Can Chickens Eat Cherries? (Nutrition, Advantage & Feeding Tips)

There are many ways that chickens bring their owners’ joy. One of those ways could be their great love for food. It’s fun to see them go crazy for treats, and it’s astonishing to see them demolish them within minutes!

Chickens are great lovers of food. With that, rarely do they say no to it. As most handlers already know, this can be both a benefit and a challenge. It is not a problem because they would likely eat anything you throw at them. The problem is, they can’t eat everything.

Well, you don’t have to worry! We will be examining cherries for today.

Can Chickens Eat Cherries?

Yes, but some parts are safer than others. You don’t have to worry. We will tackle each component.

For now, let’s talk about the flesh.

The flesh is one of the safest parts of the fruit. While you should be careful with the other portions, this part is uncontroversial. The only precaution you have to worry about with this part is the potential for overeating, as chickens can find the cherry flesh quite irresistible.

Now, let’s talk about the other parts.

Can Chickens Eat the Cherry Skin?

You don’t have to peel the cherries. Your chickens can eat the skin.

The cherry skin is also safe for chickens to eat. You might want to give it a good wash if it is from the store. Generally, you should wash any fruit or vegetable you purchased. The skin or anything exposed might not be unhealthy for the chickens, but it might have a chemical coating. It is those things that could be harmful to your chickens.

Can Chickens Eat the Cherry Leaves?

Here’s where the cherry gets a little complicated as a treat. Chickens can eat the leaves, but there are precautions to consider.

You can let your chickens have the leaves assuming you’re not giving them the wilted ones. The wilted leaves contain cyanide. As we all know, this substance is harmful! Because of this, some chicken handlers have decided to avoid the leaves.

I also steer clear from leaves, but that is a personal preference. I usually steer clear of treats that need particular conditions to be safe for chickens. Again, it’s a personal preference. If you want to give your chickens cherry leaves, ensure to check that they’re still in a healthy shade of green!

Read more about cherry leaves, cyanide, and their effect on livestock here.

Can Chickens Eat the Cherry Pits and Stems?

Now, let’s talk about the pits and stems. You can let the chickens have both, but here are some things you should know first.

Let’s discuss the pits first. People in the poultry world are not united in their view of the pits. One reason is that the pits contain some cyanide. In other words, it is poisonous. It would be easy to think it’s not safe for chickens. Well, it is!

The pits have a harmful substance for the chickens, but you need a large amount for it to take effect. Unless you’re going to give them more cherries than allowed, you should not be worried!

Despite all that, some keepers still stay away from the pits. Some are simply being extra careful and steering clear of toxic elements. And others—because they view the pits as a choking hazard.

It seems there isn’t a problem at all. Chickens generally don’t even like the pits. Many handlers say the seeds get left behind when they give their chickens the whole cherry.

On the other hand, the stem also poses almost the same risk as the pits. Maybe just a little lower. However, like the pits, chickens don’t seem to like them much.

Generally, you don’t have to go out of your way to give your chickens the pits and stems. On the other hand, you don’t have to get rid of the seeds and stalk as well. Pecking once or twice at the pits and stems won’t hurt your chickens.

Do Chickens Like Cherries?

Generally, chickens go crazy for the flesh and skin of cherries. And they stay away from the pits, stems, and leaves.

It is important to remember that chickens have different preferences. Don’t be surprised if your chickens don’t like the cherries you give them. There are dozens and dozens of cherries. They may probably prefer another if they don’t develop a liking for one type.

You can throw your chickens a few cherries to see if they like it. It’s always a good idea to see their reaction to a new treat first. This way, there would be less mess if they don’t like the new snack.

Are Cherries Good for Chickens?

We know the chickens could eat the fruit. We also know that most of them like it. Now, let’s see if it’s good for them.

Cherries have a lot of good things in them. They also don’t have a lot of unhealthy elements in them. For one, cherries have vitamin A and calcium. Furthermore, it doesn’t have many calories and sodium. Win-win!

However, cherries do have a large amount of sugar. Also, it doesn’t have all the nutrients the chickens need. So, cherries can be a good treat. But it can’t be a staple in your chicken’s diet.

