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What is a hen? Have you ever had that question pop into your head? You know it’s a chicken, but what’s the difference between a chicken and a hen? Are they the same thing? Today, we will answer all of those questions and more!

What is a Hen?

To put it simply, a hen is a female chicken that has reached sexual maturity. Typically, they are still within the egg laying stage of development, however, older chickens that no longer lay are still considered hens. A hen has also grown beyond the pullet stage of their development.

What is a Chicken?

The term chicken is the overall term used for the species. When you are discussing hens, roosters, pullets, etc, they are all chickens. Similar to the way that human is an umbrella term for all people, male, female, etc.

Chickens are an omnivorous species. That means they will eat a variety of both plant life and animals.

Due to their ability to lay eggs, the ease in which they are raised, and their common use as a high quality and inexpensive meat/protein source, they are the most prolific bird on the planet. The global chicken population is just shy of 24 billion! With just under 8 billion people, there are almost 3 chickens for every person alive!

What is the difference between a chicken and a hen?

As we mentioned, in poultry terminology, chicken is a catch all term for all chickens. Hens are female chickens over a year old.

To put it another way, all hens are chickens but not all chickens are hens. A chicken can be a rooster, cockerel, or pullet, as well as a hen.

What is a Pullet?

A pullet is a juvenile female chicken. While a hen is sexually mature and at, or past, the egg laying stage, pullets are still in their early development.

What is the difference between a chicken and a pullet?

Technically speaking, a pullet is a female chicken under a year old. However, due to the rise of the poultry industry, a pullet is considered any hen that is not yet laying eggs. So once a pullet reaches the 16 to 20 week point, they are considered a hen.

Aside from egg laying and age, there are a few behavioral changes between the pullet stage and hen stage. For example, after 16 weeks, or after laying age, the time spent “preening and dust bathing” had a significant increase.

Pullets tend to eat the feather of their flock mates, likely in a struggle for dominance, while hens do not. However, while hens do show a decrease in feather eating, they have a marked increase on both “aggressive and non-aggressive” pecking and feather pulling.

How To Tell If You Have a Hen

If you are trying to tell which chickens in your flock are hens and which are roosters, it is not usually very hard to tell. Hens are almost always smaller than roosters; weighing, at most, around 8 pounds. A hen will also tend to have a less pronounced set of wattles and a smaller comb.

Obviously, if your chicken lays an egg, it is a hen.

It is definitely easier to tell if you have a hen if you have a rooster to compare it to.

What is the difference between a chicken and a rooster?

So, how do you tell if you have a hen or a roo?

In general, a rooster is going to much larger than a hen. They will typically have a much larger comb and longer wattles. Their primary feather color is usually the same as the hens but they will also have flashier hackle, saddle, and tail feathers.

A rooster is also much more aggressive and territorial than a hen. While hens will fight amongst themselves to establish a flock, or pecking, order, roosters are the flock protector. It is not uncommon for them to chase other animals, pets, kids, and even full grown adults out of their territory if they don’t want you there.

Frequently Asked Questions

As you can see, there’s a whole Easter basket range of egg colors. Naturally, this spurs a whole lot of questions. Here are some of the more common ones we hear.

Q1. What is difference between chicken and hen?/ What is a female chicken called?/ What is the definition of a hen?

A hen is a female chicken once it has reached sexual maturity. That means they are past the juvenile (pullet) stage and either are, or have already surpassed the egg laying stage of their development. Chicken is the overall term used to describe hens, roosters, chicks, etc; just like Human is used to describe men, women, etc.

Q2. Are chickens male or female?/ Are all chickens female?

Chicken is used to describe the species of bird and not the biological sex. Roosters and hens are both chickens.

Q3. What are hen babies called?/ Is a chicken a baby hen?

A baby hen is called a chick. You will sometimes here people refer to them colloquially as peeps. Once they are a bit older, biological sex plays a role in their names. For instance, a juvenile rooster is a cockerel and a juvenile hen is a pullet.

Q4. Can a hen look like a rooster?

