Can chickens eat mango? The answer is yes, they can in moderation!
Chickens can eat mango and they quite enjoy the juicy, moist fruit.
Like us, chickens love the sweet taste of this tropical fruit.
And also, a balanced diet with a small number of mangos is the best healthy diet for chickens.
Mangos are full of healthy nutrients that are necessary for the growth of your birds.
I provide a very small amount of chopped mango flesh to my flock at the Ninja Homestead.
But, which part of the mango is safe for chickens? And how many mangos are safe for chickens?
To find out, scroll down!
Can Chickens Eat Mango Peels?
Can chickens eat mango? Yes, they can. But, can they eat mango skins or peels?
Well, mango skins won’t kill chickens but they aren’t safe either. Mango skins contain the same amount of nutrients as mango flesh. But, you shouldn’t feed your chickens mango skins because of multiple reasons.
Firstly, mango skins contain urushiol, which has allergic properties. Consuming mango skins can lead to allergic reactions in your flock. They may fall sick by eating too many mango skins.
Secondly, mango skins may contain pesticides if they aren’t organically grown. I won’t suggest you feed your chickens anything processed with pesticides. Feeding mango skins may lead to health issues in your chicken.
Thirdly, mango skins are hard and bitter in taste. Your chickens may not like eating mango seeds because of this reason. Mango skins are also hard to digest and so, your chickens shouldn’t eat them.
Can Chickens Eat Mango Seeds?
No, chickens can’t eat mango seeds because these are too hard to peck at. If you expose mango pits or seeds to your chickens, you’ll notice that they are disliking the food.
They’ll probably peck at the flesh and leave the seeds.
Mango seeds are otherwise safe for chickens. If you feed your chickens the seeds of unripe mangos, they might manage to eat the seeds.
So, whether chickens eat mango seeds or not may also depend on individual preferences.
Can Chickens Eat Unripe Mangos?
No, chickens don’t like the sour taste of the unripe mangos. If you provide unripe mangos to your flock, most probably they’ll leave the food after pecking at one piece.
Unripe mangos are also not safe for chickens to eat.
They can lead to health issues in chickens due to the acidic content. So, it’s better to feed your chicken ripe mangos only.
How To Feed Mangos To Your Chickens?
You can feed mangos to your chickens in a small amount. Dense with healthy nutrients, mangos are required for the overall health of your birds. But, what’s the best way to feed your chickens mangos?
Here are some ways in which you can feed your chickens mangos:
Serve in a Feeding Area
Chickens are quite moist and juicy.
So, I prefer serving mangos in my flock’s feeding area rather than directly on the floor.
Otherwise, the fruit gets dirty and the area also gets messy.
Cut into Small Pieces
The best way to make your birds peck at mangos is by cutting them into small pieces. You can chop the mangos and serve them in a small dish so that your chickens can eat the fruit with ease.
Mash the Mangos
If your chickens prefer eating mashed food, you can feed them by mashing the mangos. But, my chickens don’t prefer eating mashed foods and so, I avoid that.
Serve a Large Piece
You can also keep a large piece of mango in your flock’s feeding area. Your birds will peck at the mango and share it with each other. But, make sure you measure the amount before serving.
How Many Mangos Can Chicken Eat?
Chickens will love to eat a large amount of this sweet fruit. But, as a caring parent, you need to feed only a very small portion. I prefer feeding my chickens one teaspoon of ripe mango once or twice a week.
Anything more than the above amount will lead to overfeeding. Also, mangos contain a high amount of sugar. If you overfeed your chickens with mango, their digestive system won’t be able to process the sugar.
Chickens are born with a very delicate digestive tract, which can’t process too much food at a time. And to secure their healthy growth, a balanced diet with different kinds of foods is important. For all these reasons, you need to limit the amount of mango while feeding your flock.
How Do You Cut Up A Mango?
You can cut up a mango into 1-inch cubes to feed your chickens. I usually remove the mango skins first and then chop the flesh without the seeds. While peeling the mangos, I check thoroughly so that not a small amount of skin is left.
While cutting mangos to feed your chickens, you also need to make sure that no skin is left. Otherwise, even a small amount of mango skin can cause digestive issues in your birds. There can be multiple other health issues from eating mango skins.
Nutritional Value Of Mango For Chickens
Mango is a delish fruit packed with healthy antioxidants. The antioxidants from mangos are required for the healthy growth of your birds. It can protect their cells against the damages of free radicals.
As I’ve mentioned above, almost 12 types of antioxidants are present in mangos. Each of them acts differently in the body of your birds. Also, mangos contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals.
The vitamins present in mango are A, B5, B6, E, K, and C. Mango is one of the rare fruits that contain so many vitamins. Each vitamin present in mango can benefit chickens in different ways.
The minerals present in mango are potassium, folate, magnesium, choline, etc. Feeding your chicken mangos will keep them at bay from deficiencies of such minerals. It’ll also save them from major sickness.
Another interesting fact about mango is that the fruit contains about 80-84 percent of water. It means that your chickens will benefit from the water content when they’re thirsty. That’s why mango is a very important food for your birds in summer.
From 80 grams of mangos, your chickens will get about 1.3 grams of fiber. For the easy bowel movements of your chickens, fiber is a much-needed nutrient that mango contains.
The only downside of mangos is that it contains a very high amount of sugar. And you already know why you need to control the sugar intake of your flock. So, mangos can be excellent for your chickens if you limit the amount.
Health Benefits Of Mangos For Your Chickens
Mangos are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just like us, chickens can get lots of health benefits from eating mangos. Here are some important health benefits of mangos for chickens.
· Overall Wellbeing
The vitamin A present in mangos can lead to the overall healthy body of chickens.
· Improved Heart Health
Mangos contain magnesium and vitamin A, which lead to the healthy heart health of chickens.
· Improved Lung Health
Dense with nutrients, mangos can benefit your chickens by improving their lung health.
· Improved Kidney Health
Some vital nutrients present in mangos can improve the kidney health of chickens.
· Healthy Blood Cells
Your chickens can have healthy blood cells as they consume a low amount of mangos.
· Improved Eye Health
The eye health of your chickens will improve from the vitamin B6 present in mangos.
· Immune System Improvement
Filled with vitamin C and K, mangos can improve the immune system of your birds.
· Improved Nerve Health
Mangos contain potassium, which can lead to improved nerve health of your chickens.
· Better Wound Healing
The vitamin K present in mangos can improve the wound healing system in your birds.
· Promotes Bone Health
Your chickens will get better bone health from the vitamin K present in mangos.
Can Chickens Eat Mango Core?
As I’ve mentioned above, chickens can’t eat mango cores or pits. That’s because mango cores are hard in texture and bitter in taste. But, mango cores aren’t toxic or harmful to your chickens.
Some chickens prefer eating the cores of unripe mangos as they aren’t too hard. But, if your chickens eat mango cores and feel sick after eating, you need to contact a vet without delay.
Can Chickens Eat Mango Leaves?
No, chickens can’t eat mango leaves due to the substance called urushiol. It can be toxic for chickens as it can have a negative impact on their lung and heart health.
If you have mango plants on your homestead, it’s better to keep your chickens away from them. Also, you need to clean the floor so that no leaves are exposed to your flock.
Conclusion
Can chickens eat mango?
Yes, they can, and your chickens will probably love the tasty treat.
Chickens can eat mango flesh but not the other parts of the fruit and plant.
However, you need to be strict with the number of mangoes you provide to your flock.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Homestead Lifestyle Board!!
