Can chickens eat avocado? Yes, but, only the flesh of avocados.
Other parts of avocados are toxic and may not be safe for your birds.
But, do chickens enjoy eating avocados?
Well, the taste of the fruit isn’t delicious for most of them.
In my Ninja Homestead, the free-roaming birds are pretty intuitive about their food.
I try feeding them avocados in a small amount it doesn’t make them happy always.
The reason why I’ve included avocados in their diet is that they are full of healthy nutrients.
But, how many avocados can chicken eat?
And how you should make sure that the flesh is safe for your birds?
I’ll share all these useful tips one by one.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado Peels?
Can chickens eat avocado? Yes, they can. But, can chickens eat avocado skin?
No, chickens shouldn’t eat avocado peels because the peels of avocado contain a toxin called persin. Eating avocado peels can lead to respiratory problems in your flock.
The problem will occur within one or two days of intoxication.
You need to make sure that your free-range birds are always away from avocado peels. If you have avocado plants in your garden, try not to make them accessible to your chickens.
And in case your chickens accidentally eat avocado peels, you need to contact a veterinarian without any delay.
Chickens can eat many types of foods but avocado skins or peels can be dangerous. The respiratory issue can be severe and it can even cause death.
So, as a responsible parent, you need to be a little alert while providing avocados to your flock.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado Oil?
Yes, chickens can eat avocado oil in a very limited amount. Avocado oil doesn’t contain persin or any other toxic substance. It’s highly nutritious and absolutely safe for chickens.
I was quite skeptical about providing avocado oil to my birds. That’s because of the toxic substance present in avocado peels. But, now I know that it’s totally safe for my flock.
What I do is that I mix about a half teaspoon of avocado oil into the meals of my chickens. On days when an avocado isn’t available in my kitchen, I try to substitute the fruit with the oil.
I do it once or twice a month and strictly measure the portion.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado Leaves?
No, chickens can’t eat avocado leaves because of persin, the toxic substance. Just like the skins, avocado leaves aren’t safe for chickens at all.
Consumption of avocado leaves can harm your flock and even kill them.
For this reason, I stay very alert when the birds in my homestead roam freely. I have three avocado plants that I’ve guarded with fences so that the chickens can’t reach them.
You can do the same if you have avocado plants on your homestead.
Can Chickens Eat Avocado Seeds?
No, chickens can’t eat avocado seeds or stone as it contains persin.
Chickens usually don’t prefer eating the seeds also because it’s quite hard.
They peck at and eat the flesh and leave the seeds immediately.
What Happens If A Chicken Eats Avocado?
If a chicken eats avocado, it gets some of the vital nutrients good for the overall health. Avocados are loaded with fiber, healthy vitamins, and omega fats.
While the fiber improves their bowel movement, the omega fats lead to a healthy heart and vitamins boost immunity.
Also, avocados contain a good amount of water, which can keep chickens hydrated. If your chickens aren’t eating sufficient water and it’s hot outside, avocados are a good alternative.
But, you need to make sure that you don’t overfeed your chickens.
Avocados contain a high amount of healthy fats. Though the fats are healthy, too many avocados can lead to excessive weight gain.
Your chickens may start having health issues related to weight gain if you overfeed them with avocados.
Health Benefits Of Avocado For Chickens
As I’ve mentioned above, your chickens will get multiple benefits from avocados. Rich in a lot of essential nutrients, avocados are perfect for your birds. Here are some health benefits of avocados for chickens.
· Curing Constipation
Rich in fiber, avocados make sure that your flock doesn’t suffer from constipation.
· Preventing Diarrhea
The fiber present in avocados can lead to healthy intestines for your birds and prevent diarrhea.
· Improve Water Consumption
Researches show that the taste of avocados can improve the water intake habit of chickens.
· Boost Immunity
Avocados contain vitamin E, which prevents Encephalomalacia in chickens and boosts immunity.
· Improve Egg Quality
The vitamins A and B2 in avocado can improve the quality of your chicken’s egg production.