Generally speaking, roosters are larger and have much more ornate and colorful feathering. That is to attract a mate. On the other hand, hens, like many females in nature, are typically less flashy. It is believed that is to act as a bit of camouflage while they protect their offspring.

It is possible that a hen can start to display physical characteristics of a rooster. A study conducted at the University of Florida found that some hens are capable of not only developing the physical features of a rooster but can also, on rare occasions, produce sperm capable of fertilizing eggs!

Q5. Does a hen need a rooster to lay an egg?

Hens will lay eggs regardless of if there is a rooster present in their flock. Hens, like many females in nature, are born (or hatched) with all the eggs they will ever have. So they will lay them once the reach sexual maturity. A rooster is only needed to fertilize the eggs so that they can produce live chicks.

Q6. Can a hen lay more than one egg a day?

Hens typically lay their eggs on a schedule. It takes a lot of energy and time for a hen to produce an egg, shell and all. While it is certainly possible for a hen to lay more than a single egg in a day, it is very, very unlikely to happen.

Q7. Can male chickens lay eggs?

Do roosters lay eggs? Roosters, male chickens, do not possess the anatomy needed to produce eggs. Only hens can produce and lay eggs. Roosters are capable of fertilizing the eggs and hens are not.

Q8. How do hens show signs of old age?

The very first sign of an aging chicken is that they will either decrease or completely stop their egg laying. If you have a large flock, there are some signs to tell if your chicken is still laying.

The next sign we usually notice when a hen is starting to get old is that they will move a little slower. They may be the last to make it to the coop at night. You will also notice that they may start to decrease in weight some too. Often times, an aging hen will decrease the amount of food they are eating, if not stop eating altogether.

The average lifespan of a chicken is around 8 years, give or take. This can vary depending on their environment, diet, and safety from predators.

Q9. Can you eat a hen?/ What kind of meat is a hen?/ Is Hen tougher than chicken?

Since hens are chicken you can definitely eat them. However, for a few reasons, hens are not typically the chicken of choice when it comes to meat birds. Most often, hens are raised for egg production which can cause their meat to be a bit tough and not great for eating once they no longer lay eggs.

Most often, roosters are used for meat. This is because they are larger and are usually only one per flock. If you hatch chickens, it is not uncommon to raise the roosters exclusively for meat birds.

Hens can be used for meat later on, depending on how they are cooked. Many people will stew them or turn them into a good chicken stock.

Q10. What food does hen eat?

Hens, like all chickens, eat a variety of insects, plants, rodents, and feed. If you want regular egg production with high quality eggs, you will want to provide regular access to a good layer feed. You can also provide a calcium supplement if your hen’s eggshells are too thin.

Chickens also love a variety of snacks like:

• apples
• bananas
• cherries
• grapes
• rice
• strawberries
• ticks

The Buff Orpington chicken is one of the best chickens you can raise. Whether you are experienced or just starting out, these gentle giants make wonderful additions to any flock.

Buff Orpingtons come from a long line of Orpington chickens. They are dual purpose chickens, meaning they are both great layers and large enough to be meat birds. It is not uncommon for the roosters to grow to 10 pounds! This breed is docile; making them perfect for children who are interested in chickens.

Everything About The Buff Orpington

History and Origin

The Buff Orpington is just one color of the Orpington line of chickens. The Black Orpington first appeared in South East England by William Cook of Orpington, Kent in 1886. He was intending to create a dual purpose chicken that would also hide the soot that plagued London at the time.

Cook made this new breed by crossing Langshans, Minorcas, and Plymouth Rock chickens. Not too long after this, more colors came along. The original colors of the Orpington were:

• Black
• Blue
• Buff
• Splash
• White

What Do They Look Like?

Orpingtons are quite noticeably large. Their bodies are bulky and stocky already and their thick plumage makes them appear even bigger. Lets dig a little deeper into the specifics of their appearance.

Color

The Buff Orpington is a stunning bird. Both hens and roosters are almost completely a yellowy tan color, hence the name “Buff”. You will also find a bit of white along their chest and under side. The roosters hackle, saddle, and tail feathers may also have a small amount of darker brown to gold coloring.