100g Cherries Nutrition
Nutrient	Value
energy	63 kcal
water	82.2 g
protein	1.06 g
fat	0.2 g
carbohydrate	16 g
fiber	2.1 g
Vitamin B-6	0.049 mg
Vitamin C	7 mg
Vitamin K	2.1 ug
Manganese	0.07 mg
iron	0.36 mg
potassium	222 mg
magnesium	11 mg
phosphorus	21 mg
sodium	0 mg
zinc	0.07 mg
Folate	4 ug

Can Chicks Eat Cherries?

Since we already talked about the adults, let’s not forget about the little ones!

The general rule is that the chicks can eat what the chickens can. So, yes! The chicks can eat cherries. You only need to be a little careful.

Even if you’re letting your chickens have the pits, you should take them out for your chicks. Take into account the size of your chicks. The seeds could be a choking hazard for them.

However, like with adults, limit the cherries you give them. Remember, chicks should mostly stay on starter feed, at least until the 6th week. After that, you can introduce more treats to them.

How Many Cherries Is Safe To Give To Chickens?

The safest is 2 to 4 pieces per week for adults. It is the ideal amount considering it is a treat only. Remember that cherry should never be a part of the standard diet. You can use it to bribe your flock to exercise or to run in the yard. For chicks, give it sparingly, as they cannot tolerate sweets as much as the adult chickens.

Also, slice it before giving it to them. That way, you can prevent them from choking. If the worst case happens, remove them from a stressful environment and start giving them a massage. Then, hold the chicken upside down until they spit out the stuck food.

What Happens If Chickens Have Too Much Cherry?

It is less likely to happen if you’re strict with the count. But on occasions where you left it unconsciously unattended, it may cause stomach upset. And as we all know, cherries are sweet treats that can cause obesity, heat exhaustion, and decreased egg production when fed excessively.

Overweight chickens can suffer from health problems like fatty hemorrhagic syndrome. However, you don’t need to worry about this too much, as chickens can naturally control themselves from eating sweets.

Moving on to egg production, if chickens overeat treats, they are less likely to consume their original diet. So if you want a bountiful harvest, don’t let them overindulge. Instead, feed them with adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals.  

Cherries for the Summer

Cherries could be a great addition to the summer treats of your chickens.

This fruit holds a lot of water. As you might already know, chickens need more water during the summer. Giving them hydrating treats will surely help with the summer heat.

Since the cherry doesn’t have many calories, it’s one of the best summer treats if you have overweight chickens on your run.

You might want to chill them before giving them to your chickens to maximize the refreshing effect!

Other Summer Treats

It’s never too early or too late to prepare for the summer! Here are a few treats you might want to consider:

• Watermelons– This fruit holds a large amount of water and renders all its parts safe to eat. With that said, you don’t have to worry about the seeds, unlike with the cherry!
• Strawberries– You can also add strawberries to the list. It is composed of around 92% water.
• Radishes– Switching over to the vegetables and keeping in line with the color code, you can add radishes to the list.
• Cucumber– Chill this vegetable and slice it in rounds. It can help chickens conserve their energy during the heat waves.
• Apples– This fruit is packed with antioxidants that help improve the immune system of the flock. You can feed it whole or blend it into apple juice to make it easier.

 

Again, you might want to chill these treats to optimize their refreshing effect on your chickens.

Also, you might want to check this list if you’re looking for more high-water content treats. You can feed everything on the list to your chickens.

Cherry Cautions

Cherries are safe to eat, but if you want to keep a healthy chicken on your land, you might want to consider these things.

 

• Glazed Cherries– Try to stay away from glazed cherries. Chickens don’t need extra sugar, and this type of cherry has sugar all over it!
• Dried Cherries– You can let your chickens have some dried cherries, but you might want to avoid those with sugar coatings. Again, chickens don’t need the extra sugar.

Summary

Can chickens eat cherries?

Every part of the cherry is safe to consume, but some portions are safer than others. However, if you allow them cherries only in moderation, you do not have to worry.

Chickens would most likely only go crazy over the flesh and skin. On the other hand, they may not like the pits, stems, and leaves. These parts may have some harmful substance, but you could also give them to your chicken.

If you have some little chicks, you can also let them have some cherries. However, you might want to take out the pits or chop them, so they will not be a choking hazard.

Cherries have many healthy substances in them. Also, they don’t have a hefty unhealthy element in them. However, it shouldn’t be a part of the staple diet of your chickens. It doesn’t have all the things they would need. With that said, cherries can be a healthy treat!