Chicken are omnivores and they can eat anything that their beaks land on. They can eat a wide variety of fruits, grains, table scraps, and vegetables.
When you have chicken in your backyard you would like to provide them with a balanced diet for them to have good health.
You need to feed them with both grains; vegetables and fruits which are very essential for their health as they contain vitamins and minerals they require in their bodies.
Many of us will feed our chicken with the available fruits like apples, bananas, and oranges but would you like your chicken to try exotic fruits?
Dragon fruit is not very common. It is an exotic fruit mostly grown in tropic regions and can be found in stores when it is a season. It contains nutrients that other fruits do not have.
So, can chickens eat dragon fruits? Of course, yes. Chickens s can feed on dragon fruit and gain a lot of nutrients from it. Dragon fruit contains antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that the chicken will benefit from.
The skin of the fruit is usually tough hence you need to serve the chickens with the flesh alone as it is soft and becomes easier for them to peck on it.
Is Dragon Fruit Healthy for Chickens?
Yes, dragon fruit is healthy for chickens. It contains nutrients that are essential for the body of the chicken hence healthy fruit to them.
It contains antioxidants that help the cells against free radicals when the body breaks down food or when the chickens are exposed to radiation.
The fruit contains vitamins that are essential for boosting the immune system of the chicken’s body hence they can fight diseases on their own.
They are rich in fiber and this is essential when it comes to digestion hence it makes it easy for a bowel movement in chickens.
Calcium and phosphorous minerals are vital for chickens. They are responsible for the quality of their eggshells and hatchability. The deficiency of these minerals could also lead to rickets.
Dragon fruits are healthy for the chickens hence you should serve this exotic fruit to your chickens once in a while.
Can Chickens Eat Dragon Fruit Skin?
Yes, chickens can eat dragon fruit skin. However, the skin is very tough and this may make it difficult for the chicken to chew and break down the skin.
You can cut it into small pieces and feed it to your chickens. The skin contains antioxidants that are good for the chicken hence it has nutritional value to the chicken.
It also contains fiber that is helpful to the chicken when it comes to bowel movement hence instead of throwing away the skin, you can feed your chickens with it.
However, before serving the chickens with dragon fruit, you should clean it well to ensure the chemicals and pesticides that might have been used during production are not on the skin as they may affect the health of the chicken.
Can Chickens Eat Dragon Fruits’ Seeds Safely?
Absolutely yes. Chickens can eat dragon fruit seeds safely. They do not contain any toxic substance that can harm the chickens.
The seeds have nutritional value to chickens whereby they contain fiber which is essential for the chicken as it aids in bowel movement.
The seeds also contain fatty acids which are important in the formation of the egg cell membrane.
The seeds are small in size and they cannot choke the chickens even the chicks hence they have no harm to the chickens.
Chickens can safely be fed on dragon fruit seeds.
Can Baby Chickens Eat Dragon Fruit?
Yes, baby chickens can eat dragon fruit with ease. However, the dragon fruit skin should not be served to them as it is tough and when cut into small pieces it can easily choke them.
The flesh and the seeds can comfortably be served to the baby chickens and they will enjoy feeding on it.
The dragon fruit has a lot of nutritional value to the chickens hence the baby chicken will equally benefit from that.
The fruit can be served to baby chickens in small amounts and in moderation.
Can Chickens Eat Dragon Fruit Peels?
Yes, chickens can eat dragon fruit peels. Although they are tough and can make it hard for the chickens to eat and digest them.
However, they are useful as they contain antioxidants that are essential in the chicken’s body as it helps the cells against radiations.
The fiber in it aids in bowel movement and this makes it easier for the chickens to remove the bowel.
However, you should not serve the peels to the chickens as they have more negative than positive impacts.
How Much Dragon Fruit Should You Feed Your Chickens?
You need to serve 2 to 3 dragon fruits to your chickens. However, it depends on the number of flocks, large flocks will need more dragon fruits.
The dragon fruits should be served as a treat and not the main food so, once they finish the one served, you do not need to add more.
Each serving should contain 5 to 6 grams of the fruit and the fruits need to be alternated. Do not serve only one type of fruit to your chickens throughout.
How Often Should You Feed Your Chickens Dragon Fruit?
Adult chicken can be fed on dragon fruit twice a week considering that it is the only fruit being fed to it during the week.
As they have high water content and sugar content, then their serving should be moderated as it can affect the chickens negatively.
You also need to rotate dragon fruits with other fruits for the chicken to get other nutrients that they are not getting from the dragon fruit.
In Conclusion
Chicken can eat dragon fruit safely. The fruit does not contain any toxic substance that can harm the chickens.
It has nutritional value as it contains antioxidants, fibers, minerals, and vitamins which are essential for the chickens’ body.
The dragon fruit skin can be eaten by the chickens but it is tough for them although it contains some nutrients which are helpful to the chickens.
The seeds can be fed to the chickens as they are small in size they cannot cause the choking effect to the chickens even the chicks and also do not contain any toxic substance that can harm the chickens.