Feathering, Comb, & Wattles

As we mentioned, Buff Orpingtons have a feather color of Buff with a bit of white. Their feathers are also quite fluffy. The fluff comes from a softer under coat of feathering. It is this coat that makes them so cold hardy.

While the hens feathering is pretty tight and uniform across the body, the roosters have a bit more variety. Their hackle, saddle, and tail feathers are much longer and have a cascading look to them.

The hens feature a medium sized single comb and matching, short, red wattles. Roosters still have a single comb but theirs is much larger with 5 spiked ridges. They also have longer, dangling red wattles. The combs and wattles of these birds look very similar to the Rhode Island Red.

Size

Orpingtons are a fairly large breed of fowl. The hens on their own are pretty big, usually weighing between 6 and 8 pounds. While the roosters can get to a massive 8 to 10 pounds!

They often look even bigger due to how fluffy their feathers can be. A full grown rooster weighing 10 pounds can easily look like he weighs 12 to 15 pounds because of his feathering.

There are some Bantam Orpington breeds, as well. Generally speaking, a Bantam breed is going to weigh about 1/3 of the full sized breed. So a bantam hen will weigh between 2 and 3 pounds with a Bantam rooster weighing around 2.5 and 4 pounds.

Breed Standard

According to The Orpington Club in the UK, the breed standard is:

Rooster

Type

The rooster should have a “broad and cobby” body with a curved back and rounded breast. Their saddle should have a bit of a rise to it with a “full hackle”. Their wings should be small and held close to the body. Finally, the tail is shorter but still has a flow to it.

Head

The rooster should have a small head with a firm, curved beak, large eyes, and a single ridged comb. Their wattles should be rounded and of “medium length”. The ear lobes should be “small and elongated”.

Hen

The hen should possess many of the same physical characteristics of the rooster. Their features will be a bit more subtle and more “graceful” than those of the rooster.

What Are They Like?

We like to break this down into two sections; temperament (what they do) and personality (why they do it).

Temperament

These chickens are great to keep around if you live in a colder climate. They are extremely cold hardy because of their feathering. As long as they have a warm and dry place to take shelter, they will do great.

The heat is a different story. Their feathers tend to make them overheat really easily in hotter climates. If you live in an area with extreme heat, they may not be a good match for you. They can do well in more mild climates so long as they have regular access to water and shade.

Orpingtons enjoy to free-range and forage. A good portion of their daily nutritional needs can come just from foraging.

If you notice a decrease in their laying, it may be because they have gone broody. One of the biggest culprits for a broody chicken is when we leave eggs in the nest too long. Its best to pull them twice a day, if you can. When eggs collect in the nest, the hen’s maternal instincts start to kick in and they go into brood mode.

Personality

Buff Orpingtons have the best personalities. If you want a loving and friendly chicken that doesn’t mind being cuddled, you have found the right breed. They will not let you pick them up, they will sometimes come running to you when they see you.

This characteristic is part of what makes them great with kids. They are very docile and patient. Meaning they will tolerate a lot of the playing that other breeds would find annoying. You will definitely notice a decrease in pecking with these guys.

However, since they are so easy-going, they tend to be pretty low in the pecking order. More aggressive breeds will push them out of food and water supplies and just generally bully them. These chickens tend to do best with more gentle breeds.

What Is Their Purpose?

Orpingtons are recognized as a dual purpose breed. That simply means that they are both suitable for egg production and in use as meat birds. However, in recent years, they have also begun to be used as show birds.

Up until very recently, they were considered endangered and on the American Breed Livestock Conservancy list. However, due to a combination of their size, egg productivity, and show ring appeal, many backyard breeders were able to bring them back to a healthy population number.

Show

Not just the Buff Orpington, but Orpingtons in general are now becoming part of the chicken show world. Their size and variety of colors makes them a fun and beautiful addition to show breeding. They join other breeds like the Polish, Ayam Cemanis, and Silkies as ornamental breeds.

Eggs

Buff Orpingtons are fantastic layers; laying large brown eggs. The breed was intended for high production and it really shows. A single hen can produce up to 5 eggs a week! They are well suited to meet the needs of a full sized family.

