All chicken owners love their chickens and want to give them the best food possible. However, can chickens eat cherries? Yes! Chickens can consume cherries, and the fruit is perfectly safe for them.
In this article, we will discuss the benefits of cherries to chickens and how you can feed the red-colored fruit to your chickens.
Do Chickens enjoy eating Cherries?
Hopefully, you now know the answer: Can chickens eat cherries? Usually, chickens get excited when they see cherries. However, since there are wide varieties of cherries, chickens will not like all of them.
The best thing to do is throw different types of cherries in the chicken coop, which will give you an idea of the type of cherries your birds like. This way, the chicken coop will be less messy and it will be easier for you to clean it.
Do Cherries offer any benefits to Chickens?
Cherries are extremely beneficial for chickens since they contain a wide array of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. These are vital for the health and well-being of chickens. Here are some benefits:
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is essential for reproduction and growth in chickens.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants offer a variety of benefits to chickens, one of which is to fight off free radicals in the body.
Anthocyanins
This nutrient has anti-inflammatory properties and reduces inflammation in the body.
B vitamin Complex
The B vitamin complex is essential for energy and metabolism.
Calcium
Calcium is important for producing strong eggshells and eggs.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is important for neurological function in chickens.
Iron
Iron can reduce the risk of amenia in chickens.
Potassium
Potassium can keep the chickens hydrated for a long period and is essential for developing strong muscles and nerves.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K protects against Coccidiosis and helps with blood clotting in chickens.
How to feed Cherries to Chickens?
Here is how you can feed cherries to chickens:
Snack Blend
You can make a special chicken trail or snack mixture to offer your chickens a special treat. To make the mixture, you must eat the chickens an even ratio of egg shells or crushed oysters, worms, and dried cherries.
Whole Cherries
Chickens can eat whole cherries, so this is another feeding method you can use. Usually, chickens peck around the pit and eat the fruit’s flesh.
Cherries from the Tree
You can skip picking cherries for the chickens and build their coop around a cherry tree. This way, the chickens will eat cherries on their own.
How many Cherries can Chickens consume at a time?
There isn’t an exact number of cherries that are good for chickens; it depends on different factors such as their diet and age. However, usually, you can feed your chickens cherries twice a week. That said, juvenile chickens cannot tolerate the high sugar content of cherries, so you shouldn’t feed them cherries.
Are there Drawbacks to feeding Cherries to Chickens?
Some chicken owners believe that cherries are toxins since their pits have cyanide. While cyanide is dangerous, it is not a clear threat to chickens.
However, the issue is the pit, not the fruit’s flesh; you can remove the pit before feeding cherries to your chickens. Also, chickens will need to consume a large number of pits for the cyanide to have any effect on their health.
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Conclusion
In this article, we focused on this: Can chickens eat cherries? Cherries are delicious, and chickens love to eat them. We also listed the benefits that cherries offer to chickens and ways you can feed cherries to chickens.
