If you have domesticated chickens, you are probably terrified of introducing new foods to their diets. It is very common for people to be unsure of what they can and cannot feed their chickens. Chickens cannot eat everything humans can, and so you need to be very careful about what you give them. Let’s find out whether or not chickens can eat nectarines.
So, can chickens eat nectarines? Yes, you can feed your chickens nectarines. Birds generally enjoy eating fruits, and nectarines are a sweet and tangy option that chickens love. Nectarines are rich in fibers and antioxidants in addition to the vitamins, minerals, and carbs important for your chickens’ health. In fact, your chickens will love nectarines so much that once you start giving it to them, you will have a hard time taking it away from them.
Nutritional benefits of nectarines for chickens
Nectarines are a juicy fruit full of antioxidants, vitamins, and all that good stuff. Now, this may sound great, but how good is it for chickens? A chicken’s metabolism is naturally very different from ours. So, when it comes down to comparison, you need to narrow down its goodness solely for a chicken.
Continue reading to find out how nectarines can be beneficial to birds!
Fiber
Nectarines, like most fruits, are packed with insoluble fibers. These fibers are great for your chicken’s gut health. If your bird suffers from digestive issues and bowel troubles, giving them a fiber-rich diet is a great solution.
An average nectarine contains about 2.4 g of fiber by weight. This amount of fiber is perfect for your chickens.
Fibers trap excess cholesterol in the body so that LDL levels in the body are kept under control. This tasty treat can make sure your chickens do not gain too much weight and remain healthy.
Vitamins
Nectarines are a vitamin-rich fruit. They can be compared to peaches except that they do not have fur on their skin. However, their vitamin contents are very similar to each other. This fruit contains Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B3.
All these vitamins have a different role to play in your chicken’s body. Vitamins help enhance their vision, circulatory system, and they keep their vitals in check as well.
They essentially keep your bird healthy and boost their immunity significantly. They are not required in high quantities but are certainly an essential part of the diet.
Minerals
Nectarines are also very rich in minerals. The body requires minerals in trace amounts. They are very important for all the systems in the body. However, you will have to face severe consequences if you cut minerals out of you and your chicken’s diet.
Nectarines contain potassium and copper is an adequate amount. Potassium keeps the circulatory system of your chicken healthy. Whereas copper plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones in the body, both are crucial for their bodies.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are a vital nutrient required by your chickens. Nectarines are packed with all the essential antioxidants like beta-carotene, tryptophan, and plant-based polyphenols. This helps boost your chicken’s immunity and makes them stronger.
It helps prevent common bird diseases too. So, including antioxidants in your chicken’s diet can make them fight against illnesses.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are essential nutrients for all animals. They give us energy and keep us going through the day. A single nectarine can have about 15 g of carbohydrates, which is enough for chickens. Keep your chickens healthy and energetic by giving them a carb-rich diet.
How to feed nectarines to chickens?
Chickens really enjoy eating fruits in their diets. You will not have a lot of trouble trying to feed nectarines to them. In fact, once you present them with this fruit, they are likely to attack it and instantly gobble it up.
Here is how you can give your chickens delicious nectarines.
Wash them
Even fresh fruits can be coated with dust and chemicals. Farmers may use insecticides and pesticides while growing them. The residue of these chemicals remains on the surface of the fruit even when they are brought to the market.
Naturally, these fruits are extremely toxic when they are covered in harmful chemicals. They can be a very severe health hazard to your chickens. So, it is advised that you wash these fruits properly before consuming them or giving them to your chickens.
You can rinse them with water a couple of times until you feel like they are clean. You do not need to soak them to clean them. Just put them under running water for some time and gently rub off any dirt you see on the skin.
Cut them into small pieces if you like
This is not entirely necessary because your chickens know how to eat fruits all by themselves. You do not need to remove the skin either. Their sharp beaks can tear through the skin of nectarines and reach the fleshy part of the fruit.
You can cut them into smaller pieces to make it easier for your chickens to eat. Moreover, this way, you can also remove the pits from the nectarines. The pit can be toxic for chickens if consumed in large quantities. However, they are big in size, so they cannot eat a pit right away.
So, if you want to prevent your chickens from pecking away at the pit of a nectarine, you can cut it up into small pieces and remove the seed.
Risks involved in feeding nectarines to chickens
Nectarines are a delicious fruit that your chickens will not be able to resist. However, there are downsides to everything, and you need to know what can go wrong when you feed your chickens nectarines.
Here are a few risks that are involved in feeding your beloved birdies this fruit.
Nectarine pits or seeds are toxic
As you may know, the pits of many fruits are very toxic to animals. The same goes for nectarines. The seed of this fruit contains a compound known as amygdalin, which is very harmful to animals.
High concentrations of this compound in a chicken’s body can be fatal for them too. However, you do not need to worry. For amygdalin to become fatal for your chickens, they will need to consume a large number of nectarine pits.
As long as you are careful and remove the pits, you will have nothing to worry about.
Nectarines are rich in potassium and other minerals. It can be beneficial to the body in controlled amounts. However, if you overfeed your chicken nectarines, chances are, the excess potassium will have adverse effects on their kidneys.
The best way to prevent kidney diseases in your chickens is by controlling the number of nectarines you give them. Give your chickens a balanced diet and feed them nectarines as a snack!
Frequently Asked Questions
What if my chicken eats a nectarine pit? You do not need to be worried if your chicken poked through a nectarine pit. They are harmful only when consumed in high quantities. However, it is advised that you do not leave nectarine stones around your chicken to explore.
Can chickens eat peaches? Yes, peaches are very similar to nectarines and are packed with nutrients. You can feed chickens almost any fruit, but you need to make sure you wash them properly!
Are yellow nectarines bad for chickens? No, nectarines naturally have a yellow-red color because of the presence of beta-carotene. This antioxidant is used by the body to produce Vitamin A. While it may look like red nectarines are healthier, yellow ones are not bad either. They supply your chicken with the much-needed vitamin A which helps boost their immunity.
Summing Up
It can be difficult to curate the perfect diet for your pets. What sounds healthy to us may not be very healthy for our chickens. It is always better to be on the safer side and to assess your feed options clearly.
If you are planning to change your chicken’s regular diet, you must add nectarines to it. Their high nutritional value makes them very good for your chicken’s health.
They are a hassle-free food option, unlike beans. You have to clean, soak, and cook beans before you feed them to your chicken. However, all you need to do with nectarines is to wash them and serve them to your chicken.
Add this fruit to their diet and make your chickens happier than ever before!