Chickens have a varied diet and eat different things such as fruits, vegetables, meat, and small animals. However, can chickens eat apple seeds? Unfortunately, apple seeds are not safe to eat for chickens. In this article, we will discuss how apple seeds are bad for chickens.
How can Apple seeds harm Chickens?
You must never feed the chickens apple seeds because they have Amygdalin, which can turn into Cyanogenic Glycoside. When Cyanogenic Glycoside metabolizes, it becomes HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide).
If there is a lot of Hydrogen Cyanide in the chickens’ bodies, it can cause cyanide poisoning. Removing the seeds from the apples and then giving them to the chickens is better.
What can Cyanide do to Chickens?
Now that we have addressed this query: Can chickens eat apple seeds? Let’s move on. Cyanide in large quantities can be lethal for chickens. Cyanide is highly poisonous for chickens, and when it enters their body, it blocks cellular respiration.
A large quantity of cyanide can lead to death in minutes in chickens. When chickens die from cyanide poisoning, their tissues are filled with bright red-colored blood.
How to treat Cyanide Poisoning in Chickens?
The poisoning works rapidly in chickens, and most owners realize their chickens are poisoned when it’s too late. If you notice your chickens have a purple or bluish comb and are finding it hard to breathe, you must take them to the veterinarian immediately.
The fast you take the chicken to the doctor, the better its chances of surviving the ordeal. The only way to treat the poisoning is through special care.
The vet may give antidotes such as intravenous amyl and sodium nitrate. The treatment will only be effective if there is no irreversible damage.
How can Apple Seeds kill the Chickens?
Even if the chickens eat a small number of apple seeds, they will most likely die from cyanide poisoning within an hour. While there is no exact number of lethal seeds for chickens, the more seeds the birds eat, the worse their condition becomes.
Chickens get away by eating two to four seeds, but more than will be lethal for them. If you live in an area that has apple trees, keep the chickens away from the trees. You can use fencing to prevent your chickens from going close to the trees.
Are Apples beneficial for Chickens?
While apple seeds are lethal for chickens, apples are healthy for them. Chickens love to eat apples because the fruit is easy to digest, and apples are sweet and juicy, which makes them irresistible for chickens.
Apple consists of fiber, amino acids, and peptides. Apples also consist of natural sugars, which offer a lot of energy to the chickens. Apples help strengthen the chickens’ immune systems and detoxify their bodies.
Apples can also assist with constipation in chickens, and since they have a good fiber content, apples can ensure chickens are full for a long time. If chickens are full for long periods, they won’t need to eat constantly.
Another benefit of apples is that they can strengthen the chickens’ bone system and musculature. In chicks, apples favor growth, making the chicks healthier and stronger. While you should add the apple to the chickens’ diet, you must always remove the seeds.
Conclusion
In this article, we focused on the following: Can chickens eat apple seeds? Apple seeds are extremely dangerous for chickens and can kill them. We also discussed why apple seeds are dangerous for chickens. However, apples are good for chickens, so you can remove the seeds and give your birds apples.
