Chickens can definitely eat banana peels, just as they easily eat bananas. However, banana peels need to be washed and boiled for 10 minutes prior to serving.
Feeding chickens bananas is quite common amongst backyard chicken owners, but a lesser-known secret is that chickens can also eat banana peels!
If you give your flock banana peels, you will be providing them with all of the nutrition that bananas provide in a healthier form!
Are Banana Peels Safe for Chickens to Eat?
Just as chickens can eat whole bananas without problems, banana peels are safe for chickens provided that the banana peels are properly prepared ahead of time.
Banana peels have astounding nutritional value and it would be a waste to not provide your chickens the peels along with the fruit. However, you can’t just throw them an entire banana and expect them to be able to consume it.
Banana peels are stringy and have a tough skin, so you will need to take a few minutes to prepare them.
The best way to avoid choking is to cut them into little pieces, or even make a mushy mixture if you’re giving them to baby chicks. You should be cautious if providing over-ripe bananas along with their peels because they contain a high sugar content which isn’t good in large quantities for your chickens.
As with any organic product you feed your chickens, you will need to closely examine them for any signs of mold prior to feeding it to your flock. Mold will kill your chickens and moldy food is one of the main ways that chickens can get poisoned by mycotoxins.
How do you Prepare Banana Peels for Chickens?
Raw bananas can be given to your chickens without any additional preparation, but banana peels need special treatment before you can offer them to your chickens.
Banana peels have to be thoroughly washed as bananas are often grown with harmful pesticides (or you can purchase organic bananas to forgo pesticides altogether).
You want to be sure to remove anything that will harm your chickens and washing the peels thoroughly is the first step.
After your peels have been carefully washed, you should throw them into a pot of boiling water. Boil the peels at a rapid boil for around 10 minutes to soften them. Once they are tender, you can take the peels out and allow them to come to room temperature.
Once they have cooled, you can dice the peels into small pieces so your birds can easily eat them.
What Health Benefits do Banana Peels Provide for Chickens?
Backyard chickens stand to gain many health benefits if their diet is supplemented with banana peels.
The banana peel is a good source of potassium and contains carbohydrates that will give your chickens a boost of energy. Banana peels also contain carotenoids and polyphenols, vitamin b6, vitamin b12, vitamin c, vitamin a, calcium and magnesium.
All of these vitamins and minerals promote a healthy heart and can assist nerve function, eye health, skin health and nervous system performance!
Did you know that Vitamin b6 promotes serotonin in chickens and this makes chickens have elevated moods? Happy chickens produce lots of tasty eggs.
Banana peels also contain a great deal of fiber and will help your chickens have regular bowel movements.
A lesser-known secret about banana peels is that if a chicken eats unripe banana peels, they have the most vitamins and minerals to offer! Don’t be afraid to give them green banana peels! Also, if you are a gardener, the water that you boiled the banana skins in is incredible for plant growth and health.