Chickens can eat celery but most don't like it whole. You'll need to chop it into smaller pieces and they'll enjoy eating every part of this nutritious vegetable.
Providing tasty and nutritious treats to your backyard chickens is a great way to supplement their chicken feed and give them a well-rounded diet. And fresh fruits and vegetables should always be a win for birds that enjoy eating just about anything, right? Not always.
You may think that celery is something chickens would enjoy but most birds will turn their backs on this crunchy, green vegetable in favor of just about anything else.
Chickens naturally will avoid foods that aren’t safe to eat such as plants of the nightshade family, but why would they avoid celery? In this article, we will explore the health benefits of celery and why you should be feeding it to your chickens, even if they don’t like it!
Is Celery Safe for Chickens to Eat?
Celery is safe for chickens to eat, provided it is cut into smaller pieces.
If you feed chickens celery, it can provide plenty of nutritional benefits. They can eat every part of the celery plant including celery stalks and celery leaves without issue.
Moldy foods will always be dangerous to chickens. Before you feed chickens any peels or table scraps including celery, be sure to inspect them for any indication of mold.
Do not feed chickens anything that you wouldn’t feel safe eating yourself. Be sure to wash all produce that you will feed your chickens to rid them of excess pesticides which can be harmful.
Is Celery Healthy for Chickens?
Celery can provide your chickens with much-needed nutritional value and contain important antioxidants along with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B, Vitamin B6, Manganese, Phosphorus, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Riboflavin, and more.
Celery is also a great source of calcium and can also help chickens to produce strong-shelled, plentiful eggs.
Celery can be a great addition to a chicken’s diet and is one of the best heart-healthy veggies that chickens should eat as part of a balanced diet.
If you are concerned for your chicken’s health and can find a way to sneak celery into their feed, it will benefit both of you!
How Can You Get Chickens to Eat Celery?
The best way to introduce fresh celery to your chickens is to chop it into small pieces, and mix it with other healthy veggies or fruits that you know they do enjoy such as cucumbers.
You should never provide large chunks of celery as it can cause digestive issues and blockages within the digestive tract. Fibrous celery can get stuck in a chicken’s crop and cause an impacted crop, which is a medical emergency requiring veterinary care.
So while celery may not be a favorite food of most chicken breeds, but it has so many health benefits that it is worth trying to see if you can get your chickens to eat it.