Can Chickens Eat Onions – What Do You Think?

This is interesting, and you could also say a controversial question.

Can chickens eat onions?

Now I can see many people asking this because…

Let’s face it, onions are powerful in taste.

So are they ok your our backyard chickens?

Let’s find out, shall we?

Can Chickens Eat Onions

When you think of onions, you think of rich tastes, tears when cutting them and raw onions.

So are they really ok for your backyard chickens to eat?

It is questionable.

But we have to look at it with ourselves…

Do we like raw onions, cooked onions?

Onions consist mostly of water…

Well, most things are.

Simple sugars and also fibre.

Now, the fibre in onions particularly helps and support the digestion of food.

By populating that beneficial bacteria in your backyard chicken’s digestive systems.

Supporting their colon health and reducing areas of inflammation.

As you might know, yet some might not.

Bloating and gas can poses a significant danger to our chickens.

So can giving your chickens onion help here.

Yes, onions are ok and good for your fowls.

Can Chickens Eat Onion Scraps

Well…

That depends on what you mean when you are talking about scraps.

Can chickens eat onions as scraps?

You could throw in any scraps into their chicken run that you have leftover from the kitchen.

But I can not actually tell you that most of the onion will be left.

Because of the strong taste.

I mean…

Do you like eating raw onions, and if you do.

Like many of us, I am sure it is in small amounts.

I find that having a great amount of onion plays havoc on me.

So what might it do you our chickens?

I know that they have a pretty strong gut.

And it could probably put ours to shame in some ways.

Well…

We only have to see what they put in their beaks, don’t we?

But I have heard, because of the onions strong taste.

That this could also come out in the hen’s eggs.

So you most probably will end up with garlic tasting eggs.
Maybe…

That might be nice.

But not all of the time right?

And we know ourselves if we eat raw onion we have a breath that would stun an elephant for ten paces as with garlic.

Well…

Maybe not as bad as garlic of course.
But it’s fairly close.

Are Onions Ok For Chickens

Onions are healthy for our chickens and are in fact full of vitamins and minerals.

They are also good for your chicken’s colon and bone health.

And also help in the reduction of blood sugar levels, and inflammation.

So the common myth of onions are bad for your chickens, this proves it wrong.
However…

An important thing with onions is that they should only be given in moderation and I mean it with this vegetable.

What Happens If Chickens Eat Onions

If you give too much onion to your chickens, it can be harmful.

It can cause hemolytic anaemia, aka: Heinz anaemia.

This is a blood condition resulting in listlessness, chickens with weak legs, and a dishevelled appearance.

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

Onions are relatively low in calories, carbohydrates and fat.
So that’s a good thing.

They are packed full of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants.

The main ones being: Potassium vitamin C, vitamin B6 and folate.
And we go on…

With other plant compounds including: quercetin ,anthocyanins, and sulfur-compounds.

They certainly pack a punch, don’t they…

Can Chickens Eat Onion Peels

Do we eat onion peels?

I don’t think so and neither will your chickens.

The outside of the onions have hard layers.

And they are not easy to digest even if you fry them.

But we always take them off even if we boil them.

So I would not be giving them onion peels.
To save that look on your face when your chickens reject them.

Best keep to the softer insides of the onions.

As we know, onions are taste and smell, yet red onions are milder than white.

Can Baby Chickens Eat Onions

Now…

Young chickens, I would not worry about giving them some small morsels if they are cooked.

But when it comes to baby chicks…

I feel you should steer away from this on even if they are cooked.

I just would not like to take the risk as these little stomachs are so new to the world.

If your chickens are growing up their stomachs are getting used to the different foods around them and able to cope better.

That’s how I feel anyway…

Can Chickens Eat Cooked Onions

Now your taking…

Cooked onions whether they are boiled steamed or fried.

Your chickens are actually going to give them a second look when you bring it into the chicken run.

Now if you have fried the onions and have put a lot of fatty oil on them.
That’s ok.

But again…

Do not give them too much as you should avoid feeding chickens fatty foods when it comes to oil and butter.

It might be delicious to us and also delicious to our chickens.

But they will want more of it and you just have to refrain from giving them too much.
That’s if you do have any scraps to give them anyway…

And I bet there will not be much…

In fact…

Did you know that high fat processed foods can result in lower quality eggs and even limited production as they struggle to process the lipids.

Apparently so.

Can Chickens Eat Raw Onion

Raw onions…

Not that raw onion is not good for you and your chickens if eaten.

But I think that you will find even if go and cut up the onion and take it in your chicken pen that they might have one peck and just turn their backs on it.

Chickens, as a rule, do not like to eat raw onions.

As I said, it is not going to harm them in small amounts.

But to get your chickens to eat raw onion…

Good luck with that.

There are many people who won’t eat raw onions, so your chickens are in good company.

See also Everything You Need to Know About Rhode Island Reds

Can Chickens Eat Fried Onions

As I mentioned before…

Your chickens will love fried onions as we do.
But if it has too much oil and butter on it.

It is not the best for your chickens.

It is not something that they would get out in their natural state.
And it is fattening.

Now you don’t want extra fat chickens wabbling around in your chicken coop, do you?

Can Chickens Eat Leftover Onions

Leftovers…

Can chickens eat onions that you have thrown aside from your meals…
No problem, as long as you give them a little.

If you are a big onion eater, it would be better to put them on the compost.
And even then…

It is said that you should not be putting too many onions on your compost heap either.

This includes white, red and spring onions as well.
And…

If you chickens just do not like onions at all.

That’s ok, isn’t it?

Can Chickens Eat Pickled Onions

Nooo!

Pickled onions are pricked for a reason.

All those preservatives and pickling agents can be good for your chickens.
But really…

Can chickens eat onions pickled?
I would very much expect your hens and roosters to have one look at them.
Even one smell and they would be off to the hills.

Now you don’t want runaway chicken, do you?

Can Chickens Have Onion Greens

Can chickens eat onions with greens on or just the greens alone…

It is a no-no to feed your chickens the tops of green onions/scallions, and in fact, it would not be good for them anyway…

Not that you really have to worry about this.
I can see now…
Your chickens come up thinking that you have some grass for them.

And upon coming closer, they smell something that just does not agree with them.

Even if they have a peck at it, that would be enough for your chickens to turn tail and go the other direction.

Yet, onions have never been shown or reported to be toxic to chickens.
It does not mean that they are going to eat them.

So I would not waste too much energy if your chickens tell you it’s not for them, and go on to something more appetising.

So we have literally established that the backyard chicken will not really like onions, especially in their raw state.

Can chickens eat onions boiled and fried, well that is another matter that your chickens will decide?

But you have no worries that they are going to raid your onions in your vegetable patch.

Even though onions are good for them in a small amount.

It is most probably best given to them boiled.

This way they are soft and also sweeter when cooked.
So in small amounts is fine.

But if they just do not fancy them.

I would not go losing any sleep over this.

Can chickens eat onions?

Really, you just need to try them and see what they have to say about it.