Can Chickens Eat Bread – What Do You Think?

Here we are on can chickens eat bread this time…

And for the uninitiated who don’t really know what their backyard chickens can eat.

Especially if they are new to owning chickens, it can be a daunting prospect.

So let’s chat about feeding chickens bread then shall we…

Can Chickens Eat Bread?

A fair enough question…

If you have just got some chickens for the very first time, you might second guess what you can feed your chickens from your kitchen apart from the chicken feed that you get from the shops.

And that is good of you, because you are caring for your chicken’s welfare, and making sure that what goes into their beaks is going to be alright for them in the long run.

Far too often people, especially these days, eat things that are not good for them.
What with the throw-away society and tv meals that you can buy, you are not really looking after what you are putting in your mouth.

This can lead to all manner of issues, and so it can be the same for your chickens.

I have not heard of people feeding their chickens ridiculous things that they would not otherwise get from the kitchen.

And most people do consider what they give to backyard chickens.

In the old days, most of the kitchen scraps went out to feeding the chickens.
As there was no shop-bought chicken food made industrially in those days.

And we are even talking about during the war days, yes a near as that.

Things have changed a lot when it comes to the industry making food for pets.
It’s a big business and makes these companies a lot of money.

So it’s not just for the animal’s welfare, it is a money-making bonanza.

Let’s talk about what some people are saying here firstly, and this is not in favour of feeding bread to your chickens.

Why Is Bread Bad For Chickens?

Yes, bread does have yeast and sugar.

It can ferment in your chicken’s crop by increasing the pH of the crop contents if fed in too larger quantities.

Which does change the bacteria and the other microbiome that grow in the chicken’s gizzard and crop.

See also Creating an Enriching Environment: DIY Toys for Boredom-Busting Chickens

This, in turn, can then lead to chronic cases of sour crops that are very hard to treat indeed

Now I have always given my chickens bread, and there has never been a problem.

I have had instances where a chicken gets a swollen crop, but that does not mean that the bread was the culprit.

It could mean a blockage in their works as well.

What I do suggest is that there is no problem in feeding your chickens bread, but in moderation people…

Not too much.

That is the key.

Say if you have had breakfast and not had the crusts of your bread, and it has a little margarine on it, it is ok to give them this.

Can Chickens Eat Bread With Mold

No no no…

I would not give any of my chicken’s bread with mould on it.

In fact, I would not even give wild birds any bread with mould on it.

As the fermentation process has begun, then you are going to have gut problems.

The bacteria has already begun its process of breaking down with no help from your chicken’s stomach, so no feeding them mouldy bread.

If you have some bread that has a little mould on it, just tear off that part of the bread and give them the rest.

But you are aware that the bread is starting to break down from mould particles so be mindful of just how old the bread is.

And you might just decide that this bread is not going to pass the throwing in the chicken run test.

Can Chickens Eat Bread Crust

The bread crust is no different from the bread itself, just the outside of the bread that hardens off a little bit more and changes colour when baked.

So throw that bread with bread crust intact into your chicken run.

Can Chickens Eat Bread Crumbs

If you decide to break down the bread to bread crumbs…

There is no problem in feeding them this.

I have done this when I have been out there with my chickens in the chicken run and watched them run around gobbling as much as they can.

It is always a competition with chickens who can pick up the most.

See also Can Chickens Eat Rice - What Do You Think?

No friendly…

I will let you have that bit of bread crumb here between chickens.

The only one that will give way to being polite is the rooster.

He might just call the hens over to get the bread crumbs.

But usually, he will take some for himself, which is only fair.

No rumbling stomaches here…

Can Chickens Eat Breadfruit

Can chickens eat bred!

When it comes to chickens eating bread with fruit in it.

Watch out!

There will be a flurry of wings and a lot barging amongst hens alike.

They will make it their mission to peck out the fruit first, and then the bread will be eaten.

Wouldnt you do the same?

Can Chickens Eat Banana Bread

If… For any reason that you just might have any of that delicious banana bread even left for your backyard chickens.

you will have no trouble feeding or even persuading your chickens that this is a good thing.

They will relish it as they would the fruit in fruit bread.

Bananas are fine to give your chickens
You are just giving it to them in a different form.

There will be no crumbs left on the ground, that I can assure you.

Can Chickens Eat Brown Bread

Whether it be brown bread or white bread, your chickens will enjoy it.

There is nothing wrong with giving them different sorts of bread.

If you have multi mixed bread with seeds in it – it will be of course better for your chicken’s once again.

But there is no worry with bread.

I prefer myself, to give them brown bread or mixed grain bread.

As with ourselves, it is really better for us and for them.

Can chickens eat bread? well now you know and you can go out with confidence and give them the scraps of bread you have leftover.

Or even just get a piece of bread from the kitchen and give them as a treat.