The grapefruit is a tropical citrus fruit that has a sour and bitter taste. Many people who love citruses, also like grapefruit, but some don’t. Without a doubt, grapefruit helps to boost the immunity and other nutritional needs of a person. It’s a fruit rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Have you ever wondered whether grapefruit is safe for chickens to eat? I know your backyard chicken flocks are a part of your family. You never want to put them in trouble by feeding them anything unhealthy.
Therefore, in this article, I explain everything you need to know about feeding grapefruits to chickens. Let us see whether your chickens will love them or not.
Can Chickens Eat Grapefruit?
Surprisingly, the answer to this question is yes! Chickens can eat grapefruit. Grapefruit contains a high amount of vitamins A, C, and B6. It is an excellent source of hydration for chickens. The amount of water in grapefruit is the main reason for the hydration. In addition to that, grapefruit is rich in dietary fiber and sugar.
However, some chickens hate acidic fruits. Therefore, you should figure out whether your chickens love the taste of grapefruit or not. As a piece of advice, I would say to give them one or two just to see if they like it or not. It is normal for chickens to avoid grapefruits as they are acidic. If in case your chickens reject grapefruit, stop worrying about it because you can provide them with alternative fruits to gain the nutrients.
Can Chickens Eat Grapefruit Peels?
Grapefruit has hard, tough skin. It will be difficult for your chickens to peck at it, and they will obviously end up ignoring it. I am not so sure whether this will work for your chickens, but I chop the peel before giving it to the chicken. It helps my chickens to enjoy the peel.
Grapefruit peel is a source of nutrients as same as the fruit inside. Nevertheless, be careful if your grapefruits are not home-grown. Avoid feeding them store-bought grapefruit peels as they are injected with chemicals for freshness and fertilizers to help them grow quickly. It reduces the risks of your chickens subject to infectious diseases.
How to Feed Grapefruit to Chickens?
Giving the grapefruit without peeling is never going to work for chickens. As I said earlier, grapefruit peel is hard and chickens cannot peck it easily. You can follow several simple feeding methods. So, here is how you can feed grapefruit to chickens.
- The first method is to peel off the fruit and get the flesh. Put it into a bowl and let your chickens eat it. If you have around 10 -15 chickens, use several bowls. So, each chicken can get its share from a bowl.
- The easiest method is to slice the grapefruit without peeling it off. Make sure you have washed it properly. Let your chicken eat slices of grapefruit.
- The last method is to cut the fruit into halves. Keep the halves in feeders. The chickens will peck at it and eat it. They will not eat the peel, but they will enjoy the flesh.
Can I Mix Grapefruit with Other Fruits?
Yes, you can mix grapefruit with other fruits. It is one of the wisest methods to feed your chickens. Since they are more likely to refuse acidic fruits, you can mix a little amount of grapefruit with other fruits and vegetables. Therefore, the chickens will not feel any taste difference yet still they gain the nutrients.
How Often Should I Feed Grapefruit to Chickens?
Feeding grapefruit solely is not recommended as too much consumption of them may cause digestive problems. Therefore, you should provide other fruits and vegetables whenever you feed grapefruits.
On average, feed grapefruits twice a week, and definitely not more than that. Also, one grapefruit is enough for 05 to 06 chickens. Always limit the quantity as they may end up having upset stomachs and diarrhea.
Health Benefits of Grapefruit
The grapefruits benefit your chickens’ health in different ways. Primarily, they can gain the following nutritional aids:
High in antioxidants
The antioxidants protect the cells against free radicals that may play a role mainly in heart diseases and cancers. Vitamin C, Beta-carotene, and flavanones are important antioxidants in grapefruit. Flavanones can reduce blood pressure and cholesterol level. Therefore, your chickens can be safe from several diseases by consuming an adequate amount of grapefruits.
Boost immunity
The grapefruit contains vitamin C which helps to boost the immunity of your chickens. Vitamins C prevents your chickens from getting often sick from seasonal infections. The high immunity also increases energy, and combat against exhaustion of your chickens. Therefore, feed your chickens the recommended amount of grapefruit to boost immunity.
Hydrates the body
As you may already know, grapefruit contains 88% water. That is incredibly helpful to your backyard chicken flock to survive on hot summer days. Only several fruits cause to hydrate the body and grapefruit is one of them. Therefore, do not forget to feed some grapefruit slices to your chickens during summer days.
Other Fruits That Chickens Can Eat
Figs
Figs are a nutritious fruit that has a lot of calcium and fiber. It is also a good source of vitamins and minerals. You can feed them fresh or dried figs. Due to their high amount of sugar, it’s best to feed figs to the chickens in moderation to avoid any health issues.
Oranges
Oranges are packed with vitamins and minerals. This makes a good treat for chickens during the summer. Oranges are high in water content, which helps keep them hydrated. Chickens are less likely to eat oranges due to their citrus taste. If you want to get the chickens to eat oranges, mix them with other fruits or their feed.
Pineapples
Pineapples make a refreshing treat to give the chickens during the summer months. It contains a high amount of vitamin C and manganese, which is vital to the chicken’s health. When feeding pineapples to your chickens, remove the skin from the fruit first. The skin is too tough for them to peck and eat.
Summary
Grapefruits are a source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. They are good for your chickens and benefit them in numerous ways. Feeding them an adequate number of slices won’t do any harm and many chickens would love the taste. Therefore, you can feed grapefruit to your chickens right away.
The only thing you have to be careful about is that the grapefruits do not contain chemicals or any other compounds that can be harmful to your chickens. If you are so sure about that, there is nothing to stop you from giving them grapefruits.
