Can Chickens Eat Pineapple – What Do You Think?

We come across the question, can chickens eat pineapple?

Now, this is an interesting one, because I think that many people feel that pineapple is just not right for their backyard chickens to eat.

This can be true…

But not in the way you might think.

Let’s talk about it then.

Can Chickens Eat Pineapple

Or you could also say…

What does pineapple do to chicken?

Pineapples do have high acidity to them, and as you know eating too much yourself, that this acid can be a little tricky on your digestive system.

Not the best, to have so much, for delicate human stomachs.

So what does this say about our backyard chicken then?

I have always given pineapple to my chickens, and they love it.

Would I give them a lot of pineapples?

No.

Because of the acidity in pineapples, and this is a fruit that they would otherwise not find in the wild.

This is a new food for your chickens.

And what we give them is a large and varied diet.

Delicacies that they would otherwise not find in the wild themselves.
So is it right to give them such different food?

Yes, it is.

Just because they can not get I in the wild, does not mean that they would not eat it if they had half the chance.

So we are giving them treats that they find delightful to their taste buds.
Now pineapple has Vitamins and minerals in it.

Such as it is high in vitamin C, which is good for the bodies immune system, and the body’s defence against germs…

You heard it!

Pineapple also has vitamins K, A, B6, E and last but not least calcium for bones.

Can Chickens Eat The Pineapple Leaves

Have you seen the leaves on a pineapple?

They are not only big but hard and serrated on the sides.

Even I would have trouble eating a pineapple leaf if I even decided to try it.

And I wouldn’t…

So I can not see that I would be giving my chickens pineapple leaves any time soon.

They are armed with a beak, and a beak is just not going to get through a pineapple leaf unless it is smashed up.

But the pineapple itself has all the nutrients, and the leaves do not.

So I would just let the one pass by and say that I would not even consider giving them the leaves that they cannot get through anyway…

Can chickens eat pineapple?

Yes

Can chickens eat pineapple leaves? I would like to see them try…

Is It Safe For Chickens To Eat Pineapple

Again…

I have had no problem giving my backyard chickens any leftovers of pineapple from the kitchen.

But that is all I give them.

They will love the juicy interior of the pineapple itself and eat the flesh readily.
But you could say how much is too much?

With the acidity of the pineapple, it can hurt our lips, but as chickens have a beak.

This can be an indicator or when it’s just too much when your lips start to hurt.

And because chickens have beaks, do they really know if eating too much is right for them?

Too much means a fair bit of acid getting into their gut, and as they mainly eat bland food most of the time.

Their gut might just complain about so much acid being thrown down to it.
See also Can Chickens Eat Strawberries- What Do You Think?

So if you give chickens pineapple, do make sure that it is in moderation.
If you are not sure about how much?

Look at how many chickens you have in your chicken run and decide how much to give them.

Giving them less is better than giving them too much.

After all…

You will be coming back with more pineapples to feed your chickens at a later time, so do not feel guilty if you only put in some pineapples for them.

It is for their own good.

No gorging of pineapple in my chook run now…

Can Chickens Eat Pineapple Skin

Chickens have beaks, but they are not jackhammers.

The skin of pineapple is tough.

You know that when your try to cut into it with a knife.

It can be hard work.

So how do you think your chicken is going to be, trying to break through the skin of pineapple then?

Not so well.

Your chicken will look at the pineapple frustratingly and then just walk away from it to find easier pickings.

So no.

Your chickens could eat the skin as it is.

Which they may have a go at it but to no avail.

Can Chickens Eat Pineapple Scraps

That’s how I give my chickens pineapple…

They get the scraps that are left behind, this way they do not get too much pineapple to eat.

And their guts are happy as well.

Getting the benefits of the vitamins and minerals that pineapples can give them and not overdoing it.

Can Chickens Eat a Whole Pineapple

If you had a hundred chickens, I would put two halves of a whole pineapple in the chicken coop.

But as most people have backyard chickens, it is not wise to overdo that pineapple giving though…

Nice as it is, you need to look after what your chickens do not know.

They have not had enough time to evolve with a foreign food that they did not have in the wild.

So their instincts are fine-tuned, but not as much as with food that they have not had hundreds of years ago.

So until then, you make the right decisions for them.

Can Baby Chickens Eat Pineapple

Because of their age, I would not be giving baby chickens pineapple until they are older.

And their systems mature a bit.

You could go give them pineapple but I advise that you do not to until they are older.
The acidity would not go well with their delicate stomachs.

As they grow and mature then you can try a little.

But you should really be keeping them on chick mash for a great part of their little lives, and as you see them venturing out to eat different things in the garden.

You know that their systems are maturing.

I would still wait until they at least have their real feathers first, and are becoming pullets.

Young chickens need a good fairly bland source of food that they can let their guts mature into.

Before they have an almost gut of iron so to say…

To take on all manner of things out there in the garden and what you are also going to give them from the delights of your kitchen.

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

Can Chickens Eat Canned Pineapple

Now you are talking…

Canned pineapple is softer and not so acidic as with raw pineapples.

But there is also an issue with canned pineapple.

It looks natural, but canned pineapple has sugar in it and most probably a lot as it is with many canned food that we buy these days.

The sugar helps preserve pineapple in the can to make it last longer.
And who knows what else is put in there.

I would give them canned pieces of pineapple but not so much for that reason alone.

Can Chickens Eat Cooked Pineapple

If you decide to cook pineapple in your kitchen, it gets rind of a lot of acid.

Yet I do not know many people who do cook pineapple much.

But if you do this, you can certainly go giving your chickens cooked pineapple.

As it does not have the sugars that have been put into canned pineapple.

It is natural and with less acidity – therefore easier for them to eat stomach wise.

And you can give them more than you would raw pineapple because of the less acidity.

Can Chickens Eat Dried Pineapple

Here’s one…

Interesting question.

I can not say that I have ever given my chicken dried pineapples as they are expensive to buy from the shops, and you really need a drying machine to dry pineapple at home.

But as long as it is not too dry, I am sure your chickens will have a go at it.
They will however be successful at eating all of it if you soak the dried pineapple to soften it up for them.

And the advantage again!

Is that the acidity of the pineapple has also been cut down.

Can Chickens Eat Frozen Pineapple

It depends on how frozen you are thinking of?

On a hot day, I am sure that your chickens will like the cold sensation of pecking at a melting piece of pineapple.

Yet I have never tried it myself, they just might go for it.

But if you are talking about a frozen block of pineapple.

Our chickens are not going to get their beaks through it.

So if it is melting, the chickens will find a way and I am sure to enjoy it.

If you are thinking of putting it in the freezer until it is in blocks, can you imagine the look on your chicken’s faces when you bring in this yellow fruit encapsulated in an ice block?

They can look at it and try to peck at it.

But I think it would be frustrating for a chicken to look at the piece of pineapple locked away in ice and can not get to it.

So if you do decide to give them pineapple without disappointing them from the start.

Let it melt a little first.

I can imagine you running down to the chicken coop with a melting little block of pineapple trying to get it to them before you are covered with a sticky mess of water and pineapple chunks all over you.

Though it might be an interesting sight for your chickens thought…

So, I think that we have answered the questions on can chickens eat pineapple with success here…