Feeding chickens pumpkins: the facts.

Can chickens eat pumpkins? 

Absolutely! It's one of my flock's favourite foods. But is it good for them?

How to feed pumpkins to your chickens.

Can chickens eat fresh pumpkins safely?

Can chickens eat pumpkin seeds?

Absolutely. They're the most nutritious part of the pumpkin.

Some people like to blitz the seeds in a food processor, thinking they're too big for chickens to manage.

But there's really no need. As you saw in my video, chickens will devour the seeds whole and they won't cause any problems.

Jump to the detailed section about the benefits of pumpkin seeds which also covers whether seeds are a natural wormer.

Facts about pumpkins and chicken nutrition.

The humble pumpkin is one of nature's best sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants while being low in saturated fats. One cup contains just 49 calories.

That makes it an ideal low-fat food to sustain your chickens when other sources of healthy treats are becoming more scarce in the autumn (fall) and winter.

It's a particularly good source of...

Vitamin A: Pumpkin is one of the best sources of beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant which converts to vitamin A in the body.

• Increasing Vitamin A in your chickens' diet helps regenerate cells and boosts the immune system.

• Sadly, it's often deficient in a chickens' diet. That deficiency creates a lack of mucus in the eyes and throat. Once those tissues are damaged, it opens the way to infection, leading to dry eye and potential respiratory problems like Infectious Coryza⁽¹⁾.

• Blood spots in eggs can be a sign of a Vitamin A deficiency, so if you see a lot of spotting (one or two every so often is not unusual) get out the pumpkin! 

Potassium: Critical to chick development⁽²⁾, potassium also helps chickens deal with extreme heat⁽³⁾.

• Make sure you provide year-round potassium. Store some pumpkin for when heat exhaustion can be a problem and chickens need something cooling in their diet.

• If you intend to hatch from your own eggs, keep some to give to your laying hens for at least two weeks before you start collecting the fertile eggs.

• As a bonus, the eggs from chickens fed some pumpkin treats will be a deeper, vibrant orange!

Health benefits of pumpkin seeds for chickens.

Pumpkin seeds contain additional concentrated amounts of goodies your chickens need for an extra health boost.

Vitamin E: Also found in sunflower seeds, Vitamin E is vital for the poultry immune system and protects against (but does not cure) diseases like coccidiosis, e.coli and bronchitis. Lack of this vitamin causes distressing conditions⁽⁴⁾, including wry neck.

Zinc: is concentrated just under the shell in a mega-thin membrane – so  don't try to shell or blitz the seeds for your flock. Leave them intact. Zinc is essential to the chicken's development. Lack of it can lead to bone deformity and stunted growth⁽⁵⁾.

Again, if you're intending to hatch chicks from your own eggs, make sure your hens have a good source of zinc for at least two weeks before you collect the eggs, to ensure healthy embryos.

Potassium: which we've already seen as existing in the pumpkin flesh, is critical to healthy development.

Are pumpkin seeds a natural wormer?

You'll find a lot of "information" around the internet saying that pumpkin seeds are a "natural wormer" for chickens. Many people firmly and genuinely believe it: watch out for statements like "I believe" or "believed by many" or "I feed / know someone who feeds chickens pumpkin seeds and they've never had worms". 

That does not make it true.

It's never been proven. Research has centered mainly on people, horses and goats. Chickens have never been the focus, and it's just not possible to assume that because they work on mammals, they'll do the same for poultry.

In any event, worms should generally not be a problem for backyard flocks – they tend to affect chickens kept in large numbers and crowded conditions. If you do notice worms in your chickens' poop, check with a veterinarian to assess treatment options. 

So, by all means feed pumpkin seeds to your flock. They're a healthy source of many beneficial vitamins and minerals and your chickens will love them.

Just don't expect them to get rid of worms.

Can feeding pumpkins to chickens be harmful?

Any treat should only be given in moderation, and only alongside their usual balanced feed. 

Think of it in the same way you might take vitamin tablets. You wouldn't eat them in isolation, but as a supplement to your usual food.

It's no different with chickens.

Caution: Be sure to take any remaining pumpkin out of the run at dusk. Leaving it will attract rodents on the lookout for an easy meal.

And don't leave any pumpkin in the run if it's become mouldy or wet. Eating food that's gone off is no more good for your chickens than it is for you.

How long do pumpkins last?

As with any fresh food, pumpkins can quickly deteriorate unless they're stored properly.

• A fresh pumpkin can last for anything up to three months if left in a cool, dark place.

• A carved pumpkin will rot down quickly – it won't last for longer than a week at most. So don't carve too early, and give to your chickens as soon as Hallowe'en has passed.

How to store pumpkins for feeding year-round.

Buy as many pumpkins as possible when they're plentiful in the autumn (fall) and feed at least some to your flock fresh. It helps them store reserves of vitamins and minerals as winter approaches.

They're especially inexpensive in the shops and markets when Hallowe'en has passed.

But it's great for them to have pumpkin all year round as a special treat.

The easiest way to store it is to scoop out the flesh and seeds, either roast or make a puree, and freeze it in smaller quantities.

• It can then be defrosted and fed by itself, or added to some scrambled eggs or cooked rice during the winter, when your flock needs a vitamin boost.

• In summer, try adding some to a frozen chicken treat to help deal with heat stress.

Don't forget to add the remaining shell to your compost heap. No point wasting any part of a pumpkin!

Some other articles you may find useful.

Sources and further reading.

A lot of "facts" you'll find on the internet are often people's individual views, based on inaccurate information repeated from poor quality sources.

The information I provide in this article and others is based not just on my own experience, but on evidenced facts from scientific, peer-reviewed research and from highly respected and experienced poultry keepers such as Gail Damerow.

Some of the sources I have used in this article are these. Click the link to read the full document:

1. Blackhall, P: Infectious Coryza in chickens. Pub. MSD Veterinary Manual, 2018.

2. Baloš, M: Electrolytes in poultry nutrition. Pub. Archive of Veterinary Medicine, 2016.

3. Ait-Boulahsen et al: Potassium chloride improves the thermotolerance of chickens exposed to acute heat stress. Pub. US National Library of Medicine, 1995.

4. Dinev, I: Diseases of poultry: Vitamin E deficiency. Pub. The Poultry Site, 2014.

5. O'Dell, B et al: Zinc deficiency and peripheral neuropathy in chicks. Pub. US National Library of Medicine, 1990.