Chickens can definitely eat cantaloupe. This includes the rinds and seeds (fresh and dried) with their most enjoyable part being the flesh. It's best to cut these into smaller sizes before serving.
Cantaloupe (known as rockmelon in some countries such as Australia) is one of those fruits that smells as mouthwatering as it tastes and are known for their many health benefits.
Are Cantaloupes Safe for Chickens to Eat?
Chickens can safely eat cantaloupe. If you cut a cantaloupe in quarters and place them within their feeding area, your chickens will show you just how much they appreciate your offering. Chances are that you won’t have anything left, save the outermost rind of the melon.
The majority of chicken keepers feed cantaloupe to their chickens. Many parts of the cantaloupe are safe for chickens to eat including cantaloupe rinds, cantaloupe seeds (both fresh and dried) and the sweet cantaloupe flesh which chickens love.
Cantaloupe just may be one of their favorite carbohydrates and it is perfectly safe to offer it to them as a treat!
Is it Healthy to Feed Chickens Cantaloupe?
Cantaloupes and other melons such as watermelon and honeydew melon have numerous health benefits and are a great treat if provided in moderation to your chickens.
Cantaloupes are a fantastic source of vitamins and minerals and contain:
- Vitamin C
- Antioxidants
- Potassium
- Vitamin A
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Beta-carotene
- Folate
- Flavonoids
- Polyphenols
Cantaloupes can lend a helping hand to chickens that have health issues and can keep blood pressure at the right level, help fight off infections and diseases by bolstering the immune system, fight oxidative stress, and provide hydration and balance electrolytes during the warmest months of the year.
Cantaloupe can help keep the digestive tract running optimally and the fiber in the rind can help ease constipation and keep the digestive system working properly in backyard chickens. Chickens with folate deficiency should eat folate-rich foods such as cantaloupe to help grow healthy feathers.
Cantaloupe can help raise collagen levels in a chicken’s body which in turn helps reduce inflammation and makes a chicken’s meat taste better. The folate inside cantaloupes can help your chicken’s egg shells be thicker, and increase egg production overall because of the calcium boost making adding cantaloupes to your chicken’s diet a no-brainer.
Ultimately, cantaloupe should fed in moderation as part of a balanced diet alongside commercial feed and other fresh fruit and veggies such as cucumber, blueberries, citrus, and kiwi.