Silkie chicken is very cute and distinguished by its meekness. Therefore, many of his owners take him as a pet and consider him a member of their family. One of them would like to pamper his chickens, so he provides them with food from what he eats. If he eats some bananas or apples, he throws some of them to his silkie chicken.
This is a good and spontaneous behavior out of love, but chickens are not like humans, as some of the food we eat may be harmful to them. So the owner of a Slikie chicken should keep in mind before offering any food to the chickens to know whether this food is healthy for the chicken or not and what is the appropriate amount for the chicken.
Since we realize the importance of the matter and part of our mission is to provide you with the most important tips and information about poultry farming, we had to discuss such important topics.
Therefore, we will talk about one of the foods that some people like to offer chickens, which is apples. Let us know whether apples are safe for chickens and answer what is going on in your head on this subject.
Can Silkie Chickens Eat Apples?
Yes, silkie chicken can eat apples. Apples are characterized by their sweet taste and crunch texture that chicken loves, not only silkie chicken, but chicken in general likes to eat apples. In addition to the sweet taste of apples, it is rich in many nutrients useful for chickens, such as vitamins, protein, and minerals such as magnesium, iron, and other elements that help keep chickens healthy.
So including apples in the chicken diet would be a good addition if you want to feed the chicken healthy and balanced foods.
What Parts Of The Apple Are Safe For Silkie Chickens?
As for the parts that are safe for silkie chickens, the apple flesh and apple peel are safe to eat for silkie chickens.
1. Apple Peel
Apple peels are rich in fiber and antioxidants that boost the chicken’s immune system. It also helps to satisfy them in a healthy way, as they do not have to eat large amounts of carbohydrates to feel full.
But there are some chickens that do not like apple peels, as there are individual differences between chickens as well, like humans. You may find some chickens prefer to eat apple flesh over the peel. This is very likely but can be frustrating for chicken keepers.
You can discover this yourself by offering apple peels to the chicken and watching how much they like it. If you don’t find the silkie chicken turning on, you can consider serving apple peels in other recipes.
2. Apple Flesh
The flesh of the apple is the softest and sweetest part of the apple. It is smooth to eat, so you will find the chicken enjoy while scratching the flesh of the apple. It is preferable to cut it into small pieces so that it is easier for the chicken to eat it.
What Parts Of An Apple Are Unsafe For Silkie Chickens?
So Are there any parts that aren’t safe for ilkie chicken? Let’s find out:
1. Apple Seeds
Apple seeds are completely unsafe to give to chickens. Apple seeds contain amygdalin, which converts into the cyanogenic glycoside hydrogen cyanide (HCN). It is a very dangerous substance for chickens and for humans as well.
The danger of cyanide is that it prevents cellular respiration, especially when combined with iron, which leads to cell death as a result of the disruption of oxygen supply to cells.
Chickens are more quickly affected by cyanide than humans due to their much smaller bodies than humans. The accumulation of HCN in the body of chickens leads to cyanide poisoning. A few passing seeds do not cause chicken poisoning, but chicken poisoning occurs when a large amount is eaten.
Cyanide poisoning often leads to the death of chickens within a few minutes, as chickens die after eating the lethal dose of apple seeds within 30 minutes. The lethal dose for chickens of cyanide is about half a teaspoon or more.
If you find that your chicken is having difficulty breathing or that its comb or skin has turned blue or purple, this is a sign that it is suffering from cyanide poisoning. Therefore, veterinary care must be sought as soon as possible. Chickens require special medical care to survive cyanide poisoning. The veterinarian resorts to giving antidotes to chickens intravenously to stop the effect of cyanide, such as sodium nitrate and amyl.
2. Apple Core
The apple core is not harmless to Silkie chickens, but it is rather hard, which makes it difficult for chickens to swallow. It may also cause chickens to suffocate. If you want to serve the apple core to the chicken, you must cut it into small pieces and empty it of any seeds to prevent choking or poisoning.
How Many Apples To Feed To Silkie Chickens?
Apples are safe for silkie chickens to eat but in moderation. Apples should not be excessively offered to chickens, as apples contain a large amount of sugar that chickens cannot handle, and they are often treated with pesticides that cause health problems for chickens.
You can offer apples to the chickens only once to twice a week as a form of entertainment and reward for the chickens.
How To Feed Apples To Silkie Chickens?
You have to choose healthy and fresh apples to serve to the chickens. It is not true that as long as they are chickens, you can give them any food, even if it is spoiled! This is not true at all, Rotten apples and any spoiled food in general are bad for chickens. Therefore, you should buy hard apples instead of soft ones, because they will be fresh and crunchy, and they will stay with you for a long time without spoiling.
The apples should not be soft, moldy, or have any dark or soft spots or holes. You can also taste the apples before serving them to the chicken. If you find them crisp and juicy, and not sour or grainy, then they are safe for the chicken.
Ways Of Serving Apples To Chickens
You can offer apples to the chickens in several ways, the simplest of which is cutting the apples, emptying the seeds, and serving them directly to the chickens.
You can also grate the apple and mix it with chicken feed, but in this case, it must be served directly to the chicken so that the apple does not oxidize and form harmful elements. You can also boil it and mix it with flour or feed to create a delicious chicken cake.
