People sometimes add paper to the foods in order to make them spicy.
If you prepare a lot of spicy foods at home, you might be wondering if it is good to serve some for the chickens as a treat.
In this blog post, you are going to discover if it is safe to serve spicy food for the chickens. You will also learn how to go about it.
Can chickens eat spicy food? Chickens can eat spicy food. You can include grounded pepper in some of the feeds you serve the chickens. Chickens don’t really feel hot when they eat spicy food.
Are spicy foods safe for chickens?
First, spicy foods are safe for the chickens to eat. Chickens are going to derive protein and some other nutrients by eating food which contains pepper.
If you always feel it anytime you eat spicy food. You might be wondering if the chickens are going to feel the same thing.
The thing is that birds in general do not have heat receptors in their mouths like we do. So they are not going to feel the heat when they are eating spicy food.
It is being said that spicy food can also boost egg production if you feed them to the layers.
One thing is that I have not seen any practical experiments that confirm this theory. But I have seen some people will believe in this whole heartedly.
I did a little research about feeding spicy food for the chickens, I discovered that other chicken owners also feed spicy food to the chickens.
A member of the backyard chicken forum gives an account on how her chickens feed on the Pepper she throws in the silo.
Other chicken owners stated that they do add grounded pepper to the feed they serve the chickens.
Does spicy food hurt chickens?
Chickens do not feel hurt when they eat food which contains pepper and other spicy ingredients like chili.
Majority of the birds including the chickens do not possess a broad tongue like that of humans.
As a result of this, the chickens don’t have any receptors on their tiny tongues which makes them feel nothing when they eat spicy food.
How do I introduce spicy food to my chickens?
You might be wondering how you are going to introduce the spicy food to the chickens since you have not fed them before.
The only way you can go about it is to mix grounded pepper together with the feed you serve the chickens.
The chickens are not going to be bothered by the presence of the grinder purpose in their feed.
How often do I feed my chickens with spicy food?
Now you know that you can serve spicy food for the chickens, that does not mean you should go all out and start throwing every pepper you have on the chickens.
You should only mix pepper together with the chicken feed and serve it for them two times in a month maximum.
If you have some leftover or spicy foods, you can serve them to the chickens and should not be more than two times a week.
Can chicks eat spicy food?
You should not include spicy food in some of the things you serve the chicks as their early stage.
Only serve them feed which contains a high proportion of protein and some other nutrients.
You can start saving them spicy food the moment they are 10 month and above. At this stage they would have been familiar with different treats.
Can spicy food cause tummy upset in chickens?
I have never seen or read anywhere that pepper or spicy food causes a tummy upset in chickens.
One thing is that you should only serve spicy food for the chickens in moderation. This will help you to be on the safer side when you are serving chickens some spicy food.
Other treats you can serve the chickens
The following are some other treats you can serve the chickens.
Cashew
Chickens can eat cashew if you serve them. The chickens are going to eat the fleshy part of the cashew.
You can also dry the seed, grind them into smaller pieces and mix with other feed yourself the chickens. The seeds serve as a good source of calcium.
Sausage
Chickens are going to eat sausage, be it the one you buy from the store or the one you prepare at home. Just ensure that you serve sausage for the chickens in moderation.
Cabbage
Cabbage is one of the leafy vegetables you can serve the chickens. Cabbage provides the chickens with vitamin C and antioxidants which helps to boost the immune system of the pet.
Bread
Bread is one of the treats you can serve the chickens. Chickens are capable of eating all different kinds of bread.
But you should ensure to serve fresh bread for the chickens. However, you should not serve them chocolate bread. Also, you should not serve them moldy foods.
Carrots
Chickens can also eat carrots. Carrots are good for the chickens as it helps to improve their vision by providing them with vitamin A. You can cut the carrot into smaller pieces before you serve them for the chickens.
Scrambled eggs
If you have scrambled eggs for the chickens they are going to eat it. Serve scrambled eggs for the chickens alone or with other treats. Scrambled eggs provide the chickens with protein and vitamins.
Treats that are poisonous to the chickens
It is good to also know some of the treats that are poisonous for the chicken so that you will not have them for your pets.
Chocolate
Chocolate is not good for the chickens. They are going to experience tummy upset if they manage to eat chocolate bars. Chocolate contains too much sugar in them.
Green potatoes
You should not serve green potatoes for the chickens as a treat. Even it is not advisable to serve potatoes that still have some green spots on them for the chickens.
Moldy foods
It is good to serve some leftovers for the chickens, you should avoid serving them moldy food. Moldy food contains bacteria which can cause damage to the health of the chickens.
Conclusion
Chickens can eat spicy food. Chickens do not feel the heat when they are eating spicy food because they don’t have heat receptors in their mouths.
Spicy foods are a good source of protein for the chickens. You can mix grounded pepper to the feed you serve the chickens.
Reference
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feeding-chickens-spicy-stuff.840485/
