Nutritional Benefits of Feeding Pumpkin to Chickens

Reader Contribution by Shelby Devore and Farminence
Published on October 11, 2019
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Fall decor is one of my favorite things. I love seeing all of the pumpkins, funky squash, gourds, mums and scarecrows that are displayed this time of year. I also don’t like to feel wasteful, so I like knowing that when I’m done with my fall pumpkins, I can feed them to my chickens to give them a nutritional treat that they will love.

Chickens will consume an entire pumpkin, from the flesh to the ‘guts’ and seeds. They will even eat the skin if it’s not too thick or too tough. Pumpkins are full of nutrients that your chickens need to be healthy.

Nutritional Benefits of the Fleshy Parts

Chickens go crazy for pumpkin, probably because it’s so good for them.The flesh of pumpkins is full of vitamins A, B and C. It’s also packed with zinc and potassium. All of these are key nutrients that your birds need, and may even be deficient in!

Vitamin A can help regenerate cells and boost a chicken’s immune system. Chickens are usually deficient in vitamin A, which is not good considering it can prevent proper mucus production. Lack of mucus can lead to dry eye and even respiratory problems. Do you notice frequent blood spots on your egg yolks? One or two occasionally is normal, but if it’s common, you may have hens with vitamin A deficiency.

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