The answer to this question is yes and no. Further, the chicken community doesn't seem to agree on its opinion of the fruit. As you can see, this fruit is tricky.
Because tomatoes are members of the nightshade family, they are a source of confusion. Nightshades are known to contain the deadly toxin, solanine, which is poisonous to both humans and animals. Other vegetables which contain solanine are green potatoes (green potato peels).
Tomatoes are safe for humans to consume, as you already know. That also applies to your backyard chickens. If your critters are to consume this treat safely, however, certain conditions must be met.
Red usually means stop, and green usually means go. When it comes to tomatoes, the opposite is true. Your chickens should only be fed ripe tomatoes. The solanine in unripe tomatoes could cause problems for your chickens. So red tomato YES and green tomato NO!
Because this part of the plant is green, you should avoid it.
Since most tomatoes still have their stems attached, you should examine the tomatoes you would give your chickens. Make sure you remove the stalk from the fruit before feeding it to your birds.
It is generally best to stay away from anything green when it comes to tomatoes. As such, you may want to keep your tomato plants and your run as far apart as possible.
You can give your chickens tomato seeds, which means you don't have to remove the seeds before giving them the whole tomato fruit.
Your chickens are welcome to eat overripe tomatoes or other overripe fruits or veggies. In general, though, it is always best to avoid eating any food or scraps with mold.
You can give the little critters tomatoes as a treat. You should, however, take extra care with this fruit. Make sure you remove every harmful part of the tomato before giving it to them so that they do not ingest any poisons. Furthermore, if you buy tomatoes in a store, it is imperative that you wash them before feeding them to the critters. And remember to remove any leftover treats from your chicken coop to avoid attracting pests such as rats.
Other safe treats to feed your chickens with numerous essential nutrients are:
Because tomatoes are members of the nightshade family, they are a source of confusion. Nightshades are known to contain the deadly toxin, solanine, which is poisonous to both humans and animals. Other vegetables which contain solanine are green potatoes (green potato peels).
Tomatoes are safe for humans to consume, as you already know. That also applies to your backyard chickens. If your critters are to consume this treat safely, however, certain conditions must be met.
Unripe tomatoes vs. ripe tomatoes
Red usually means stop, and green usually means go. When it comes to tomatoes, the opposite is true. Your chickens should only be fed ripe tomatoes. The solanine in unripe tomatoes could cause problems for your chickens. So red tomato YES and green tomato NO!
Uncooked vs. cooked tomatoes
Raw or cooked, you can give your chickens tomatoes as long as they are ripe. You can make the tomatoes safe and tasty for your flock by cooking them before offering them to them. Nevertheless, you need to remember sodium can harm your birds. When giving cooked tomatoes to them, you should refrain from seasoning them. They taste just as good to them without seasoning.Can Chickens Eat Tomato Leaves?
In regards to the leaves, you should not give them to your chickens. It is safe for us to consume the leaves, but considered harmful for chickens.Can Chickens Eat Tomato Flowers?
They could also become ill from the flowers. When it comes to nightshades, any green part could mean that your chickens could be at risk.Can Chickens Eat Tomato Stems?
Because this part of the plant is green, you should avoid it.
Since most tomatoes still have their stems attached, you should examine the tomatoes you would give your chickens. Make sure you remove the stalk from the fruit before feeding it to your birds.
It is generally best to stay away from anything green when it comes to tomatoes. As such, you may want to keep your tomato plants and your run as far apart as possible.
Can Chickens Eat Tomato Seeds?
You can give your chickens tomato seeds, which means you don't have to remove the seeds before giving them the whole tomato fruit.
Can Chickens Eat Moldy Tomatoes?
People sometimes feed their overripe fruits to their chickens. Some chicken keepers give their fresh produce to their flock instead of disposing of it when it starts to look bad for our consumption.Your chickens are welcome to eat overripe tomatoes or other overripe fruits or veggies. In general, though, it is always best to avoid eating any food or scraps with mold.
Can Chicks Eat Tomatoes?
It is okay to feed your chicks tomatoes, but you must follow the same rules. As a general rule, don't feed your chicks things you wouldn't offer an adult. Further, do not forget that starter feed should be mainly fed to chicks until they are 6 months old at least!Should You Give Tomatoes to Your Chickens?
It has been determined which parts of a tomato your chickens can and cannot consume. It is a well-known fact that tomatoes contain a lot of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which carry health benefits for chickens like many other fruits do. The following are some of the nutrients you'll find in tomatoes.- Protein
- Fiber
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin K
- Manganese
- Iron
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Zinc
- Folate
In a nutshell
Are chickens able to eat tomatoes? Yes and no. You can feed your chickens ripe tomatoes even though they belong to the nightshade family. In any case, it would be better if you avoided giving them unripe tomatoes along with their leaves and stems.You can give the little critters tomatoes as a treat. You should, however, take extra care with this fruit. Make sure you remove every harmful part of the tomato before giving it to them so that they do not ingest any poisons. Furthermore, if you buy tomatoes in a store, it is imperative that you wash them before feeding them to the critters. And remember to remove any leftover treats from your chicken coop to avoid attracting pests such as rats.
Other safe treats to feed your chickens with numerous essential nutrients are:
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Celery
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Cabbage
- Cottage Cheese