They join the ranks of great laying chickens alongside the The Buckeye Chicken, Sussex, or the Buckeye chicken.

Meat

Both the hens and roosters make great meat birds. The roosters average between 8 and 10 pounds full grown while the hens are a pretty big 6 to 8 pounds. This breed can more than cover your protein needs.

Pets

Last, but not least, these chickens make great pets. They are very gentle and peaceful birds. If you just want a few chickens in the backyard or you have young children that want to get into chickens, these guys make great companions.

They also do well with other breeds of chickens. If you want to add them into an existing flock it is a fairly easy process.

What Care Do They Need?

You will definitely want to make sure you have all your bases covered in the care department. Making sure that your chickens have the right diet and a safe shelter will ensure a happy and healthy flock.

Diet

These chickens are pretty decent foragers. They love to silently peck around the barnyard or backyard in which they live. However, due to their laid back nature, they do tend to get picked on and pushed away from the chicken feeder .

Because of that, they will sometimes stay close to the feeder and skip free ranging altogether. This can lead to a boost in your feed bill but also some health concerns over obesity.

It is best to feed these guys on a schedule with a high quality layer feed. If you have a designated feeding area, make sure to spread the feed out enough that they can get their fair share.

Other than foraging and feed, they just need access to a reliable, clean, and unfrozen waterer.

Shelter

Orpingtons do really well in captivity. They seem to have a “go with the flow” mentality toward life. If you were to keep a small flock of Buff Orpingtons in a contained coop and run, or a chicken tractor, they would be perfectly happy.

The most important factors when setting up your chickens shelter are warmth, cleanliness, ventilation, and security.

Depending on where you live, the winter can get pretty cold. Orpingtons fair pretty well, even in extremely low temperatures because of their feathering. However, it is good to make sure all of your chickens, assuming you have a variety of breeds, will stay warm in the winter.

Chickens poop…A LOT! All of the chicken manure will build up over time if not kept clean. It is okay to let some manure build up a bit, it can actually keep the coop warmer when it composts. However, too much can become a major health hazard.

One of those hazards can be mitigated by having good ventilation. That just means the coop will have a way for air to circulate in and out of the coop.

No matter how large your chickens can get, they are still pretty low on the food chain. Even the biggest chicken is no match for a hungry raccoon or fox. A good shelter is one that is completely secure so that when the chickens are roosting at night, they can do so safely and without predator interference.

Common Questions

While researching this breed we came across a couple of reoccurring questions. Here are some of the more common ones we found.

Q1. Are Buff Orpingtons good layers?/ What color eggs does a Buff Orpington lay?/ How many eggs do Buff Orpingtons lay?

Buff Orpingtons are fantastic layers. You can expect to get 3 to 5 large brown eggs per week. That’s between 156 and 260 eggs a year! And that’s just from one hen. A flock can easily handle the needs of a family.

Q2. Are Buff Orpingtons cold hardy?

Buff Orpingtons do very well in the cold. Their size and dual feather coat keep them insulated and warm even in the coldest climates. On the other hand, they do not fair well in hot climates. That is likely due to the same reasons; their feathers and size keep them too warm.

Q3. How can you tell if a Buff Orpington is male or female?

You can tell the difference between a Buff Orpington rooster and hen in the same way you can tell most hens and roosters apart. Roosters are typically much larger than hens. Additionally, they will have larger and bright combs and wattles. Roosters tend to have bright and flashy colored hackle, saddle, and tailfeathers. Finally, roosters typically have large spurs on their feet.

Hens are usually much smaller than roosters. They will typically be the same primary color as the rooster of the same breed just without the flashier hackle, saddle, and tail feathers. Additionally, if you see them either laying or sitting on top of an egg, it’s probably a hen. You can get more details on hens here.

Q4. How old are Buff Orpingtons when they start laying?

You can expect to start getting eggs from your Buff Orpingtons around 6 months of age. They are generally past the juvenile stage of growing and full adults. This can vary a month or two in either direction but 6 months is the average time they will start to lay. If you’re feeling impatient, you can look for some clues to when your hen will start laying.

