can chickens eat pumpkins?

[Kuntry Klucker]

I was wondering. Can I give my chickens pumpkins from harvest display after halloween?

If so, what is the best way to offer them to the chickens?

thanks

 

[cravenchx]

Mine just tore one up!
Possibly a natural dewormer,
so I've read.

 

[Erica]

I was growing a few pumpkins last year, and a little bit of sun scald led to rot in a few patches... Next thing the chickens were up to their shoulders, feasting on whole pumpkin from the inside out. They adored it, and their yolks were stunningly orange for quite a long while afterward.

I have a feeling Halloween pumpkins are a different kettle of fish, but if they eat it, why not?

Pumpkin seeds are supposedly good to help with worming...
regards
Erica

 

[cherylcohen]

Oh man my girls like all kinds of squash, pumpkins and for some reason particularly love the acorn squash

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Quote:
Wow! I had no idea that it was a natural wormer, that is a bonus. So what is the best way to feed them to the chickens?
Should I cut them in half or just give them the seeds?

That is cute about the eggs being orange.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Just cut them in half and let them go at it. They will eat everything but the skin, which they will just leave.

 

[DancingHen]

My chickens love pumpkins. I cut them in half put in on the ground. The chickens will eat the seeds first, and then pick at the flesh until their is just a super thin skin left behind. It gives them food and tons of entertainment.

 

[chickmashnoon]

yep. I just throw them on the concrete to crack them open and they come running to chow- seeds and all!

 

[LiLRedCV]

Yes, they can and will eat pumpkin! They'll also eat watermelon (my flock just adores the stuff!) and just about anything else you'll toss out to them.

As for deworming benefits? I understood that to be the pumpkin seeds were the beneficial part for that. Raw...? Maybe ground up a bit and either tossed out or mixed in their feed...?

Of course, there will be many who will argue the finer points of that and insist you must use certain chemical agents for this purpose, but I don't believe in the chemicals myself and will stick with all natural when and where possible!

 

[thechickenchick]

Oh you bet they can! Mine love it. They get our left over Jacko lanterns plus I grow extra just for them. They eat every last bit.