Feeding my chickens has never been a difficult task. I also have never heard chicken owners complain about their birds neglecting food. But does that mean you can feed all sorts of food to chickens? Can chickens eat shrimps as well?
Yes, chickens can eat shrimps. Since these are omnivorous birds, eating shrimp is completely fine for your poultry. But how much of it is healthy for chickens? Can chickens eat shrimps regularly?
Such questions are very common as no bird owner would want to see their chickens suffer due to an unbalanced diet. So here is the guide answering all your queries about chickens eating shrimp, its health benefits, nutritional information, and more.
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Do Chickens Eat Shrimp?
Chickens eat shrimp, and they love its taste. Chickens love all types of seafood, and shrimp is on the list too. Chickens would eat shrimps in all variations like- fresh shrimp, raw shrimp, dried shrimp, fried shrimp, frozen shrimp, cooked shrimps, etc.
But feeding chickens and shrimps should be in moderation. A balanced diet plays a great role in the healthy development of your backyard chickens, so you should provide everything in moderation.
Remember, shrimps are only a treat for chickens and not their regular food. So just like you would consume junk food once in a while or once weekly, the same way you should feed chicken shrimps just once or twice a week.
Moreover, if you feed chickens too much fish like shrimps, their eggs develop a different taste. So it’s best to limit the quantity and keep a good gap between each treat.
Are Shrimps Healthy for Chickens?
Yes, shrimps are healthy for chickens. It is a nutritious food with essential vitamins, minerals, protein, and omega 3 fatty acids. Let’s take a better look at the health benefits of shrimps-
Calcium
Shrimps are a good source of calcium that’s vital for the growth of both humans and chickens. Calcium is a good source for chickens laying eggs. It improves the quality of eggshells and enhances better egg production as well.
Vitamin B12
Shrimps can give your chickens a boost of vitamin B12, which is crucial to keep your birds healthy. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause appetite loss, weight loss, nervous disorders, anemia, poor feathering, gizzard erosion, etc.
Good Source of Protein
Shrimps are 80% protein and 5% fat. A single serving of this seafood can complete a chicken’s daily protein requirement. But remember, chickens don’t need too much protein in their diet, so you should feed shrimp only in small quantities.
Rich in Selenium
Selenium is a mineral that promotes a healthy heart and reduces inflammation. Shrimps contain this beneficial mineral which may help reduce inflammation in chickens.
Here is a table stating the nutritional facts of shrimps (per 85g)
| Calories | 84 |
| Protein | 18g |
| Omega 3 fatty acids | 295 mg |
| Omega 6 fatty acids | 17.9 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 21% RDI |
| Selenium | 48% RDI |
| Iron | 15% RDI |
| Niacin | 11% RDI |
| Phosphorus | 12% RDI |
| Zinc | 9% RDI |
Can Chickens Eat Shrimp Shells?
Chickens can eat shrimp shells. Shells are rich in calcium which is helpful for egg laying hens. If you find your chicken’s eggs have weaker shells or are producing eggs without shells, this could signify calcium deficiency.
Feeding egg shells to chickens will help with chicken’s egg production, and they will lay healthier eggs. But you must not feed huge chunks of shells to your birds as these can hurt their intestine. Hence, break the shells into tiny pieces or ground them to a powdery consistency.
You can mix the shells with other chicken feed, which your birds would enjoy eating too.
Can Chickens Eat Shrimp Tails?
Yes, chickens can eat shrimp tails as well. Shrimp tails also have enough calcium, just like shrimp shells. The tails can also help with excellent egg quality by providing enough calcium chickens need to lay healthy eggs.
Can Chickens Eat Fried Shrimp?
Yes, chickens can eat dried shrimp. Dried shrimps, in fact, are a quality poultry feed that chickens love. Dried shrimps provide almost 62% crude protein in addition to omega 3. Giving chickens dried shrimps once in a while can bring a massive difference in their egg production, molting, and overall health.
Can Chickens Eat Cooked Shrimp?
You may have the habit of feeding your chickens leftover cooked shrimps. But are they healthy? Should you feed chickens cooked shrimps? Cooked shrimps won’t harm chickens as long as they don’t contain any seasonings.
Spices and seasonings like garlic, salt, butter, oil, and pepper are toxic for chickens. Butter or oil contains a lot of fat which is harmful to the birds. So if you are feeding chickens cooked shrimps, make sure they are just simple plain boiled shrimps.
How To Feed Chicken Shrimps?
Chickens are not picky eaters, so they would eat shrimps in whatever form you feed them. So you can just throw some raw shrimps, dried shrimps, or cooked shrimps into the ground, and your bird will peck on them.
But you should not give them fried shrimps. Fried foods are not meant for birds and animals, and these may cause serious health issues for your birds.
Are There Any Risks of Feeding Chicken Shrimps?
There aren’t any specific risks of feeding chicken shrimps. The only concern about seafood is its high cholesterol content. Therefore, it’s important that you give chickens tiny portions of shrimp in moderation.