Q5. Are Buff Orpingtons loud?

This is one of the more clam and docile breeds you will find. They keep to themselves, for the most part, and do not make too much noise other than the occasional rooster crow.

Q6. What is the life expectancy of a Buff Orpington?

Buff Orpingtons will generally live up to 8 years of age. This is assuming they live a relatively well kept life with plenty of food, water, shelter, and protection from predators.

Q7. How much does a Buff Orpington cost?

Buff Orpingtons are a pretty common breed of chicken. Therefore, they are not too terribly pricey. You can generally find chicks in the $3 to $5 range. Hatching eggs are even cheaper if you want to incubate your own chicks. We have had a lot of success with the large cabinet in this post about incubators.

Q8. How high can Buff Orpingtons fly?

Chickens, in general, are not really great flyers and Buff Orpingtons are no exception. Chickens are capable of short bursts of flight usually only a few feet above the ground. Buff Orpingtons, due to their size, are only capable of flying a couple feet high and not very long distances.

However, keep in mind that a motivated chicken can fly higher if they need to. For example, if they see something they want to eat on the other side of your fence, they can easily fly over a 4 to 6 foot fence to get to it.

Q9. Do Buff Orpingtons go broody?

Buff Orpington Hens tend to go broody pretty often. You can help to keep their broodiness at bay by keeping their nesting box free of eggs as often as possible. Alternatively, if you want to try hatching eggs without an incubator, you can always try hatching with a broody hen instead.

Q10. Are Buff Orpington Roosters aggressive?

Buff Orpingtons are some of the more patient and calm chickens you will find. Their sweet and docile nature makes them a perfect breed for kids and beginners. All roosters can be territorial and aggressive. However, these roosters are some of the least likely to be overtly aggressive.

Q11. Do Buff Orpingtons lay in the winter?

Like most chicken breeds, Buff Orpingtons will show a slight decrease in laying during the winter months. This is more due to the shorter days and lack of sunlight than with the temperature.

Conclusion

The Buff Orpington is an all around great bird. They are gentle with you and the rest of your flock. Their egg production is right up there with some of the most productive chickens out there. Not to mention, they are gorgeous.

If you want an all around great chicken to add to your flock, this is a great breed to go with!

For more on chickens

Are you fascinated anytime you see a picture of an egg basket and it has a whole rainbow of different egg colors? It leaves you wondering how to find chickens that lay colored eggs, doesn’t it?

All About Chickens That Lay Colored Eggs

If you identify with the sentiments above, you are in the right place. Finding a chicken that lays colored eggs is not a difficult task, AT ALL. In fact, it’s pretty easy.

There are a ton of different chicken breeds that, not only lay colored eggs but are also good production chickens, meat birds, or dual purpose chickens! That means you don’t have to worry about sacrificing practicality to get a basket of beautiful eggs.

What Colors Do Eggs Come In

Chickens can lay eggs in a pretty wide range of colors. We are all accustomed to seeing plenty of white, with the occasional brown egg, at the grocery store. But, you will see there are so many more options.

Chickens can lay colors like:

• blue
• brown
• chocolate
• dark brown
• light brown
• cream
• green
• olive
• patterned
• pink
• white

Genetics of Egg Color in chickens

In order to fully understand how chickens lay all these different colors of eggs, we need to talk a little about the genetics behind this trait.

What color egg a chicken will lay is determined by the genes that chicken carries.

Let’s first talk about white eggs. White eggs are considered wild type (or the most common/normal) color. This basically just means that all eggs started out as white and certain genetic changes have happened over time to include additional colors. In fact, the base color of all eggs is white.

Eggs of a different color simply have additional pigment added to them at different stages in the shell formation to change their color.

Brown egg color genetics are quite interesting and there are multiple genes that cause this to happen. The way that brown eggs occur is that the pigment protoporphyrin IX is deposited into the outside of the egg as the egg is formed and goes through the laying process. (Source)

Blue eggs are actually caused by a retrovirus. This retrovirus caused the blue gene to become active. Blue eggs are caused by the pigment Oocyanin.

