Got some spare tomatoes handy? Want to know can chickens eat tomatoes? If so, how many should they be eating at a time? We have all those answers right here on this page!
Can Chickens Eat Tomatoes?
Absolutely! Chickens can eat tomatoes and many chickens do love their tomatoes. However, it is something that you are probably only ever going to want to be feeding them as a treat.
Tomatoes, like all fruits, are going to be ridiculously high in sugar. This is not going to be good for your animals in the slightest. That being said, tomatoes do have a few more nutrients than the typical fruit you may feed your chickens.
How Many Tomatoes Can Your Chickens Eat?
You can feed a couple of tomatoes to your chickens once or twice per week. About a quarter to half a tomato per chicken is fine. You can feed it to them in chunks.
It is worth noting that not all chickens are going to be fans of tomatoes. For some reason, there are some who will actively avoid it. If this is the case, then you may want to try a different fruit as a ‘treat’.
Remember, as we said before, tomatoes are incredibly high in sugar. This means that you do not want to overwhelm your animals with them. If you are going to feed them tomatoes, then you will probably want to ‘go easy’ on the other fruits and vegetables.
Basically, tomatoes should be one of the only fruits you give them. If you are giving them something else in addition to the tomatoes, then you will want to change up the quantities a little bit.
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What Chickens Can’t Eat
When it comes to ‘can chickens eat tomatoes’, there is absolutely one big ‘no’ about the plant. This is that you should not feed them the leaves. They would eat the leaves if you gave it to them, but you must be aware that tomatoes are part of the nightshade family. This means that the plant leaves are poisonous.
If your chicken eats the leaves, then there is a chance that they could get so sick that they may die. You will certainly not want to eat chicken meat if they have become sick for this reason.
The rest of the tomato is fine. They can eat the seeds of the tomato too. There is no need to remove them, which you would probably need to do with other animals. Although, as we said; you should not be feeding chickens too many tomatoes.
Keep an Eye Out
If you do want to feed your chicken tomatoes, then you will want to keep an eye on their poop. Obviously, tomatoes are quite watery, and some chickens can become ‘overhydrated’ as a result.
This means that you will need to keep an eye on their poop consistency. If it is quite watery, then there is a high chance that you are feeding them too many tomatoes and will need to cut back as a result.
So, there you have it. Chickens can eat tomatoes. However, they should only be eating tomatoes. Not a single part of the rest of the plant. This will likely be toxic to them. You will also want to ensure that they eat cheri tomatoes in moderation. Tomatoes should always form part of a healthy, balanced diet.
See also:
– Can Chickens Eat Grapes?
– Can Chickens Eat Bananas?
