Can Chickens Eat Asparagus? As a poultry farmer, you notice that your birds pick at the asparagus growing behind their coop and wonder if it’s okay for them to munch at it. Not to worry, the answer you need is here.
Whether you are raising a broiler, layers, or both, knowing the right nutrient composition for your flock is important as it determines the general output of your birds (body weight, egg quality, health, etc.).
Asparagus is a vegetable rich in minerals and nutrients needed by your bird’s health and overall performance, although not to be substituted for their regular diet, the vegetable acts as a supplement in providing the micro-nutrients needed for their growth.
Nutrient Composition of Asparagus.
Asparagus is a vegetable rich in vitamins A, E, and C. Like its close cousins; lettuce and pumpkin, this vegetable packs a lot in terms of nutritional value.
However, while humans are allowed to consume a sizable portion of the vegetable, asparagus for your bird is aimed at providing trace nutrients to keep their metabolic functioning intact.
Nutrients like Phosphorus, Calcium, Methionine, Betaine, and Amino Acid are among the compositions found in Asparagus. These compositions in the right proportion are healthy for your birds.
Benefits of Asparagus for my Chicken
The following are the nutritional benefits of asparagus for your bird and how it helps maintain their general health:
- Egg Production Boosts
- Meat Quality improvement
- Digestion Boost
- Snack and Treat
- Immune Boost
Egg Production
The plant contains high calcium and phosphorus elements which for your hen is needed to boost her egg production and the quality of her eggs.
Egg quality is determined by the texture, size, and liquid content present in the egg; low-quality eggs have a weak whitish eggshell and low liquid content when observed. More so, you may notice some delay in your bird in laying again after laying the first egg.
Ideally, with the right nutrients and conditions, when your bird reaches the laying stages, she should be able to lay daily until the total number of eggs she can produce is reached.
Alternatively, should your hen lay only once and skip a day or two before laying another, then her first lay should be at least two to three eggs if properly fed right.
Your hen’s inability to lay quality eggs could result in a lack of calcium in her diet, therefore feeding her with some asparagus will help address this problem.
Meat Quality Improvement.
Broilers also need asparagus if the quality of their meat is not as expected; by this I mean they possess a small size.
The meat quality of your broiler is their overall body size, and quite often a bird suffering from a lack of betaine or methionine looks smallish and hence their meat size.
Asparagus contains these trace elements and when given to your bird, will activate the enzyme needed to build and improve their body mass.
Not only will the body mass increase, but the plant also provides healthy muscles for your birds and serum protein needed to keep them hydrated and help their metabolism.
Digestion Boost
As said earlier, the asparagus plant contains trace element that helps in many ways the health of your birds, among its benefits is aiding your bird’s digestion.
According to the USDA, data put forward shows that the plant contains dietary fiber needed for the improvement of your chicken appetite.
These dietary fibers contain gut bacteria that interact with your bird’s alimentary canal to provide the enzymes needed to have them eat more while also boosting their intestinal structure regulation and digestive organ development.
A 100-gram serving of the asparagus plant is enough to supply the needed nutrients for digestive optimal performance.
Snack and Treat
Instead of feeding your birds toxic pellets and seeds that could harm them, research has shown that feeding your chicken an ample quantity of asparagus is a better treat.
With the benefits highlighted above, you get to give your birds something to peck on while supplying them with the microelement for their development.
Immune Boost
Vitamins A, E, and C present in the asparagus provide a heavy dose of immunity for your birds if given in the right proportion.
A ten percent inclusion into their regular diet provides the vitamins needed to help fight off certain conditions like Coccidiosis and other gut diseases.
While this is not an exhaustive list of the health benefits of asparagus, care should be maintained when feeding your chicken, the plant as taking it in excess could worsen their health.
Risk and Precaution when Feeding Your Chicken Asparagus
Given your chicken asparagus is a healthy thing for them making it a staple in their diet could lead to complications you may want to avoid as a farmer.
Understanding the risks and precautions to take will go a long way in preventing losses and a trip to the vet, so here are a few things to bear in mind when feeding your chicken asparagus.
Avoid Feeding the hard tawny part
Take care not to feed your chicken with the hard part of the plant (the stem and seeds) as this could affect their digestion.
If you must feed them with the seed, it is advised that you cure and grind it to a pulp before serving it in their meal, however, it is advisable to avoid feeding the seed to them.
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Thrash Rotten Asparagus
Rodents and Reptiles can find succor in your chicken coop if rotten asparagus is sprawled about without being thrashed.
The vegetable attracts pests due to their seed and mushiness- if left in the coop not thrashed, you could be inviting predators to your poultry house.
Feed your Chicken Unseasoned Asparagus.
The temptation to think that your birds need their food to be properly garnished for them to enjoy it should be avoided. Simple is tasty to them.
Provide only unseasoned and healthy asparagus to your birds if you want to prevent complications in your fluffy avian, and remember to keep it simple.
Does Feeding Chicken Asparagus Change Their Egg Quality?
Many reasons account for your chicken’s egg quality and feeding them asparagus is only a small part of it.
Conditions like the feed ingredient, age of the laying hen, feeding frequency, and the type of supplement given determine your health quality.
In Summary
Your chicken deserves the best care for optimal output and general health wellness, and feeding them asparagus in the right proportion is a step in the right direction. With it many nutritional benefits present in the plant, missing this in their diet isn’t advisable. However, bear in mind that it does not replace their main diet.
If you find this article informative, drop a comment below in the comment section, and don’t forget to check out our other articles in the section given.