· Reduce Inflammation
Avocados with omega fats can reduce inflammation and diseases like arthritis in chickens.
· Improve Bone Health
Avocados contain calcium, niacin, and omega fats, which can improve the bone health of chickens.
· Improve Skin Health
Avocados can improve the skin health of chickens and save them from dermatitis and lesions.
· Prevent Anemia
Chickens are prone to anemia but avocados with copper and iron can control the disease.
· Development of Feathers
Avocados are full of zinc, which is a vital nutrient for the development of feathers in chickens.
How To Feed Chickens Avocado
Can chickens eat avocado? Yes. But what’s the best way to make a healthy treat for your flock? Let us quickly know!
· Discard the Skin and Seed
To ensure that the avocados are safe for your chickens, you need to remove the skin and seed totally. These two parts are toxic with a lot of persin in them. After discarding the skin and seed, check well for any missed pieces of the peels.
· Scoop the Flesh
The best way to prepare avocados is by cutting them in half and then scoping the flesh. But, with your chickens, you need to be extra careful. I prefer leaving a thin layer of the flesh with the peel so that no inedible part of the fruit is dragged with the flesh.
· Measure the Amount
Avocados are good for your chickens when you feed them in moderation. So, you can measure the amount while preparing the meal. I limit one portion to a single teaspoon and you can do the same.
How Many Avocados Can Chickens Eat?
Chickens can eat a very low amount of avocados occasionally. I prefer feeding my chickens one teaspoon of avocado flesh once a week. That’s enough for your chickens to consume, process and digest.
Homesteading is a pretty versatile task because of the varied opinions of farmers. Some prefer feeding their chickens with avocados quite often.
But, I try to be safer with my chickens and avoid overfeeding with avocadoes or anything similar.
Too many avocados can make your flock really sick. The action of the fungicidal toxin persin may lead to severe lung and heart issues.
And the worst part is that it can even kill chickens within 48 hours.
Also, chickens have a very delicate digestive tract, which cannot process too much food at a time. Even if avocado flesh is safe for chickens, overfeeding will cause multiple health issues.
Your chickens will also tend to gain too much weight if you overfeed.
Is Guacamole Good For Chickens?
Chickens can eat guacamole if it’s homemade. That’s because you’ll be conscious to leave the peels and other inedible parts of the fruit.
Also, all the other ingredients in guacamole like onions, tomatoes, and herbs are safe for chickens.
But, again, you should be a little strict with the portion. Just like avocados, you can feed your chickens one teaspoon of guacamole once a week.
You need to see first whether your flock is enjoying the treat or not.
With chickens, I’ve seen that they prefer not eating foods that are tasteless. And the taste of avocados is quite bland, which they might dislike.
If your chickens dislike avocados and guacamole, I’ll suggest you don’t force them.
Instead, you can provide other healthy fruits like tomatoes, bananas, strawberries, and others. Most breeds of chickens like these fruits as they are sweet and tender.
As a homesteader, I can understand how conscious you’re about which foods your chickens are pecking at.
Can Chickens Eat Brown Avocado?
Yes, chickens can eat brown avocado but only the flesh. Other parts such as the skin, seed, and leaves are highly toxic for chickens.
If you have brown avocado plants at home, you can scoop out the flesh and provide a very small amount to your chickens.
While introducing avocados to your chicken’s diet, you need to check two things.
First, are your chickens able to process and digest the fruit? Secondly, whether your chickens are liking or disliking the treat.
Based on the above points, you can estimate the portion size.
If you notice that your chickens are leaving the fruit, you can substitute brown avocados with other fruits.
Can Chickens Eat Whole Avocados?
No, chickens can’t eat whole avocados owing to the toxin called persin.
It’s quite dangerous because it can affect the lung and hearts of your birds.
You need to feed your chickens only the flesh of avocados and in a small amount.
Conclusion
Can chickens eat avocado?
Well, they can in moderation.
But, only the flesh of avocados is safe for your flock.
And the amount is very low, which you need to provide in variety with other fruits.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Homestead Lifestyle Board!!
