Can Chickens Eat Cucumbers – What Do You Think?

Here is another question on what chickens can eat.

Can chickens eat cucumbers?

This one might be a little different to other questions on what chickens can eat.
And as the garden cucumber is a little bit different.

It is quite a valid question to ask.

So let’s answer it then.

So Can Chickens Eat Cucumbers

I have never had a problem with feeding my chickens cucumbers before.

In fact, cucumbers are good on a hot day, especially if you put them in the fridge for a while.

It would be like having an ice cream on a hot day to your fowls.

Cucumbers do have nutrients that are good for your chickens.
In fact, they are packed with them.

Cucumbers have vitamins K, B and C along with minerals like phosphorus, and magnesium, potassium and copper.

I have often given the cucumbers that are cut in half so that they can get their beaks in and get out all the seeds first.

That’s what they will do.

Giving your backyard chickens a whole cucumber if it is still fresh, will be a little harder for them to get to.

And by cutting them, your chicken’s eyes will fix their sights on that lush flesh inside and make a v-line directly for that.

So it’s a nice act to cut the cucumbers for them if it is a whole cucumber that you are thinking of giving them.

Can Chickens Eat Raw Cucumbers?

You can feed chickens raw cucumbers without any worries at all.

They are not really nutrient-dense food…

But still, they are good for them and a treat.

And if you are thinking that those cooked cucumbers that you did not finish at the dinner table are no good for your chickens…

Think again.

Because they will gladly take them off your hands and demolish them in one sitting.
So don’t let your

chickens see you go throwing cooked cucumbers onto the compost.

As they will not be happy.

Can Chickens Eat Cucumbers With Skin?

No problem at all…

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

In fact, every part of the cucumber is edible for your feathered friends.

Cucumbers are a favourite treat of your chickens, whether they know it or not.

Because if you are introducing them to it for the first time.
They will soon move it up on one of their ‘favourites to eat’ lists.

So the answer for ”can chickens eat cucumber peels” is answered.

Cucumber peel, cucumber skin, it is all the same.

Can Chickens Eat Cucumber Flowers

See what happens if you happen to grow cucumber in your back garden and let your chickens loose.

You will find that they will indeed make their way to your cucumbers and catch sight of those cucumber flowers and it will not be long until they will start to demolish them

So if you do grow cucumbers in your vegetable garden, you might want to remember this if you do want your cucumber plants to stay intact.

Can Chickens Eat Cucumber Vines?

Again…

The sprouts, stems, leaves, and of course, the cucumber flowers are not safe from a free-ranging chicken.

It may be comforting to know that all of the cucumber plants are completely safe for your chickens to eat.

As long as they do not have any of those pesticides or harmful toxins that have been sprayed onto them.

So if you use any pesticides on your vegetable patch, keep your chickens away from them.

The same if you have bought any cucumbers from the market or any such fruit or vegetables.

Make sure that you wash them with water first, as you don’t really know if they have been sprayed or not before you bought them.

At what Age Can Chickens Eat Cucumbers

Any age really…

But you do need to keep in mind the size of your young birds.

The younger the bird, the more delicate the little systems are.

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

So don’t go giving them much, and do make sure that you cut it up for their little beaks, or the other alternative is to mash it up for them.

Or if it is cooked, leave it cut so that they can peck at it themselves.

Can Chickens Eat Cucumber Seeds

If you have noticed, cucumber seeds are fairly soft, so easy for your chickens to peck at and eat.

As far as if they are harmful to your backyard chickens, no they are not.

So you can rest assured that you can safely feed them cucumbers, all of it.

Can Chickens Eat Cucumber Plant Leaves?

Although cucumber leaves and vines do contain cucurbitin, the amount your chicken could eat will not be fatally poisonous to them.

It wouldn’t do them any harm if they did.

Cucumber leaves are entirely safe for your chickens to get their beaks into.
As long as they are free of any mould and of course pesticides…

Cucumbers are in fact are members of the Cucurbitaceae family (Cucumis sativus), which share many such traits as with their squash family characteristics.

Can Chickens Eat Cooked Cucumbers

I most probably have mentioned this above, but to reiterate again.

Cooked cucumbers are fine to give them.

Just be careful if they are from the meal that you have had at the dinner table, that there is no there food on them from the actual meal.

Such as sauces or pepper.

You don’t want your chickens to be put off their cucumbers because they got a beak full of chilli or a hot sauce do you.

If in doubt, you can always put them under the tap in the kitchen and wash any other food or sauces off the cooked cucumbers before you take it down to your chicken run.

So now you know the question to can chickens eat cucumbers, you bet they can.