The blue egg gene is dominant, this means that a chicken only needs only copy in order for it’s eggs to be blue. If they have one copy they’ll usually have lighter blue eggs and if they have two copies, they’ll usually have darker blue eggs. (Source)

Green eggs are simply a cross of brown and blue egg genes. The green color will be lighter or darker shades depending on the parents egg colors.

How do you make colored eggs or breed for colored eggs?

You can get different colored eggs by breeding together chickens that have certain egg color genes. Two white egg layers will get all white egg laying offspring.

A white egg layer with a brown egg layer will result in brown egg laying offspring. The darkness of the brown is dependent on the darkness of the parents brown eggs.

Two brown egg layers will result in all offspring laying brown eggs, typically darker than offspring from a white egg layer crossed with a brown egg layer.

A white egg layer crossed with a blue egg layer will result in a light blue egg layer.

Two blue egg layers will result in only blue egg layers.

A brown egg layer crossed with a blue egg layer will result in green egg layers. The hue and shade of green will be dependent on the parents blue and brown colors. These are typically called Olive Eggers.

Which Chickens Lay Which Colors?

If you are looking for chickens that lay colored eggs to expand the palette of your daily egg basket, here is a less-than-exhaustive-but-still-pretty-comprehensive list of potential flock options.

What type of chicken lays blue eggs?

• Easter Eggers
• Aracauna
• Ameraucana
• Cream Legbar

What type of chicken lays brown eggs?

It’s a common thought that the most common egg color is white. That makes sense since that’s what most people see in the grocery store. However, brown, in it’s various shades, is actually the most common egg color.

You will notice that pink is part of the brown egg layers list. That is because pink eggs are simply light brown or tan eggs with a color bloom over them.

Brown

• Australorp
• Brahma
• Buckeye
• Chantecler
• Cochin
• Delaware
• Dominique
• Golden Comet
• Java
• Jersey Giant
• New Hampshire Red
• Orpington
• Plymouth Barred Rock
• Rhode Island Red
• Sapphire Gem Chickens
• Sussex

Dark Brown

• Barnevelder
• Welsummer

Chocolate

• Marans
• Penedesenca

What kind of chickens lay pink eggs?

As we mentioned above, pink eggs are really just a lighter brown or tan shade with a pigment bloom overlaid on top.

Light Brown/Pink

• Asil
• Australorp
• Plymouth Barred Rock
• Buff Orpington
• Langshan
• Lavender Orpington
• Red Laced Wyandotte
• Silver Laced Wyandotte
• Sussex

What breed of chicken lay green eggs?

Green eggs are not just for children’s books.

• Easter Eggers
• Isbar or the “Ice Cream Bar”

Olive

• Olive Egger

What type of chicken lays white/cream colored eggs?

White is probably the most commonly known color for eggs.

• Ancona
• Blue Andalusion
• Campine
• Polish
• Silkie
• White Leghorn

Cream

• Dorking
• Easter Egger
• Faverolle

What types of chicken lay speckled eggs?

Although it’s not technically a color, a speckled pattern adds an interesting and fun bit of variety and texture to your egg basket.

• Cuckoo Marans
• Welsummers

Frequently Asked Questions

As you can see, there’s a whole Easter basket range of egg colors. Naturally, this spurs a whole lot of questions. Here are some of the more common ones we hear.

Q1. What color eggs do ameraucana chickens lay?

Ameraucanas, along with Aracaunas, and Easter Eggers, lay blue eggs.

Q2. What color eggs are healthiest?/Do blue chicken eggs taste different?

Aside from the color, there is very little difference between one egg to the next. No matter which color egg you get, it will hold nearly the same nutritional value. They will also all taste the same. A chicken’s environment, food, and water source play more of a role in flavor than color does.

Q3. What color egg’s do black chickens lay?/Do black chickens lay black eggs?/Do any chickens lay black eggs?

The Ayam Cemani is a rarity in the chicken world. It is completely black, from head to toe. It’s feathers, skin, even their internal organs. However, the one thing that is not black is the eggs they lay. In fact, the Ayam Cemani lays a shockingly light cream colored egg.

