Yes, of course, chickens can eat apples. Read on to find out more.

Chickens are known to eat just about anything, from fruits to scraps. They help to reduce wastage and also cut expenses when they feed on basically anything. Why throw the food out when your chickens can have a feast over it? If you are interested in learning quite a bit more about raising backyard chickens we have a great article to get you started.

Table Of What Chickens Can And Can’t Eat

Let’s look at a brief compilation of what your chicken can and can’t eat.

Apples appear on the table under the ‘yes’ column meaning can be fed to your chickens.

Apples are edible fruits that grow on Apple trees. They contain some key nutrients that are needed for the healthy growth of your chickens. Apples are fleshy and juicy and serve as a delicious treat for your chickens. Apples contain vitamins, minerals, pectins, amino acids, and antioxidants. Not all nutrients required for your chicken’s growth can be found in their daily chicken feed and so you can supplement it by giving them fruits like apples and serving them in your chicken feeder.

It is very important to know that apples don’t also contain all the required nutrients for your chicken and so it shouldn’t be given to them as a complete meal.

Nutritional Table For Apple

A medium-sized apple of 6.4 ounces or 182 grams, 3 inches, 1.5 cups of fruit contains 95 calories.

Amount per 100 grams – 52 calories.

Interesting Facts About Apples

• Apples are nutritious fruits of the genus, Malus. They have dark green leaves that are arranged alternatively on the branch.
• There are about 7,500 varieties of apples, some are cultivated while some are grown vegetatively (planted as seeds)
• Apples range in color, flavor, and texture. The range of colors of apples is from red to a golden hue to green and pink. Apples could also taste sweet or sour, depending on the species and they can also be crunchy, soft, or mealy.

Can Chickens Eat Apples?

Yes, as stated somewhere at the beginning of the article, chickens can eat apples. From studying them feast on apples, you can tell that they love it very much.

How To Feed Apples To Your Chickens

• Apples can be offered cooked or uncooked to your chicken.
• Make sure to slice up the apples into little bits that your chickens can pick
• You can remove the core, as it is hard and not nutritionally beneficial to your chicken
• Fill the middle of a cored apple with peanut butter and freeze do harden the peanut butter
• Slice and serve it to your chicken
• If the apple is store-bought, be sure to wash it to get rid of any form of pesticides.
• Do not give your chickens apples more than 2 to 3 times a week.
• A quarter of an average-sized apple to one chicken is enough

What You Should Know About Apples

• Apples have hardbacks and can be difficult for your chicken to eat. You can peel off the backs or cut it into bits for easy ingestion.
• Apple seeds are known to contain cyanide, but your chickens cannot eat enough apple seeds to make them sick. If you aren’t comfortable with giving them the seed, don’t bother. Better to be safe than sorry, right?
• Browning apples are a result of oxidation and can be fed to your chicken. Rotten or moldy apples are bad for your chicken.
• Apples are too high in carbohydrates and fiber. They are also low in protein, which is why they cannot be given as a complete diet.

Benefits Of Apples To Chickens

An Apple a day, they say, keeps the doctor away. This also applied to your chicken, although you might not necessarily give your chicken a whole apple.

Here are some health benefits provided by apples;

• Improves bone health
• Gives room for healthy weight loss
• Has probiotic effects
• Protects the brain
• It reduced the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and stroke
• Prevents heart disease.
• Helps digestive activities
• Supports a healthy immune system

In Summary

Chickens can eat apples and apples also turn out to be very nutritious for chickens. They hold a lot of nutritional benefits for your chicken. You should have in mind that as much as apples are nutritious, they shouldn’t be given as a meal. It is not a balanced diet. Treat your chickens to apples and make them happy.