Can Chickens Eat Acorns? Sounds Safe!

Nuts like acorns pose a choking risk for ducks. For chickens, it is likely to be the same troublemaker. But, the nutrients acorns have, might raise a bet in their favor for being in chicken’s diet.

Can Chickens Eat Acorns? Yes, chickens can eat acorns as an occasional treat. However, they may have health difficulties when consuming such oak nuts a lot. So, feeding in moderation is a good practice. It’s because tannin toxicity is there that binds to proteins in chickens’ digestive system.

Get into this article for proper feeding tips. Also, I’ll share the potential harm hidden behind such healthy nutritious nuts. So, without further due, let’s get started!

Can Chickens Eat Acorns? Are Acorns Good For Chickens?

Yes, eating acorns is okay but they should only be fed in moderation. More specifically, don’t cross 5% of their diet while feeding such a nutritious treat.

However, the big culprit here is Acorns with tannins. This can lead to a number of health problems, including diarrhea, weight loss, and liver damage.

Actually tannic acid content varies among oak trees. Hence, it is generally considered harmful to the liver and inhibits the body’s ability to absorb iron.

But as a suggestion, just toss them into a creek and let the water take care of the toxic removal. After doing so, we watch the water for about three days, or until it stops becoming brown.

Acorns are an excellent source of fiber, fat, protein, and vitamins and minerals. That’s what chickens need! Acorns can be included in your regular diet as a supplement.

A true fun fact is they can’t open until you crack it in the ground. Look at the video to see how they enjoy eating acorns.

Related reading:

• Can Chickens Eat Prunes
• Do Ducks Eat Papaya

5 Different Forms And Parts Of Acorns For Chickens

Acorns can be of many types and forms. But are all these things safe for chickens? No, not all of them. Let’s see what’s safe for them and what’s not. 

Are Acorns Seeds Safe For Chickens?

Acorn seeds are the same as acorns, so they should only be fed to chickens in moderation.

What About Crushed Acorns For Chickens?

Crushed acorns may be slightly easier for chickens to digest than whole acorns, but they are still potentially toxic.

Do Chickens Eat Ground Acorns?

Ground acorns are no safer for chickens than whole acorns. Do not feed ground acorns to chickens.

Can I Offer Black Acorn To My Chickens?

Black acorns are just as toxic as other types of acorns. Do not feed black acorns to chickens.

Is Wild Acorns Safe For Chickens?

Wild acorns are just as toxic as cultivated acorns. Do not feed wild acorns to chickens.

Some Other Types Of Acorns For Chickens

Well, I also find some other types of oak acorns that are safe and good for the chickens. I offered such acorns as my research found these nuts best for poultries growth. But tannin is everywhere so following the moderate amount is always there!

• White oak Acorns: These acorns have the lowest tannin content of all oak acorns, making them the safest choice for chickens.
• Bur oak Acorns: Bur oak acorns have moderate tannin levels and can be fed to chickens in moderation. However, it is important to make sure that the acorns are ripe, as unripe bur oak acorns can be toxic.
• Pin oak Acorns: Pin oak acorns have slightly higher tannin levels than white oak acorns. But they are still considered safe for chickens in moderation.
• Red oak Acorns: Red oak acorns have the highest tannin content of all oak acorns and should not be fed to chickens.

Can Baby Chicks Eat Acorns? Cautions!

No, baby chicks should not eat acorns. Baby chicks are even more susceptible to the toxic effects of tannins than adult chickens. 

Baby chicks have immature digestive systems that are not equipped to handle the tannins in acorns. So, it can even cause death!

So, I would suggest feeding them their daily needs and other nutritional treats like chopped fruits or vegetables, insects, or commercial chick feed. It’s crucial during their early age.

Nutrients Present In Acorns For Chickens

Acorns have plenty of nutrients so offering to chicken is okay when you practice the right amount. Check out the nutrients 100 grams of Acorns come with, according to USDA.

6 Health Benefits Of Feeding Acorns That Impact Chicken Health

As you decide to feed your poultry chicken in the farm or yard, let me tell you all the nutrients and their contribution.

