Gone are the days when our pets and farm animals used to get the same old boring feed every day. As the world made progress, we discovered what is and what is not healthy for us, our thorough research has added several human food items to our farm animals and birds’ diet as well.
Papaya, a rewarding fruit belonging to the family of Caricaceae, originates from the tropics of America, Central America, and Southern Mexico mainly.
Papaya plants are known for quick fruiting, as the owners normally begin reaping the benefits within 3 years of its cultivation. Several million tons of papayas are collected every year, India contributes the most to the total production.
Done serving the worth-knowing information, now let’s get to today’s subject of discussion.
Yes, chickens can eat papaya. The vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that papayas are rewarded with, make it incredibly healthy for chickens, especially in the crucial growth years. It’s one of the rewarding fruits that don’t necessarily need to be fed in moderation.
Yes, they love papayas. How can any human, animal, or bird not like this sweet, creamy, buttery texture and tropical mango-like flavor? Chickens love papayas to the point that they won’t even allow the papaya peels to go to scrap.
According to Research Gate, Papaya peels are also safe for chickens to eat. So, papayas can be fed with or without skin. Chickens would not mind eating the peels alone as well.
Peels are considered healthy as they are enriched in carbohydrates, protein, fiber, potassium, folate, and vitamin A, and, C.
Dried papaya skins are often fed and being fed for a long time to fulfill the nutritional needs.
However, feeding dried papaya peels to other chicken breeds is less common but broilers and humans have been eating and admiring this chunky snack since the beginning of time.
See also Do Mallard Ducks Mate for Life?
Papaya seeds are not healthy to be eaten for any bird or animal as they do not get digested easily. The undigested papaya seeds can cause intestinal blockage. So, try feeding papayas without seeds. (Source)
Now that my readers have got to know that papayas are safer and healthier for chicken and they can be fed with peels but not with seeds.
It must have been bothering you now, how should this fruit be fed? Papaya is probably the only fruit that does not require you to follow any hard and fast feeding rules, but the chicken keepers should still have to be careful.
The Feed-in-moderation rule does not apply to papayas but this can not be taken as a green signal. Papayas can be fed daily, it can not be a replacement for a typical feed chicken feed.
Moreover, it is suggested to wash the fruit thoroughly, cut out several pieces, take out the seeds, peel off or several the fruit with the skin. To make it safer and digestible, consider feeding papayas thrice a week.
What makes the papayas so healthy? What do the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants do for the chickens?
According to Medical News Today, Papayas are healthy because they are loaded with calcium, iron, magnesium, folate, potassium, protein, fiber, vitamin A, and C.
Folate, a B-vitamin, is greatly demanded by chickens and birds especially in periods of stress and illness.
The folate deficiency leads to a reduced hatch rate and leg deformities. So, if the fruit is fulfilling some part of the need then what’s the harm? You can feed green beans to chicken for extra care.
Potassium deficiency is also not rare in chicken and it often results in reduced egg production and egg weight etc.
See also Corid Dosage For Chicken, Is It Effective Against Coccidiosis?
As per the experts, an average laying hen needs 150mg potassium every day to stay healthy and this 150mg must only be supplied through the feed.
This nutritional fruit suits the chicken’s needs well as potassium is found in abundance in bananas and papayas.
Besides mealworms and sunflower seeds, papayas can also be a great source of protein for laying hens.
Protein is usually mandated to keep the egg-laying cycle going. Since papayas contain a noticeable amount of protein, they would be the healthiest for chickens above the age of nineteen weeks.
Fiber is needed for the chicken’s and bird’s existence. It plays an important role in stimulating the gastrointestinal tract and in the digestion of nutrients.
Lack of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, leads to poor health, reduced growth rate, and egg-laying.
Vitamin A deficiency can easily occur and it can affect the entire flock in a matter of weeks.
The chickens suffering from vitamin A deficiency do not just develop crusty material in their nostrils and eyes but also experience respiratory problems and several swallowing and respiratory issues.
For laying hens, vitamin A deficiency is even more deadly as it leads to organ failure and a sudden drop in hatchability. So, papayas would be of great help, especially for the laying hens.
Papaya contains a good amount of vitamin C that assists in gaining healthy weight and improving the immunity in growing chickens. Feed eggplants to chicken for the best vitamin c source.
Vitamin C is also known for curing the heat stress that occurs when the weather is too hot. Other than that, vitamin C is also required to improve egg quality, maintain healthy body weight, and meet psychological requirements.
Calcium is needed by the chicken of all ages, especially the newborn and the laying hens. It enhances the quality of eggs and eggs shell production in laying hens and improves the growth rate for newborn chicks.
See also Can Chickens Eat Eggplant? 3 Ways to Feed
Iron plays a similar role in the chicken’s body as it does in every living organism, supplying oxygen to all parts of the body.
The iron deficiency called “anemia” is more deadly than any other deficiencies existing in the world right now. Read a complete guide on more iron-rich raisins for chickens.
Magnesium is just as important as any other nutrients as it assists in bone development and the healthy functioning of metabolism.
The chicken farmers usually try to fulfill the chicken’s calcium and magnesium needs from their diet, as one fruit is fulfilling calcium and magnesium needs, isn’t it a win-win?
Besides, the above-mentioned nutrients, papaya also contains a small amount of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin E, and K.
All these nutrients are equally demanded balanced health and growth.
Yes, chickens can eat papayas with or without peels. Feeding papayas with seeds should be avoided as they are extremely harmful to chickens.
To minimize any possible danger, it is recommended to wash the fruit, cut it into large pieces, and take out the seeds before throwing it to be eaten and digested. Papayas are enriched in calcium, iron, magnesium, folate, potassium, protein, fibre, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, E, K, and C. All these vitamins and minerals play an important role in the health and wellness of chickens.
