Chickens can eat pineapple (and they love it!) but only in small amounts. This fruit contains high sugar content and is a treat rather than a staple food for their diet.
Pineapple is one of nature’s most delicious treats, although many people who buy pineapples only use a portion of the fruit and toss the rest. Instead of throwing out the uneaten parts of the pineapple, why not feed it to your backyard chickens?
Many chicken owners believe that since chickens are omnivorous, it stands to reason that they should be able to consume anything, including pineapples.
In this article, we will discuss whether it is safe to feed chickens pineapple as treats, how much is safe, and how to properly prepare this tasty treat so your chickens get the most health benefit from them.
Is it Safe for Chickens to Eat Pineapples?
Feeding backyard chickens pineapples in limited amounts is okay as long as your chickens otherwise have a balanced diet. Pineapples should only be served once in a while and in moderate amounts, never to exceed 5 to 10% of what your chickens eat due to their high sugar content.
Chickens don’t chew their food because they don’t have teeth, so they will often scoop mouthfuls of food into their beak and swallow it whole. You will want to ensure pineapples are cut into little pieces for easy swallowing.
Baby chicks will love pineapple as a treat but they should be broken down into tiny pieces before offering it to them to prevent choking. It is important not to give them large quantities as too much pineapple can cause digestive issues and digestive problems for baby chicks.
You should also never serve moldy pineapple to your chickens as mold is toxic to chickens and can lead to their deaths. Unripe pineapple should also never be fed to your chickens either because it isn’t safe, as is the core of the pineapple.
How do you Prepare Pineapples for Chickens?
Pineapples must have the core and rinds cut off. The remaining fruit should be cut up into small, bite sizes for easy consumption and placed in the feeding area for your chickens to consume.
You will need to pick up and remove any uneaten pineapple at the end of the day to ensure it doesn’t get moldy, as you don’t want your birds eating moldy fruit.
What Health Benefits do Bananas Provide for Chickens?
Feeding pineapple to backyard chickens in small quantities as part of a chicken’s diet will gain important boosts to their health and immune system. Pineapples are a wonderful source of potassium and carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and enzymes.
Pineapples are heart-healthy and have no cholesterol or saturated fat, which makes them a good fruit choice as an occasional snack.
This tropical fruit also contains bromelain which aids digestion. However, if too much is eaten, it can lead to digestive problems, so moderation is key.
Fresh pineapples also contain a large amount of vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, folate, and antioxidants! Vitamin C in particular is great for chickens as it aids collagen production in your chicken.
Like many fruits, pineapples have a lot of sugar. It is always important to keep a chicken’s health in mind when choosing what to feed them.