1. Better Digestive Health

Acorns are a wonderful source of fiber, which helps improve gut health and aid with digestion in hens. Fiber keeps the proper balance of gut bacteria in the stomach, helps control bowel motions, and avoids constipation.

2. Boost Your Natural Antioxidants

Antioxidants in acorns can help chickens against oxidative stress. Plus it helps from free radical-induced cellular damage. Antioxidants are essential for immune system maintenance and for lowering the risk of chronic illnesses.

3. Antimicrobial Characteristics

Tannins, found in acorns, have antibacterial and antiparasitic qualities. These characteristics can aid in defending against gastrointestinal parasites, diseases, and excessive farting for chickens. Plus, it enhances their general health and well-being. But overconsumption is fatal!

4. Higher-Quality Eggs

Feeding acorns to hens may enhance the quality of their eggs, especially the color of the yolk, that study has found. Well, the overall nutrients benefit in that way! However, a group of experienced chicken raisers claimed, excessive feeding can ruin the taste of eggs.

5. Overall Nutrients Intake

Important elements for the health and growth of chickens include iron, calcium, and vitamin A, all of which can be found in acorns.

1. Calcium is important for healthy bones and eggs. 

2. Vitamin A promotes – 

• Immune system function
• Cell growth
• Eyesight.

3. Iron helps the body produce energy and transfer oxygen in the blood.

6. Possible Reduction in Weight

Given that acorns are a low-calorie diet, hens that are prone to obesity or overeating may benefit from eating them. Nonetheless, to prevent tannin toxicity, it’s critical to keep an even diet and refrain from overfeeding acorns.

Are Acorn Toxic For Chickens? Yes, Tannin Is To Blame!

Unfortunately, we blame tannins, or gallic acid along with pyrogallol. And I have to say it loud that only the excessive amount of acorns with tannins is bad. Not a small quality is harmful to their health. However, to be aware, keep some facts in mind!

The big problem is toxicity which pushes chickens to suffer. So, you need to pick the oak nut that contains fewer tannins. Otherwise, chickens may experience diarrhea and a decrease in their ability to absorb nutrients.

How to Feed Acorns To Chickens

Feeding is quite simple and effortless as I showed you a video above. Just crush it and feed it. However, the quantity, frequency, and preparation steps are much more crucial. Let me guide you with the proper way of feeding acorns to chickens.

How many Acorns to Feed Chickens?

A chicken’s diet should consist of very few acorns. Although there is no specific amount found on the internet, I would suggest offering 1-2 ounces (28-56 grams) of acorns per chicken as a treat. 

Remember, overfeeding can cause liver problems and produce health issues like diarrhea and weight loss.

How Often to Feed Acorns to Chickens?

Feed your chickens acorns depending on how big your flock is and whether there are other healthy food sources available. But I prefer giving acorns once a week or every two weeks.

How to Prepare Acorns for Chickens?

Here is how you should prepare Acorns for chickens – 

• Gather the oak trees’ acorns. Red oak tree acorns should be avoided due to their greater tannin content.
• Give the acorns a full day or at best 3 days to soak in water. This will assist in reducing the tannin content.
• Thoroughly rinse and pat dry the acorns.
• Reduce in size the acorns by crushing or grinding them. This will facilitate the chicken’s digestion of them. For breaking, use a hammer.
• Add the crushed acorns to your chicken’s daily diet.
• You can also scatter it in the ground, and include it in the recipe to feed your chicken.

Final Word

Time to end the chickens’ feeding time! So, Can Chickens Eat Acorns? Yes, chickens are safe to eat Acorns when you feed them in moderation. Excessive consumption is bad as it contains tannin toxicity. It can cause digestion distress in them.

On the other hand, chickens will have an overall health boost, better digestion, egg quality, and better immunity. For feeding, soak it in water, and offer a little quantity in a crushed form.

Sources & References:

• https://www.quora.com/How-would-feeding-oak-acorns-to-chickens-affect-the-taste-of-their-eggs
• https://www.sruc.ac.uk/veterinary-surveillance-blog/acorn-toxicity/