny amount of fruit may be a tasty treat with plenty of vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
For six chickens, you can give them two avocados. It’s a good idea to combine it with other fruits and vegetables.
Providing small pieces of avocados to the chickens is a good practice. Overfeeding can be lethal for your feathery friend.
Other Fruit Can Chickens Eat
Apple
Apples are a favorite treat for chickens. It’s highly nutritious and healthy for them. Be sure to remove the seeds from the apple before feeding them. The seeds contain cyanide, which is a toxin that can cause harm to your chickens.
Banana
Banana is a fruit that’s packed with nutrition. Your chicken will love them since it’s soft and easy to digest. While it’s healthy for chickens to eat, you should only feed bananas to them in moderation. Banana contains a lot of sugar, which in large amounts is bad for their health.
Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit is an exotic fruit that has a lot of nutrition that the chickens need. All parts of the fruit are safe for chickens to eat, but it’s best to feed them just the flesh and seeds. The skin of the dragon fruit is tough and makes it hard for them to eat and digest.
Conclusion
Chickens can eat avocados, but only the flesh should be given to them. You should give a tiny portion of the flesh and ensure that no skin, leaves, or pits are offered.
