Can Chickens Eat Pecans?

Yes, chickens can eat pecans. Not only pecans, chickens can eat all kinds of nuts. You can add different nuts, such as almonds, cashews, pine nuts, pistachios, etc., to their diet for added health benefits.

Pecans are power-packed with healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and protein. Add these once or twice a week to your chicken’s diet along with other foods as a healthy treat.

If you have a pecan tree growing in your backyard, then you must be concerned about your foraging chickens pecking on pecan shells. But, do not worry, as not only can chickens eat pecan shells, but they can also safely eat pecans. Read on further to know more about how to feed your chickens pecans.

Are Pecans Good for Chickens?

Like other nuts, pecans are also good for your chickens. They can make a healthy diet for your chickens. Here are all the nutrients found in these nuts that are good for your flock. 

Nutrients Content in 1 oz. of Pecans

• Protein – 2.5gm
• Fat – 20.5gm
• Calories – 196
• Carbohydrates – 4gm
• Fiber – 2.7gm
• Vitamin B1 – 16% of RDV
• Zinc – 12% of RDV
• Copper – 38% of RDV
• Iron – 4% of RDV
• Magnesium – 8% of RDV
• Phosphorus – 6% of the DV

The above values prove that chickens can eat pecans for their fantastic health benefits. However, this tasty treat should be fed to them occasionally because of its high fat content.

Apart from the nutrients mentioned above, feeding pecans also brings certain other benefits:

Pecans are Loaded with Antioxidants

Pecans help protect the cells in the body from free radical damage. A lack of antioxidants can lead to serious health issues caused by cell damage. Antioxidants also enhance a chicken’s egg production capacity.

Pecans are High in Fat

Too many nuts can increase the fat content in chickens, leading to health issues. But, when fed in small amounts, these prove to be an excellent treat. These fats boost egg production in egg-laying hens.

Pecans Aid Healthy Digestion

When fed in small quantities, pecans and most nuts benefit the digestive system. They prevent constipation and promote regular bowel movements.

Even though chickens can eat all varieties of nuts, this delicious snack should not be added to their meals regularly. One can feed nuts as table scraps or as a healthy snack in-between meals.

Do Chickens Like Pecans?

Yes, chickens like fresh pecans, pecan shells, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, and the most common nuts. They find it a delicious treat and love pecking on them. 

It is fine as long as you ensure that your chickens do not eat pine nuts, pecans, or other nuts in huge quantities.

The best way to make chickens eat nuts is to add chopped nuts to your flock’s diet occasionally.

How to Feed Pecans to Chickens?

You can give your chickens pecans in a variety of ways. However, keep the following points in mind, before you feed chickens pecans or other nuts:

• As a chicken owner, ensure that you feed chickens only with fresh pecans and not stale ones. Raw nuts are also safe for chickens. Only raw peanuts should be avoided.
• If you are feeding mixed nuts to your flock containing macadamia nuts, pine nuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, etc., ensure that they do not have seasonings like salt, sugar, paprika, etc. 
• Sugary treats can lead to digestive issues in chickens. Their bodies do not need additional sugar or other seasonings.
• Too much salt should be avoided in chicken feed. They feel very thirsty and drink a lot of water, proving fatal to their health.
• If you are raising backyard chickens, you can throw a handful of nuts every once or twice a week on the ground for them to peck upon. This will also promote their foraging.
• You can also add a few nuts to the chicken feed weekly once or twice.

Ideally, most nuts can be fed to baby chickens as well. If your baby chicks eat pecans, they can benefit from the healthy fats in nuts. However, beware of providing too many treats to baby chickens as it may lead to an upset stomach.

Can Chickens Eat Pecan Leaves?

Pecan has have a toxin called juglone. This toxin has an effect similar to that of cyanide when ingested by chickens. But as the concentration of this toxin is low, it will not kill your chickens.

If you have a pecan tree in your backyard, you will notice that chickens scratch the leaves and do not consume them. So, it should not cause any harm.

But, if you find your chickens pecking at the leaves, then it is best to remove the tree or your chickens from there. In large quantities, pecan leaves can prove fatal for your chickens.

Conclusion

So, the answer to whether chicken can eat pecans is yes. Chickens eat nuts of all kinds. Feed your hens and chickens a specially formulated feed containing a healthy mix of nuts to ensure overall growth and wellbeing.