Chickens are omnivores, which means they’ll eat just about anything you give them. That said, some foods are healthier for them than others.
Chickens love to eat their favorite things like seeds, bugs, and worms, but they also enjoy eating other foods. My chickens enjoy many types of fruits on occasion and one of those is plums. Plums are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
Can chickens eat plums? Yes, plums are a part of the Prunus genus (family Rosaceae) of plants. Plum pits contain small amounts of cyanide. Remove the pit before feeding them to your chickens. Plums contain 16 grams of sugar so only feed them to your chickens as a treat.
If your chickens like to eat fruit and you want to give them plums to eat, you need to use your best judgment. Make sure they don’t eat too many of them.
Health Benefits Of Plums For Chickens
One cup of sliced plums contains the following: 76 calories, 1 gram of protein, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 16 grams of sugar. The sugars found in plums include glucose, sucrose, and fructose.
A research study found that plums have immune-enhancing properties. When adding plums to a chickens overall diet it helps with protective immunity against coccidiosis. Coccidiosis is a parasitic diease found in the intestinal tract of chickens.
Plums are also a good source for the following vitamins and minerals listed below.
Vitamin A
The mucous-producing glands in chickens such as the nose, esophagus, and inner eyelid require vitamin A to function properly.
Vitamin K
A lack of vitamin K in a chicken’s diet can affect blood coagulation. This means if your chicken gets hurt and starts bleeding it would be difficult to stop.
Sorbitol
Studies have found sorbitol lowers cholesterol in chickens. It can also be used to increase body weight in broiler chickens raised for meat consumption.
Potassium
Potassium helps with egg production in laying hens and reduces heat stress during hot weather.
Antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential in poultry nutrition. They are often used to maintain fertility for chicken producing farms.
Calcium
Calcium is important for laying hens to lay their eggs. Without calcium, your hens will eventually stop laying eggs altogether. Eggshells contain 380 mg of calcium per gram.
Laying hens need to consume 4 grams of calcium a day as it takes 2 grams of calcium to make one eggshell.
Folate
Chickens need folate for proper feather growth and to avoid anemia.
Fiber
Plums contain 2 grams of fiber which aids the digestive system of chickens.
Can Chickens Eat Plum Pits?
No, chickens can’t eat plum pits. Plum pits contain the chemical compound amygdalin. This compound breaks down into cyanide when ingested. Remove the pit before feeding the plum to your chickens.
Can Chickens Eat Dried Plums?
Dried plums are also known as prunes. Prunes contain higher amounts of sugar compared to fresh plum fruit. While chickens can eat them in small amounts is not advisable to their higher sugar concentration.
One cup of dried plums or prunes contains 66 grams of sugar while one cup of fresh plums contains 16 grams of sugar. As you can see there is a big difference between a dried plum and a fresh one.
Can Chickens Eat Frozen Plums?
Yes, chickens can eat frozen plums. Try feeding sliced frozen plums to your chickens on a hot day and watch them go wild for them.
Can Plums Be Poisonous To Chickens?
Yes, the pits or seeds of the plum can be poisonous to chickens. Remove the pit before feeding the plum to your chickens and you should have no problems.
Can chickens eat the skin of a plum?
Yes, chickens can eat the skin of a plum. The skin of a plum contains many nutrients. Make sure and wash the plum before feeding it to your chicken in case there is any chemical pesticide residue on it.
How Should You Feed Chickens Plums?
First, wash the plum and then cut it into slices. Make sure to remove the pit and throw it away. While your chicken probably would not eat the pit it does contain amygdalin.
Final Thoughts
When feeding your chickens any type of fruit you should always do so in moderation. A good layer feed should contain most of the essential nutrients your chickens need.
Cleary plums have nutrient rich benefits that are helpful for laying hens.
We all like to spoil our flocks on occasion. So if you have some extra plums your chickens will surely enjoy the tasty sweet treat.