Q4. Can the same chicken lay different colored eggs?

An individual chicken can only lay a single color egg. Depending on their diet, age, pigment bloom, etc, the shade may be lighter or darker but the color will remain the same.

You will notice that the Easter Egger appears on almost every color option of the list. That is because the breed is capable of laying many different colors and shades. But, again, each chicken will ONLY lay one color.

Q5 Do roosters affect egg color?

Roosters do affect egg color as they are responsible for half of the genes in their offspring. Egg color is determined by genes that are inherited from parents – one gene from each parent.

Q6. How do you breed blue eggs?

In order to get blue eggs you must have at least one blue egg gene which means one of the parents must lay blue eggs. You can get blue eggs from a white egg layer crossed with a blue egg layer or two blue egg layers crossed together.

Wrap Up

As you can see, there’s a whole Easter basket range of naturally occurring colored eggs. After you read through the list a few times, you can really plan out which breeds you want in your flock and have a beautiful egg basket in the process!

The old saying goes, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Does the same hold true for your favorite feathered friends? Can chickens eat apples or are they dangerous?

Chickens get the vast majority of their nutritional needs from the feed you give them and on a healthy dose of bugs and other things they can catch. But, I bet they sure would like a little more variety in their diet.

Let’s take a look at whether or not chickens can eat apples.

Can Chickens Eat Apples Safely?

Chickens can not only safely eat apples, they LOVE them!

Part Of A Balanced Chicken Diet

Apples make a great snack food for chickens. In moderation, they can also provide a nice little boost of nutrients for your flock.

Chickens need a well balanced diet to keep up with the amount of calories and energy they burn while producing eggs. Believe it or not, chickens use almost 2/3 of their daily calorie intake just making eggs!

While there is not enough protein in an apple to make a serious dent in your feed bill, there are enough nutrients to keep your chickens healthy. Apples have a ton of vitamins and minerals that chickens need like Vitamins A, C, and B-6, as well as Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, and calcium.

Are Apple Peels Safe For Chickens?

Apple peels are incredibly packed with the beneficial nutrients we mentioned above. In fact, an apple that has NOT been peels has 50 more phytonutrients than a peeled apple!

The times when an apple peel may be harmful to your chickens is if they are not completely clean. Many apples, especially conventional/non-organic apples, are sprayed with various pesticides as they grow.

Once they are harvested and prepared for market, vendors will sometimes coat them in wax to make them shiny and be more visually appealing (or is it a-peel-ing?).

Both pesticides and wax can be harmful if ingested, not just for chickens but for us humans, too. If you want to feed your chickens apples with their peels, which is the healthier way to feed them, you will need to clean them first.

Cleaning them is easy. Just run the apple under some warm water and gently scrub the peel with a soft brush. You can even find a fruit and vegetable cleaning brush specifically made for a job this gentle.

Once your apple is nice and clean, you’re chickens can enjoy their healthy treat!

Are Apple Cores Safe For Chickens?

The short answer is no. Apple cores are not safe for your chicken to eat.

Apple cores are mush harder and dense than the peel or flesh of an apple. The peel and flesh are both easily pecked and broken up. The core tends to break off in bits, often times too large for a chicken to safely swallow.

The other big problem with apple cores is not the core itself. It is what is inside the core…

Can Chickens Eat Apple Seed?

You guessed it! The apple seeds are the most dangerous part of the core. So, no. Chickens can not safely eat apple seeds.

Why is that?

If you did not know, apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide. Now, a couple of apple seeds is not likely to pose a threat to your chicken’s life. But, in large enough quantities it can be deadly.

What Is Cyanide?

Cyanide is a highly toxic chemical found all throughout nature. Such as in different forms of bacteria, fungus, apricots, peaches, bitter almonds, and, yes, apple seeds.

Essentially what happens is, if too much cyanide is ingested, the cyanide will bond with iron found in the chickens system. This combination causes cellular respiration to cease. Eventually, cells die, organs fail, and the chicken will not survive.

