Can Chickens Eat Jalapenos? (Safe Diet Tips)

Yes, chickens eat jalapeno peppers in the same way that people do and they like eating it. They are an absolute favorite of chickens and also quite beneficial to them. 

They give taste to the birds’ food while acting as a natural dewormer. But there are some parts of jalapenos that you must avoid feeding your chickens. Read on to know more about the benefits and limitations of feeding jalapenos or chili peppers to chickens.

Are Jalapenos Good For Chicken?

Chickens eat spicy peppers such as jalapenos as it provides the following nutrients that are necessary for hens’ bodies:

• It includes vitamin A, which helps hens maintain their procreative and overall health. The vitamin enhances the hens’ vision and gives their coats a brilliant, shining appearance.
• Jalapenos have calcium and phosphorous elements, both of which are necessary for the viability and hatchability of their eggs. Calcium also contributes to the strength of their bones.
• Vitamin K is present in jalapenos and is necessary for blood clotting and wound repair. Vitamin K deficiency may cause poultry to bleed very much.
• Vitamin C boosts their immune system, while vitamin B aids them in various ways. All of the vitamins found in jalapenos are beneficial and necessary.

Jalapenos are beneficial for hens, but you should feed them in moderation since too many hot peppers may be harmful to their health.

Does Jalapenos Benefit Your Chicken?

Chickens benefit from eating jalapenos in numerous ways. Some of the benefits include:

More Egg Output:

Due to capsaicin, a chemical that aids in stimulating egg production, you can notice the increased output of eggs. The capsaicin also aids in the chicken’s metabolic activities.

Advanced Immune Response:

The high Vitamin C concentration of jalapenos leads to advanced immune response. It supports a balanced immune system by increasing the chicken’s resistance to sickness and infection. 

Furthermore, by lowering the temperature of hens suffering from respiratory illness or other inflammatory conditions, cayenne pepper may aid in the reduction of infections.

Enhanced Body Condition:

Capsaicin, a chemical found in jalapeno peppers, can promote appetite and aid the digestive system in other farmed species. It includes dogs and horses. 

This indicates that adding tiny quantities of jalapeño peppers to your hens’ feed mix will consume more food. It results in enhanced weight growth and general bird health.

Eggshells Of Higher Grade:

Consuming jalapenos may improve eggshell integrity since the magnesium in the peppers helps thicken hens’ eggshell barrier. It results in higher-quality eggs with stronger shells.

Better Reproductive Capacity:

Consuming jalapeño peppers improves fertility by raising roosters’ sperm quantity and motility. This leads to a more significant number of viable eggs produced by hens who mate with these roosters.

Furthermore, administering capsaicin to your chicken feed may boost embryo survival by up to 52 percent when medically incubating chicken eggs. It results in more live chicks from each batch of fertilized eggs. Jalapenos are a fantastic food to use for DIY fertilization and hatchability boosters.

Does Jalapeno Feel Spicy to Chickens?

Surprisingly, chickens cannot detect the spiciness of jalapenos or any other spicy food. The receptor for detecting capsaicin is missing in them. Capsaicin is the chemical that gives spicy peppers their spiciness and generates a burning sensation in the mouth after eating one.

The hens cannot detect the same fiery feeling that humans experience in their mouths after eating spicy foods like peppers. It makes them safe to consume and will not hurt them in any way.

Can You Feed Jalapeno Tops To Chickens?

While chickens can eat the seeds within jalapenos, what about the tops (calyx)? Is it possible for your hens to consume them as well? It is a big no.

Since solanine is present in the calyx of jalapenos, it may be deadly to your pet’s health. Jalapenos are nightshade crops. Their green sections are high in solanine. It’s a naturally present glycoalkaloid toxin designed to keep insects away from their produce.

While solanine does not hurt people in large doses, it may be dangerous to your pets. As a result, before giving a jalapeno to your hens, you must carefully eliminate the calyx.

Should You Feed Jalapeno Leaves To Your Chicken?

As previously mentioned, the jalapeno tops are toxic for chickens. The same may be true about the leaves of this spicy pepper. As a result, never give them jalapenos with their foliage.

You should not plant nightshade vegetation in your garden. If you already have these plants, keep an eye on them and ensure your hens don’t go too near. The stalks and branches of these plants, like the leaves, are poisonous to hens. And you should never offer it to your chickens.

Conclusion

Jalapenos and their seeds are safe for hens to consume and offer many health benefits. They do not possess any poisonous substances that may hurt them.

But, you should not feed the green parts of the jalapeno plant to hens. They carry solanine chemicals that are toxic to them. The points given above will help you understand the benefits of providing jalapeno to your feathery friends.