Can Chickens Eat Apricots?
Chickens can eat apricot flesh, but the pits — and wilted apricot leaves — carry cyanogenic compounds.
The why
The fruit is safe and nutritious; the kernel is one of the more concentrated amygdalin sources among stone fruits, and wilted leaves from apricot trees are also a known cyanide risk for livestock.
How to feed it
Pit and slice, feed the flesh fresh or dried (unsweetened, unsulfured if you can).
Worth knowing
No pits, and don't let the flock forage piles of pruned or storm-dropped apricot leaves as they wilt.
The 90/10 rule: whatever the treat, a laying flock's diet should stay about 90% balanced feed. Treats — even the healthy ones — are the garnish, not the meal. Wondering what your flock really costs to feed? Try our free egg cost calculator.
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