An apple is definitely the favorite fruit for many people. Animals such as birds and mammals also love apples. What if you have peacocks and want to feed your peacocks some apples?
Can peacocks eat apples?
Peacocks can indeed eat apples. Apples are not just healthy treats for the birds, but are also delicious. While treating your peacocks with apples, however, you want to make sure that you do not give them too many.
Why shouldn’t you give your peacocks too many apples? What other foods and treats should you give to peacocks? Continue reading.
Table of Contents
Can Peacocks Eat Apples?
Peacocks can eat apples. Beyond being delicious, apples are super nutritious for the birds, just like they are for you. There are many benefits to peacocks eating apples, but let us first consider the overall nutritional benefits of apples.
Consider the Nutritional Composition of Apples
| Nutrient | Quantity/100g serving |
| Carbohydrates | 14g |
| Proteins | .3g |
| Fats | .2g |
| Potassium | 107mg |
(Source)
As you can see, apples are rich in vitamins and other nutrients for your peacocks. Apples also have fiber and water, vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron, though they are not listed in the table. Apples surely are nutrient-packed, so let us consider some benefits of peacocks eating apples.
Benefits of Eating Apples
The truth is that the major benefit of apples to peacocks is their role as a treat. Apples are delicious and sweet, so they make great treats and can attract your peacocks from afar. The nutrients apples offer are an added benefit.
As a delicious treat, you can use an apple to train and reward your peacocks so that they behave as you want, such as returning home to roost in the evening.
Now you know some benefits of giving apples to peacocks. Does this mean that you should always give your peacocks some apples?
Consider the Protein Needs of Peacocks
Should you always feed apples to peacocks? Well, no.
If you consider the above table on an apple’s nutritional composition, you will notice that apples have very little protein.
While you may not think of this, you should always consider the protein needs of your peacocks. Peacocks need about 25-30% protein in their regular diet.
What does this mean? It means that feeding your peacocks with too many apples can lead to a deficiency of protein in the birds. This could result in stunted growth, poor development, and loss of feathers. You should not give your peacocks too many apples.
When Should Peacocks Eat Apples?
Considering the fact that apples do not contain as many proteins as peacocks need, you should only offer apples to your peacocks in just a few instances. Here are some cases when you can give your peacocks some apples:
- Give apples to peacocks as treats: Apples are outstanding treats for peacocks.
- Give fewer apples to younger peacocks: The younger a bird is, the more protein it requires. To help your young peacocks to grow quickly, give them a protein-rich diet.
- Follow the advice of the vet: Ask your vet if you can give apples to your peacocks, and follow their advice.
Is there something else to consider regarding feeding peacocks with apples? Yes, there is.
Do Not Feed Your Peacocks Apple Seeds
Apple seeds may be harmful to peacocks as they contain some traces of phytotoxins that can harm people and animals. You do not eat apple seeds, so do not feed your peacocks apple seeds.
Remove the seeds from the apples before you give the fruit to your peacocks.
Now you know everything you should know about feeding peacocks apples.
More Occasional Treats for Peacocks
Aside from apples, here are some treats to feed your peacocks:
- Fruit Salads
- Seed and Grain Mix
- Insect Meal
- Bread Crumbs
These are just treats for your peacocks and are not meant to be regular feed. Let us consider some regular food ideas for your peacocks.
Healthy Staple Foods for Peacocks
Here are some healthy staple food ideas for your peacocks:
1. Peacock Feed (Formulated)
This is indeed the best food for your pet or farm peacocks. Peacock or gamebird formula has just the right amount of nutrients for the peacock, no matter how old or young the bird is. Just make sure that you buy the right feed according to the age of your peacock.
You can find peacock feed in feed mills and pet shops. If you cannot find peacock-specific feed, you can use feed for wild game birds, as these feeds usually have enough protein.
It is not as recommended to feed your peacock long-term with feed for common farm birds such as ducks and chickens.
2. Live Feed
By live feed, think of living foods for your peacocks, such as insects, insect larvae, spiders, etc. These invertebrates (and little animals) are not just delicious for peacocks but also very nutritious.
Like other birds, the natural instincts of peacocks will always make your peacocks prefer live feed to other types of feed.
Some types of live feed that you can easily find or culture for your peacocks are earthworms, mealworm larvae, grub worms, and the larvae of other common insects. If you like, you can easily cultivate some mealworm larvae on food waste, and you do not need to spend a dime after buying the first batch of mealworms.
3. Seeds, Nuts, and Grains
After live feed, the next food items for peacocks are plant products such as nuts, grains, and seeds. These products are not just delicious, they are also super nutritious for the birds. Most seeds and nuts are rich in proteins, while most grains are rich in carbohydrates.
Some examples of grains for peacocks are:
- Barley
- Wheat
- Millet
- Maize (Corn)
- Rye
Some examples of seeds and nuts for peacocks are:
- Peas
- Sunflower seeds
- Chia seeds
- Peanuts
- Cooked beans
Nuts can be expensive when you consider buying a lot of them, so you should give them to your peacocks as treats.
Note that you can use seeds and grains as feed substitutes for your peacocks. Also, try to give your peacocks a lot of grains and seeds, especially during the chilly nights of winter.
4. Fruits and Vegetables
Just like you can with apples, you can give other fruits to your peacocks. Always remember that you are giving fruits to your peacocks as treats instead of as regular meals.
Some examples of fruit treats for your peacocks are:
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Pineapples
- Watermelons
- Mangoes
Notice that most fruits are water-filled. These fruits are best given to peacocks during the hot summer months to help peacocks stay cool. As for vegetables, they are rich in vitamins for your peacocks.
Some examples of vegetables that you can feed your peacocks are:
- Asparagus
- Beets
- Carrots
- Dandelion greens
- Endives
You can give your older peacocks as many vegetables as you can and give them fruits as treats. As for your younger peacocks, give them more protein-rich foods.
5. Let Your Peacocks Forage for Food
In the wild, peacocks search for and eat a wide variety of foods, and their diet usually consists of both animal and plant products. When they are pets or farm animals, you usually control the food that your peacocks eat.
But if you want your peacocks to feel free like their wild relatives, allow them to forage for food themselves.
When foraging for food, peacocks can search for and eat insects, lizards, earthworms, nematodes, plant leaves, fruits, seeds, etc. Just make sure that there are no poisonous plants around. Also, do not allow your peacocks to go so far that they get lost.
Now you know what you can feed your peacocks. What about what you shouldn’t feed them? Continue reading.
Unhealthy Foods for Peacocks
Here are some foods that are not so healthy for peacocks.
- Feed for other animals and birds: Peacocks can eat the feed of other animals but not too much of it. Other animal feed can be too expensive or too low in protein.
- Unhealthy plants: Plants such as eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers are toxic and can harm your peacocks. Do not grow them near your birds. Their fruits and seeds may be safe, but their leaves, flowers, and other parts are not.
- Unhealthy seeds: Just like apple seeds, the seeds/pits of avocados and cherries are not safe for peacocks.
- Sugar-rich foods: Do not feed your birds foods that have too many sugars.
- Raw meat: Your peacocks are pets or farm birds. Do not raise them as raw meat-eaters.
Now you know what to avoid when feeding peacocks.
Final Thoughts
Peacocks can eat apples, but not too many because apples do not contain enough protein to support the growth of these birds. Give apples to your peacocks as treats and not as actual meals.
There are many other types of treats and foods that you can give to your peacocks regularly!