CHICKEN TREATS

With fall, comes pumpkins. While I am not planning to process any pumpkin or pumpkin seeds for the humans in the household this year, I did still pick up one at the grocery store yesterday. It is a favorite chicken treat.

Not only do my chickens love pumpkin, but it is also good for them. Some of the health benefits are:

• Water content – pumpkin is around 90% water. This high level of moisture helps thin chickens’ crop contents. This will aid in digestion. The crop is the first part of the chicken digestive system and it’s important to keep it healthy.
• Vitamin A – pumpkin is one of the best sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that converts into Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A boosts the immune system and helps regenerate cells. A chicken’s diet is often lacking in Vitamin A. This deficiency can create a lack of mucous in the eyes and throat. This opens the way for infections and potential respiratory problems.
• Antioxidants – pumpkins contain some of the highest levels of disease-fighting antioxidants compared to other vegetables including Vitamin C (helps maintain proper egg laying and egg quality), Vitamin E (protects against diseases like coccidiosis, e. coli, and bronchitis), and zinc (helps with bone and feather development, wound healing, and immunity).
• Minerals – pumpkin provides a variety of minerals like potassium (enhances bone development and cell metabolism), phosphorus (for healthy bones), and magnesium (to aid in calcium and Vitamin D absorption).
• Fiber – the tough flesh and stringy fibers of pumpkins promote healthy digestion.

No, the chickens don’t understand all this. They just enjoy eating it.