We are fond of feeding table scraps and other left over foods to chickens. While we do this, we don’t ask ourselves what is good for them and the opposite. So, can chickens eat green beans?
Naturally, ranging chickens are omnivores. They eat seeds, plants, tasty grubs and insects they get. These chooks are not picky and almost anything that seems edible might end in their crops.
With this in mind, let’s discuss chickens and green beans. Are they the best treat to toss to these chickens?
In this article, I am going to take you through everything you need to know about feeding green beans to chickens.
Let’s roll!
Do chickens eat green beans?
Cooked green beans are one of the best treats for chickens. This vegetable is packed with vital minerals and nutrients that are beneficial to your flock.
However, just like other treats, green beans should be fed sparingly to chickens and in moderation. All chicken treats like cracked corn should never account for more than 10% of their diet.
Do not stop feeding chickens their main course of layers feed and crumbles simply because you found out they are eating and enjoying green beans.
Toss green beans to chickens once in a while to supplement their bodies with added minerals and vitamins.
How to feed green beans to chickens
Never feed raw green beans to your flock of blue hens or any other chickens. When in raw form, green beans contain a chemical called lectin that can be toxic to chickens.
Lectin is not just harmful to chickens but to us too. The same way you can’t consume raw green beans, neither do your chickens.
Steam, boil or microwave those green beans before tossing them to chickens. Cooking green beans helps eliminate and get rid of lectin.
It will be good if you chop those green beans into chops for easy swallowing. Remember that chickens do not have teeth to chew food and swallow it whole.
Never add salt, butter and any seasonings to green beans meant for chickens. If you are cooking yours and intend to share some with these rooster breeds, limit the amount of salt and butter you put.
The digestive system of chickens is very different from ours. Salt can damage their kidneys very easily while butter is a recipe for diarrhea in chickens.
Toss the cooked green beans directly to chickens or mix them with other tasty treats like rice, cabbage and peanuts if you can.
Mixing several treats ensures that chickens can get a host of minerals and vitamins in one serving.
What benefits do green beans have for chickens?
As I said earlier, cooked green beans are packed with different vitamins and minerals that are good for the health of chickens.
Whether you have canned green beans or frozen green beans, they are god for chickes as long as they are cooked and are not spoilt or moldy.
To make you get a better understanding, I have prepared the table below that breaks down the nutritional value of green beans.
100g Raw Green Beans Nutrition
Energy 31Kcal
Water 90.32g
Protein 1.83g
Fat 0.22g
Carbohydrate 6.97g
Fiber 2.7g
Sugars 3.26g
Vitamin C 12.2mg
Vitamin K 43ug
Manganese 0
Iron 1.03mg
Potassium 211mg
Magnesium 25mg
Phosphorus 38mg
Sodium 6mg
Zinc 0.24mg
Copper 0.069ug
Can chickens eat green bean plants?
Chickens are very fond of green plants. If by any chance they get an opportunity to fence jump and get in your vegetable garden, you won’t believe it.
These feathered friends will devour on the bean plants eating the leaves and soft stems. Chickens will eat the flowers of bean plants as well as germinating green beans.
However, caution is important because these chooks can cause great damage to your vegetables. As we know, chickens are excellent foragers and will not spare your green plants either.
Green bean plants are not the best to let your chickens eat. These green plants can sometimes contain some dangerous agricultural chemicals which can be toxic to their health.
It is very important you let your chickens eat the best treats only that pose no health hazard. All the treats should be fresh, nutritious and free from molds.
Are green beans good for baby chickens?
Baby chickens do not need treats. Remember that these baby chicks do not have well developed digestive structures like adult hens and roosters.
Let chicks stick to their chick starter feeds and plenty of clean drinking water. Chicks require a well-balanced diet that has all the nutrients in right proportions.
Green beans contain toxic chemical called lectins. If consumed by baby chickens, it can be fatal and can easily cause serious illnesses or even death.
What other vegetables can chickens eat?
Apart from green beans, there are other different types of vegetables that are good for chickens to eat. Unlike fruits, vegetables contain fewer sugars hence more healthy for chickens to eat.
So, let’s take a look at some of the healthy vegetables for chickens.
Cucumber: This is one of the most succulent vegetables you can feed to chickens on a hot day. It will keep their bodies well hydrated as well as supplement them with different minerals and vitamins.
Broccoli: It is a low calorie treat that needs to be fed in moderation. Broccoli is rich in fiber, protein, calcium and Vitamins C and K.
Asparagus: Whether raw or cooked, chickens can eat asparagus. This treat is very healthy because it is packed with vitamins and minerals that are good for their health.
Celery: This is another vegetable that you can feed to your bantam breeds free from worries. It is low in cholesterol, contains calcium, phosphorus and manganese that will boost their immune systems.
Chop the celery stalks into small pieces to avoid choking your hens. You can toss it directly or mix with chicken feed and serve.
Carrots: Carrots are certainly on the chickens menu. This treat is rich in energy, water, vitamins C and K. However it should be fed in moderation bearing in mind that it contains much sugar.
Chop this tasty treat into small bits. This way, chickens can easily swallow without choking. Avoid rotten and moldy carrots. These can cause serious health threats or even death.
Cabbage: This treat is very good because it is moisture rich and can be a good boredom buster. Cabbage is also packed with vitamins and minerals that are good for chicken’s well-being.
Lettuce: Lettuce is a good treat to feed to chickens. Particularly, Romaine lettuce variety is the best because it contains more nutrients.
This treat is very succulent and it will help keep their bodies hydrated and cool during summer. However, moderation is key and only toss it once in a while.
Summary
Green beans are good for chickens when cooked. Cooking helps soften them as well as get rid of lectin a toxic chemical that can poison chickens when ingested.
Not all chickens will eat green beans. Do not be surprised if some of your birds stare at the treat and leave it. Perhaps, it is not the best for them.
Avoid green beans that you do not know where they were grown. Some may contain agricultural chemicals and pesticides that are toxic to chickens.
Do your chickens eat green beans? Share your thoughts with us.
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