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Can Chickens Eat Pineapple

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If you are looking to try a new treat for your chickens, know that you are spoilt for choice. There are so many fruits and greens to choose from. Every new fruit/green gives your chickens a different taste and a unique combination of nutrients. Now, if you’ve never given them pineapples, you may want to try it out.

Can chickens eat pineapple?

Chickens can eat pineapples. You can give them pineapples in different forms: cooked or raw. But you should only expect them to eat the flesh as humans do.

collage of a chicken thinking pineapple

As you’ll find with other treats, feeding them excessive amounts of pineapple will do no good for them.

There are many ways you can feed pineapples to your chickens. In this writeup, we shall discuss pineapple treat ideas and other things you need to know about feeding pineapples to chickens.

Can They Eat Pineapple Fruit

The pineapple fruit is sweet, juicy, filled with nutrients, and yes, chickens can eat pineapples. They are safe to eat it, as long as you are giving the chickens moderate amounts.

Although chickens can eat pineapple fruit, you may find that not all of your chickens eat when you offer it to them. This is normal and is usually not a sign of any problem. Like us, there are certain things individual chickens do not have a taste for.

So, if you notice some or all of your chickens are not eating the pineapples you give to them, you should stop. The pineapples will only rot and waste, we are sure you do not want that.

freshly harvested pineapples

Whenever you intend to feed your chickens pineapple fruit, try giving them the softer parts. By giving them these parts, you make pecking on the pineapple and digesting it easier. Also, these parts are more likely to be juicier.

You can also offer them the pineapple fruit in smaller chunks. Ensure that you only feed them fresh pineapple fruits. You do not want your chickens to suffer from the effects of mycotoxins that come with moldy pineapples.

Can They Eat Cooked Pineapple

Besides giving your chickens raw pineapple, you can also cook it. Cooking it might make it tastier and juicier, depending on how you cook it.

If your chickens reject raw pineapples, you can try giving them cooked pineapples instead. The difference in taste, albeit little, might just do the trick.

Now, when cooking pineapples for your chickens, pay attention to cooking time. When you cook for too long or overcook, you are likely to destroy most of the nutrients in it. Without the nutrients, there might be no point feeding them pineapples.

Can They Eat Pineapple Skin

If you offer pineapple skin to your chickens, they most likely will not eat it. Even if you offer them the flesh along with the skin, they are more likely to leave the skin uneaten.

They stay away from eating pineapple skin due to its texture. It has a rough, hard texture, and it may not be digested easily.

close up of pineapple skin

Of course, some chickens might eat the pineapple skin, especially if they have a strong peck. But for such chickens, only a small amount is okay. Eating more than a little can become a problem.

Can They Eat Pineapple Tops

The edibility of pineapple tops is similar to that of the pineapple skin.

Chickens will most likely not eat pineapple tops. The tops are thicky and thorny. Pecking them can be a problem for the chickens.

Ideas for Feeding Pineapple

Frozen Pineapple Cubes

Doing this with an ice tray will make things easier for you.

  • Chop the pineapple flesh into cubes. Make these cubes about ¾ the size of the mold of the ice tray.
  • Place a pineapple cube in each mold, then fill the mold with water.
  • Place the ice tray in a freezer and freeze its contents.
  • Serve the frozen cubes formed to your chickens.

These cubes are better suited for hot days. As the ice melts, the chicken can peck at the pineapple and eat it. You may choose to mix this with some other fruits or greens that can be eaten by chickens.

Pineapple Salad

To prepare the pineapple salad, cut the pineapple flesh into small bits alongside other fruits or greens safe for chickens. You may add bananas, apples, and carrots. Mix up well and serve.

Pineapple on a String

Another idea you can adopt is to hang the whole pineapple on a string.

  • First, remove the pineapple top, then peel the skin.
  • Make a hole through pineapple, then pass a rope through it.
  • Make one side of the rope into a knot. This will serve as a stop for the pineapple and hold it in place.
  • Tie the other end of the rope to the ceiling or any other structure the pineapple can hang from.
  • Then let the chickens peck at the hanging pineapple.

Ensure that the pineapple does not hang too high that the chickens cannot reach it.

Dried Pineapple

dried pineapples with fresh mint leaves on the table

You may also cut the pineapple into tiny chunks and leave them out to dry. When they are dry enough, serve them to the chickens. Dried pineapples can be stored for longer without going bad, and they rarely cause digestive disturbances for chickens.

Risks of Overfeeding

We’ve said this a couple of times already, but we’ll say it again. Feed your chickens moderately. If you overfeed chickens, they might have a tough time digesting the pineapples. Excessive amounts of pineapples may also lead to the formation of fiber balls or bezoars in chickens.

Things to Note

These are some important things to note when feeding pineapple to your chickens:

  • Do not overfeed the chickens.
  • If they do not eat the pineapples after you offer it to them a few times, stop giving it to them.
  • Do not give unripe or overripe pineapples to the chickens. These types of pineapples are usually more acidic.
  • Ensure that you do not give them rotting or moldy pineapples.
  • Pay attention to your chickens after feeding them pineapples. If you notice anything negative, you may want to stop giving it to them.

The Sum-Up

Chickens can eat pineapples safely, but they will most likely eat only the flesh. When feeding them, ensure that the pineapple is ripe and fresh. Also, ensure that you only give them just enough, not too much.

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