Can Chickens Eat Mango? A Backyard Chicken Farmer’s Guide

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The mango is a sweet, juicy, and plump fruit that is loved by all. But, can chickens eat mango too? The answer is yes, chickens can indeed eat some parts of a mango fruit. Even though they can eat mango fruit, we need to discuss if they should eat the fruit and why.

Do Chickens Eat Mangoes?

My Homestead Loves Mangoes

Mangoes are considered the king of tropical fruits. They are the 3rd most consumed fruit in the world! It is no surprise that mangoes do not last in my house. I can bring home an entire box of mangoes and they will be gone within an hour! Most of the time I’m trying to hide the mangoes, just so I can get a small taste of one. Sadly, it never works out. I always end up having to share my mango with some puppy dog-eyed individual.

Furthermore, the love does not stop there. Some of our chickens are big fans of mangoes too. The animals get first dibs whenever we have leftover scraps of fruits and vegetables. Fortunately for them, if we have any mango scraps left over they get those too.

Will All Chickens Eat Mangoes?

The biggest mango fruit fan we have is our sweet Yokohama hen. Although she is normally a very docile bird, she will not let anything come between her and her mango slices. On the other hand, our Silkie chickens won’t even look at a mango let alone eat one. It just depends on the bird. Some chickens love mangoes and their sweet taste while others do not.

Is it Safe for Chickens to Eat Mango Fruit?

In moderation, it is safe for chickens to eat mango fruit. Mango should not be used as a main poultry feed for chickens. It should be fed as a supportive supplement to regular feed or the occasional healthy treat. While there is a high sugar content in mangoes, most of it does not get absorbed due to anti-nutrients. Tannins are the most problematic anti-nutrient for chickens as they inhibit the appetite and cause weight loss. This mainly becomes a problem when you are feeding mangoes in high amounts instead of as a supportive supplement.

Do chickens need vitamin C?

While most chickens stay away from citrus fruits with high vitamin C content, the same cannot be said for mangoes. According to the USDA, mango fruit has a large supply of vitamin C. There is 60.1 mg of vitamin in every cup of mango. While mango fruit is known for being packed with vitamin C, this fact matters little to chickens. Vitamin C is not considered one of their essential nutrients as chickens can create their own vitamin C! With that said, a mango’s high vitamin C content does come in handy when a chicken is hot and stressed out. Their vitamin C production may diminish and they may need a small boost to their vitamin C supply.

When it comes to chickens, why is it important that mangoes have vitamin A?

The vitamin A content is where mango fruit shines in regards to chicken nutrition. One cup of mango has 1780 IU’s of vitamin A which is more than the daily requirement of a young chicken. Up until a chicken lays its first egg the daily vitamin A requirement is 1500 IU’s of vitamin A. This amount doubles when a hen begins to lay eggs.

A lack of Vitamin A can lead to discharge coming from the eyes, nose, and throat. It may also cause decreased egg production, weight loss, weakness, and an overall decreased immune system leading to increased infections.

Vitamin A deficiency can occur due to a lack of vitamin A in the feed or the inability to absorb the vitamin properly. Unlike free-range chickens, caged chickens have less access to the leafy greens that normally provide the intake of vitamin A. Therefore caged chickens would benefit the most from being fed mango as a supplement to their normal diet.

Can the fiber in mangoes help chickens with digestive problems?

The jury is out on this one. Some studies state that fiber is beneficial to the gut health and immunity of chickens. Other studies indicate that fiber can be an anti-nutrient, preventing nutrients from being absorbed into the digestive system. With that said, a recent study concluded that fiber can be beneficial when given in amounts that are 3-5% of a chicken’s diet. Mangoes have 2.64 grams of dietary fiber per cup.

Chickens owners, you be the judge of what works best for your flock. Make sure to keep an eye out for any digestive issues or weight loss in your flock. If there are any problems stop feeding them mangoes immediately.

What parts of a mango plant can you feed to your flock?

Can you feed your backyard chickens mango seeds?

Mango seeds do have the presence of antinutrients. The antinutrients consist of cyanide, tannins, oxalic acids, phytates, saponins, and alkaloids. As the name implies, anti-nutrients prevent mango nutrients from being properly absorbed by chickens during digestion.

The good news is that many studies use ground-up mango seed kernels in their feed replacement diets without issues. That is because they limit how much mango seed kernel is fed to chickens. In most studies, chickens can have anywhere between 10% of their diet replaced with mango and mango seed kernels without adverse effects such as weight loss. Despite containing the toxic compound cyanide, tannin is said to be the biggest problem because it decreases the appetite of the chickens in addition to blocking the absorption of nutrients and carbohydrates.

The amount of mango seed kernels in a diet may increase with heat treatments that reduce the ant- nutrients in the seeds. This can increase the amount of mango products fed to chickens between 25-50% of their diet.

Can you feed chickens mango pits?

Yes, technically you can feed chickens mango pits. In fact, you may dry them and grind them up for chicken feed if you are feeling ambitious. While shells of the mango pit are not toxic, it is not recommended to feed them in chunks to a chicken. They may pose a choking hazard to your feathered friends.

Can you feed your chickens mango peels aka mango skins?

Yes, you may. While most would not find the peel appetizing. I have some chickens and a husband who loves the peel. Weird, I know. If you choose to feed the peels, be sure to wash the skins before consumption as there may be pesticide residue. As an added WARNING: MANGO SKINS CONTAIN URUSHIOL. IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO POISON IVY DO NOT EAT IT! Urushiol is an oily substance that causes rashes and boils from poison IVY

Can you feed mango leaves to chickens?

My fellow chicken owners there are some amazing studies out there that indicate that mango leaves can be used as an antibiotic in chickens. The chickens that consumed mango leaves had reduced cholesterol levels, increased antioxidants, and increased immune status. That is something to get excited about!

Can Chickens Eat Mango? Recap:

You can feed small amounts of mango to your chickens. It matters little if they are frozen or fresh. Most importantly, the nutritional benefits of Mangoes can help improve your chickens’ immunity status and prevent them from having health problems. Simply put, they are a wonderful addition to your chickens’ diet when used as the occasional treat.

Have you ever tried feeding your chickens fruit? Tell me about it in the comments

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