How To Spot Cyanide Poisoning In Your Chickens

Unfortunately, it is not easy to tell if your chicken has cyanide poisoning until after they have die. If you know they have eaten or been around a cyanide source AND you notice they are having trouble breathing you can assume they have been poisoned.

How To Treat A Chicken With Cyanide Poisoning

The key to treatment is acting quickly. When a chicken has cyanide poisoning, they can often die quickly; within 30 minutes or so. Since the poisoning cause irreparable damage, it is critical to administer the antidote as soon as you can.

Vet treatment is most likely required as your chicken will need an IV of amyl and sodium nitrate. Neither of these are standard homesteading supplies.

The most effective way to help your chickens is to just make sure they do not have the opportunity to ingest apple seeds.

How To Feed Your Chickens Apples

As you may be able to tell from the above section, the best way to feed apples to your chickens is to remove the core and the seeds.

Here are a couple of ways your chickens will probably like to eat an apple snack.

Dried

This is, hands down, the best way to feed apples to your chickens. They are already pre-sliced and very thin. They have no core or seeds. Plus, the drying process makes them soft and even easier for a chicken to chew and tear apart.

Slices

Slices have all of the same advantages as dried apples except they are not quite as soft. Still, this is more accessible assuming you do not have a way to dry your own apples and do not want to buy them.

With Peanut Butter

Chickens will go crazy for this! Remove the core and seed from the apple and pack the center of it with peanut butter. You can also mix in some other chicken treats like sunflower seeds or dried meal worms.

Bonus points if you tie a string to it and hang it in their coop. They will spend all day eating and playing with their new toy.

Boredom Buster

Similar to the snack above, you can cut your apple into small chunks and run a piece of string or fishing line through it. Do this with apples, cherries, strawberries, grapes, or some other treats and make another type of treat toy they can enjoy!

Quick Tips For Chicken Treats

People are always asking about what they can and can’t feed their chickens. Here is a great starter list of some of the most commonly asked about chicken snacks.

What Fruits Are Safe For Chickens?

The main problem with feeding your chickens fruit is the sugar content. Fruit is great for use because we are much larger than chickens and are capable of processing the sugar content.

Chickens, being significantly smaller, can have their entire system thrown off if given too high a dose of glucose, aka sugar.

That doesn’t mean they cant have fruit. It just means it should be given in moderation. Especially dried fruits and berries, like raisins. They have much less moisture so the sugar content is much more concentrated.

Some fruits that are safe for your chicken to eat are:

– Apples (not the seeds)

– Bananas

– Cantaloupe

– Cherries

– Currants

– Peaches

– Pears

– Watermelon

Vegetables & Gourdes

While not quite as sugary as fruit, the same rules apply and should only be given in moderation.

Some safe vegetables for chickens are:

– Pumpkin

– Tomatoes (even though the are technically a fruit)

– Yellow Squash

– Zucchini

Berries

Berries and chickens go together so well. If our chickens notice our blackberry bush producing before we do, its all over!

Berries are like fruit in that they also contain a lot of sugar. For the most part, they are safe. Just make sure they do not eat an excess amount.

Some berries they can eat are:

– Blackberries

– Blueberries

– Mountain Ash Berries

– Mulberries

– Raspberries

– Rowan Berries

Berries chickens should NOT eat

Gooseberries and elderberries can be fatal if your chickens eat them.

“What Can Chickens Not Eat?” List

Here are a few things your chickens should not eat.

• Acorns: the tannins in acorns are toxic. This can lead to vomiting, diarhea, and possibly death.
• Alcohol: c’mon
• candy: this sugar source is worse than fruit and berries combined
• dry beans: contain phytohaemagglutinin which is toxic. You MUST cook all beans in order to be safely eaten by your chickens. Soaking is not enough.
• jam, jelly, or preserves: way too much sugar to be safe for chickens
• pesticides: you don’t really think your chickens should eat poison, right?
• raw/green potato peels or skins: green potato skins contain solanin; a toxin. When consumed, it can be deadly for your chickens.
• tea bags: same as acorns. they contain toxic amounts of tannins.

For more on chickens