Chickens diet is very wide and is composed of a variety of foods. When ranged, these feathered friends are omnivores eating both plant material and live tasty treats. But the question is, Can chickens eat celery?
We are used to tossing any leftovers to our chickens without asking ourselves if they are all edible by chickens.
These birds can be very choosy especially when given something new on their menu. However, there are some that are not choosy and will eat up anything as long as it shakes off hunger from their stomachs.
So, is celery good for chickens?
Yes! Chickens can eat celery in moderation as a treat. This vegetable is nutritious to us chickens just as it is to us. Celery contains a host of vitamins and minerals that are very vital for the health of your flock.
This vegetable is very rich in calcium a very important mineral for your egg laying chickens. Hmm.. that sounds pretty awesome when you get healthy eggs. Doesn’t it?
Apart from calcium, celery has Vitamins A, C and K. Experts also say that this veggie is rich in riboflavin that is also good for the chicken’s health.
If you throw whole celery plant to your chickens, chances are they will eat up the leaves and the other part will be left to rot.
Here are some of the tips to consider when feeding celery to chickens:
Chop the celery into small pieces
Celery plant when whole is too big for a chicken to swallow. The stems are very fibrous and tough and cannot be swallowed whole unless chopped.
If large pieces of this treat are swallowed, they are likely to cause crop impaction to your birds. Impaction is when large pieces of foods eaten by your birds block the digestive system preventing food from proceeding to the gizzard for grinding.
Chop your celery into smaller bits just like you chop grapes for your chickens. This way, it will be easier for your birds to swallow without the fear of impaction.
Mix it with their food
My flock of black and white chickens could not eat the chopped celery when I tossed it out. I thought and decided to try and mix it with the commercial feeds I give them.
Slowly I noticed that they could eat it together with the feeds especially in the morning when they are very hungry.
Some chicken breeds may not like the smell of celery while others will. The black and whites could not eat it but my 2 month old Minorca pullet ate without hesitation.
Unless you come up with a mechanism to make them eat certain foods, it will take them years to learn or never learn at all.
Offer in moderation
Some chickens will eat celery very well even if it is their first time. While they do this, there are owners who may be surprised and start feeding it in large quantities.
This vegetable is a treat to your chickens and should not replace the crumbles and other commercial feeds you give.
Chickens may develop a habit of eating celery and shift their focus from commercial feeds. Chickens only require a few celery stalks each week to get the required nutrients.
Feed it fresh
You don’t eat rotten or bad food, so are your chickens. Rotten celery is not good for your chickens and it may lead to serious health problems.
Any leftover celery should be properly stored to prevent it from getting bad if it is meant for chickens. Check the expiry date before walking out with that bunch of celery whenever you go to the grocery.
Final Thoughts
Celery is good for chickens and so, chickens can eat it. However, feed it in small amounts as a treat to supplement on the staple diet by offering additional minerals and vitamins.
Chopping celery in small bite sized pieces will make it easier for chickens to swallow and this will help prevent crop impaction.
You can mix celery with other treats like asparagus and mangoes or with commercial feeds if you notice that you chickens don’t like it.
Feeding fresh celery to chickens is advisable as rotten one may be laden with harmful bacteria that may lead to health issues or even death.
So, can chickens eat celery? Yes they can.