Do chickens eat everything? Are they choosy eaters? Can Chickens eat bananas? There might be so many such questions in your head if you own chickens as pets. Chicken feed has a major role to play in egg production. You might want to experiment with its feed as just like us chickens too can get bored of their usual feed. Giving chicken whatever is there in your kitchen isn’t a good idea.
First, you should know whether that food item is good for the chicken or not; for the reason that you definitely wouldn’t want to give them something that their body rejects. Let’s talk about feeding the most readily available fruit in our kitchen, Banana.
So, can chickens eat bananas? Yes, Chickens can eat bananas. They love eating both the inside of the banana and the peel. Even though the peel is very nutritious for the chicken, it isn’t safe to be consumed by chickens because of the chemicals used in growing the bananas. Due to the high percentage of sugar in bananas, chickens cannot easily digest it; hence banana should be given to the chicken in a very small quantity.
Banana is a very nutritious fruit not just for the humans but for the chickens too. If you have chickens at home, just peel a banana and toss it in the chicken pen and see how banana becomes one of their favorite feeds.
Is banana good or bad for your chicken?
Bananas have a high amount of nutrients. It is very rich in Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Vitamin C, Folate, Dietary fiber, Protein, and some other nutrients. This means only a small amount of banana can give most of the nutrients needed by the chicken.
Along with being a nutrient-rich fruit with a large amount of Potassium, bananas have a high level of sugar content too. Sugar quantity in a banana is moderate for humans and does not affect them much. In the case of chickens, the sugar content in the banana can be dangerous.
The digestive system of chickens is not made to digest such large quantities of sugar which is why banana should be given to the chicken only in a small quantity.
There is another dietary need for chickens that bananas do not fulfill; it is the need for a dry diet. The body of the chicken is made to process only dry food. They are not at all capable of processing any kind of wet food. This could be why some chickens sometimes do not get the benefits of the nutrients in banana.
How to feed banana peels to your chicken?
Leaving aside only a few countries, banana peels are consumed all around the world. When prepared properly, they are not just tasty but high on the nutrition value. Along with each banana comes its peel too, so why throw away the peel when it can give your chicken the nutrients it mostly needs to maintain good health and large egg production.
Banana peels are loaded with vitamins like B6 and B12, potassium, and magnesium. Along with these, peels are high in polyphenols, carotenoids, proteins, and fiber.
Peels cannot be fed directly to the bird because that can be dangerous and hard to consume. To make the peels consumable, boil them until they become soft and tender. Chop them into small pieces, so it’s easy for the chicken to pick it up with its beak.
Bananas are a delicacy for chickens. No matter what time of the day or what time of the year it is, toss a small portion of banana in the chicken’s pen and observe them ‘go bananas’ with happiness. They love over-ripe bananas too, so reach out to a store that is throwing away over-ripe bananas and cut down on your chicken feed bill.
Bananas, the powerhouse of rich nutrients
Potassium
Bananas are full of potassium. This element is very useful for chickens. It gives them muscle strength, helps them with stress, metabolism, and electrolytic function.
Magnesium
Magnesium benefits chicken in many ways. With a good quantity of magnesium in the chicken’s body, it can sleep well, have an increased amount of energy, be calm and composed, and have a healthy heart.
Iron
Just like humans need iron for their hemoglobin, similarly, chickens need iron too. A high level of iron can be toxic to chickens. Banana has just the right amount of iron for them.
Fiber
Moderate amounts of fiber are beneficial for gastrointestinal development and function, hence enhancing the chicken’s digestive power.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is very useful in maintaining the health of the nervous system of the bird. This vitamin is also used by the body to make norepinephrine and serotonin.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is important for chickens as it plays a vital role in the biosynthesis of corticosterone. This hormone enhances the supply of energy in the body during stress.
Vitamin B12
An essential element needed by the chicken’s body for an additional healthy boost. It is needed for liver metabolism, eye health, skin health, nervous function, and energy.
Besides these, each banana contains 75 % water content, 0.3 grams of fat that include omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. Other than these, bananas contain a high amount of fiber and sugar.
What can happen if the diet isn’t right or if you feed too much banana to your chicken?
When the diet of any living organism isn’t right, the organism shows signs. These signs in the case of chicken could be:-
Abnormal eggs – If your chicken’s eggs are too small or contain double yolks, then there is surely some problem with the feed that you are serving to the chicken.
Reduced egg production– If there is no change in the season and the egg production has reduced significantly, this indicates that there is something wrong with the chicken’s diet.
Feather picking and general unrest –with no change in the season, if you observe your chicken picking its own feathers or each other’s feathers, this could mean an improper diet given to the chickens.
What other than bananas can you feed your chicken?
Chicken is an omnivore. Surprising, isn’t it? Didn’t most of us think chickens were vegetarians?
The pets and the ones raised for commercial benefits are fed on various foods that have a good mix of seeds, grains, insect larvae, etc.
The ones in the wild are left to their own devices are content with nuts, grains, flowers, herbs, bugs, insects, spiders, grubs, birds, snakes, frogs, lizards, and any other small creature that they can get hold of.
In the wild, they can even consume dead carcasses. When there are too many chickens in a cramped up space and little to eat, they tend to peck at each other.
Even though an omnivore, chickens do not consume milk. Being lactose-intolerant, chickens cannot digest the sugars found in milk too easily. They do enjoy yogurt and cheese, but only in a limited quantity. Too much of dairy products can lead to gastric distress, it’s best if you avoid serving dairy to your chicken.
Chickens love eggs
Chickens love eggs in any form, raw or hard-boiled. They can eat as many as you serve them. Also, they don’t mind even the shells, so feed them the whole egg with the shells, and they’ll be more than happy. Eggs are the best protein sources for your chicken.
Don’t worry! you are not turning your chicken into a cannibal by feeding it eggs. Chicken are cannibals from birth. Baby chick ingests the yolk of the egg it hatches from just before the shell cracks open.
What should you not feed your chicken?
- Never feed your chicken chocolates.
- Chickens should not be fed green potatoes or green tomatoes.
- Raw and dried beans are very harmful to chicken.
- Anything moldy should not be fed to chicken.
- Anything that has a lot of salt. Salt can overload their tiny kidneys, which can be fatal.
- Alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs are an absolute NO. You can’t party with these girls. You might end up killing them if you feed them these toxic substances.
Conclusion: Can chickens eat bananas
Bananas are good for chicken. You can feed them the dry inside portion in limited quantity to keep them safe and healthy and can boil and cut the peels and give them to the chicken for additional nutrition.
Related Questions:
What fruit can chicken eat?
Chickens love vegetables and fruits. They can eat apple cores, carrots, broccoli, and mostly all the fruits except green potatoes and citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges.
What to feed a sick chicken that won’t eat?
If the chicken is not eating anything on its own, you can give it a liquid diet. Layer feed can be crushed and mixed with warm milk or water to make a soupy mash. This soupy mash can be fed with the help of a tube, dropper, or spoon.
Can Chickens eat kitchen scraps?
Yes, Kitchen scraps can be a good alternative to grains. They are highly nutritive and can be used to bring variety to your chicken’s feed. Chickens can eat Avocado peels and pits, vegetable peels (carrot, cucumber, pear, peaches). Kitchen scraps should only be fed in moderation.
Do chickens kill and eat mice?
Yes, chickens kill and eat mice if they find them. When the chickens are asleep, the mice are free to roam around, come and go at will.
Do chickens eat chicken?
Yes, chickens eat chicken. If you have any leftover chicken at home, you can feed them to your chicken.