I’ve been raising chickens for a few years now and I’ve found that one of the best ways to make sure they are healthy is by making sure their diet has variety.
Chickens, like most other animals, can be picky eaters (my roosters will turn up their beaks at anything green) but when you offer them a mixed plate of fresh vegetables- not just corn or grains- they seem to really enjoy it.
I’ll often include potatoes, carrots, cabbage, apples, and lettuce in their food so long as it doesn’t spoil too quickly and I once tried yellow squash with great success.
Chickens love the flavor and this is one way to diversify their diet while making sure they are getting all the nutrients they need.
can chickens eat yellow squash?
Contents
Yes, yellow squashes are edible for chickens. They’ll eat the flesh, seeds, skin, and leaves for a nutritious treat.
Make sure to chop it up small enough for them to peck at with their beaks before feeding it to them.
Squash is high in vitamins A, B6, and C, folate, and other minerals. It’s also a good source of magnesium.
It is also a great source of lutein and zeaxanthin, which is good for the health of their eyes and egg yolks.
If you find your chickens don’t eat yellow squash right away after offering it to them, it’s okay! A lot of times they need the food to be chopped up into smaller pieces before eating.
Can chickens eat raw squash?
Chickens can eat raw squash, but you should avoid feeding them squash that is heavy on the seeds. This is because certain types of seeds are poisonous to chickens.
The best way to ensure your chickens are getting nutritious food without being poisoned by bad seeds is by only offering up squash with small seed clusters or no seed clusters at all.
It’s also a good idea to rinse off your squash before serving it to chickens if it has any dirt on it.
If you’re growing it yourself, be sure to clean the yellow squash first since their eggs could have bugs lurking inside them that could contaminate your other veggies.
What vegetables are toxic to chickens?
Many vegetables are safe for chickens, but it’s a good idea to avoid feeding them any garlic and onion. This is because garlic and onions can cause hemolytic anemia in birds.
Garlic and onion also contain thiosulphate, which:
-can be very poisonous to chickens
-can kill them if they ingest it or come into contact with it
Onions and garlic are high in thiosulphate, which chickens can’t break down. Thiosulphate buildup causes clumped hemoglobin proteins, which are carried by red blood cells, to form clusters that subsequently cause the red blood cells to burst.
Plants that are part of the nightshade family are also not safe for chickens to eat, including potatoes and tomatoes.
These plants contain alkaloids like solanine and tomatine that aren’t healthy for birds.
best vegetables to feed chickens
There are plenty of great vegetables out there that chickens enjoy!
Some good options include:
-red or green cabbage, chopped up small enough for your birds to peck at with their beaks
-carrots and other root vegetables are chopped up into tiny pieces before you serve them to your flock.
-parsley, kale slices, broccoli slices, the occasional slice.
Just like with anything else you give your hens, make sure to give them fresh produce in moderation so they don’t eat too much of it and get an upset stomach!
conclusion: Can chicken eat yellow squash?
Yes, they love the flavor and this is one way to diversify their diet while making sure they are getting all the nutrients they need.
Make sure to chop it up small enough for them to peck at with their beaks before feeding it to them and only feed them fresh produce in moderation-they don’t need too much of it or they might end up having an upset stomach.