Mangoes are delicious and exotic fruits native to the tropics. While it is usually enjoyed raw, mangoes can be used in a variety of dishes – both savory and sweet. Mango desserts include mousses, creams, lollies, yogurt mixes, etc., while the flesh and the skin are used in curries. Everyone loves a mango, but can chickens eat mangoes?
So, can chickens eat mangoes? Yes, chickens can safely eat moderate amounts of mangoes, and the fruit can be given to them occasionally as a treat. As to the other part of the fruit mango – the thin leathery skin and the scented leaves, it is a little more complicated.
As for now, vets suggest small to moderate portions of the mango’s flesh as a treat for chickens and recommend that the birds be kept away from the leaves of the mango tree.
Mangoes are native to the South Asian region, specifically India. The Mangifera Indica, part of the Mangifera genus, is the national fruit of multiple countries – India, the Philippines, and Haiti.
There are quite a few varieties of mangoes, also considered as the king of all fruits: Alphonso, Totapuri, Himsagar, Vanraj, Kesar, Ambika, Langda, Chausa, etc.
Chickens can benefit from the goodness of mangoes, as long as the fruit is given to these birds occasionally and as a treat.
So how are mangoes good for these birds? Let’s find out.
Benefits of mangoes for chickens
Mangoes are admittedly delicious, yes, but do you know how nutritious and beneficial mangoes are?
Mangoes are full of nutritional goodies. These fruits are rich in dietary fiber, which is very important for a clear stomach and a healthy gut. Mangoes are also high in copper, needed for the appropriate body growth and development, the care and conservation of our bones, and the upkeep of connective tissues, heart, the brain, and other organs of the body.
Mangoes are also rich in a variety of vitamins – you can find a bevy of vitamins A, B5, B6, C, E, K in amounts ranging from trace to concentrated levels.
Mangoes are recommended by doctors who suffer from anemia. Mangoes are rich in folate, which helps to create new red blood cells, among other things. Those who are at risk of contracting anemia are advised to partake of this fruit.
Mangoes are rich in minerals like manganese and magnesium as well. Magnesium is vital for regulating various biochemical reactions in the body and involved in the processes concerned with the production of energy in the body, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis.
Mangoes are a good source of acquiring vital elements like niacin and riboflavin. Niacin helps regulate the necessary functions in the liver and the glands and helps to breakdown nutrients to draw out energy. Riboflavin is used to help the body use the oxygen and maintain the body in a functioning state.
Mangoes contain potassium in small amounts, which is also beneficial for you.
The mango is full of vitamins and minerals that help your body produce energy so that you can function at an optimum level.
This fruit contains thiamin, which helps your body break down fats and carbohydrates to draw out energy for your body. Thiamin also aids in muscle contraction and helps nerves conduct signals through proper means and channels.
This is all well and good for humans, but how do chickens benefit from mangoes?
Mangoes contain such vast amounts of goodness beneficial for health, and for chickens, it is no different. Mangoes are helpful in raising happy and contented chickens. These birds eat practically anything and everything they can break down with their beaks, and they sure do love some sweet mangoes.
Did you know mangoes provide good health and energy to these birds? Chickens can absorb the vitamins A, B5, B6, C, E, and K that the mango offers. These vitamins promote the healthy production of poultry.
Mangoes provide a much-needed immunity boost for chickens. These birds are prone to deadly contagious diseases, so this added layer of defense of the immunity system is very helpful for chickens.
The vitamin A present in the mango is vital for strengthening the immunity levels in your fowl. Even the most common sicknesses can be avoided with the regular supplement of vitamin A through natural dietary sources.
In the same strain of increasing immunity in chickens, mangoes contain vitamin C. This vitamin helps to produce white blood cells in copious amounts. White blood cells (WBCs) fight off any infection or sicknesses that may enter your fowls’ bloodstream or airways. Therefore, mangoes are directly linked to fighting off infections and various ailments that threaten the health of chickens.
The dietary fiber present in chickens helps to improve the digestive abilities in these fowls. A good and strong digestive system in chickens helps produce healthy eggs and improves overall mood and health in the birds.
Mangoes contain magnesium as well as potassium, as mentioned before. These minerals help to provide energy as well as improves the heart. These two elements help regulate blood pressure levels, relaxes the blood vessels, and promote a healthy and regular heartbeat.
Mangoes also help regulate the body temperature of a chicken – cold mango pieces can help chicken cool down on a hot day, while mango pieces dipped in warm water prior to feeding helps increase the temperature in chickens when it’s cold outside.
So you see, mangoes are a nutritious treat that holds quite a few advantages for your clucking fowls. Mangoes help promote good health for chickens, eggs as well as chicks, among other benefits.
While the mango’s flesh is a tasty supplement, can chickens safely eat the skin and the leaves of the mango without facing problems?
Can Chickens Eat Mango Skins?
Since humans don’t usually eat the mango fruit’s skin, not many people know the benefits the skin of the mango provides. The exterior covering of the mango offers the same nutrients as the flesh of the mango flesh itself, so giving it to you chicken is a good idea.
However, there are some things you need to keep in mind before offering mango skin to your chickens. Mango skin can carry residues of pesticides and insecticides, and ingesting these chemicals can make your chicken fall sick.
Also, the mango skin contains considerable amounts of saponin, and several studies have shown that mango saponin can cause an increase in weight, leading to obesity-related risks. The mango saponin is suitable for underweight chickens and improves the quality of meat and the growth in boiler chooks.
Can Chickens Eat Mango Leaves?
Vets and scientists vehemently oppose the feeding of plant leaves to chickens – certain leaves and stems can be toxic for the birds.
However, this is a point of contention since certain studies have shown that the leaf, which is high in flavonoids and mangiferin, and antioxidants can be a helpful addition in the diet of your birds.
It is best to see whether your chickens are favorable to the leaf of the mango treat, and can ingest it without any health issues. Just to be on the safe side, you can skip feeding your chickens mango leaves altogether.
Conclusion
In conclusion, yes, you can give chickens mangoes. However, make sure that mangoes are given to chickens as a treat only. These fruits should not be used to replace the daily meals that contain the necessary macronutrients and proteins that are vital for the well-being of your chicken.
When you give mangoes or mango skins to your chicken, make sure you cut them up in tiny pieces before throwing them to your chooks. This will make it easier for your chickens to eat.