As we all know, chickens are rather Quin (keen) on most foods. Pardon the pun, but it’s completely true, chickens really will eat almost anything.
But, just because they CAN eat many different types of foods, doesn’t mean they SHOULD. So, if you’ve accidentally made too much quinoa, or are looking for ways to enrich your chicken’s diet, then you may have asked yourself: Can chickens eat quinoa?
Well, here we go through if chickens can eat both cooked, and uncooked quinoa, what benefits it actually has for your chickens, and how to effectively serve it to your flock – without risking any harm or malnutrition.
Can You Feed Chicken’s Quinoa?
Why not right? I mean, if you’ve owned backyard chickens for long you’ll know that they love a good table scrap meal. Plus, so long as it’s only on the odd occasion, as a supplement to their normal diet, and only including chicken-safe foods, then it’s actually considered healthy for them.
So, you won’t be surprised to hear that you can feed chickens quinoa. In fact, you could even go as far as to say that quinoa is a superfood for chickens. This grain is absolutely packed with vitamins and minerals and offers a good amount of protein too.
You can feed your chickens either raw, uncooked quinoa or cooked quinoa, so long as it doesn’t contain any additives or other ingredients that could be considered unhealthy for chickens.
Can Chickens Eat Uncooked Quinoa?
You might be looking for a quick treat for your chickens, and have run out of their usuals. If you spy some raw, uncooked quinoa in your pantry it may have got you thinking: can chickens eat uncooked quinoa?
Well, quinoa is technically a grain, and chickens are no stranger to eating grains. Plus, quinoa in its rawest form actually contains the most nutrients, as it’s normal to lose some nutritional value over the cooking period.
So in short, yes, chickens can eat uncooked quinoa. And as an added bonus, it’s a perfect size for them to chow down on, not needing to chop or crush it up first.
Even though uncooked quinoa is completely healthy and safe for chickens to eat, it shouldn’t be used as a replacement for their normal feed, as it simply isn’t formulated to cover your exact chicken’s dietary requirements. For this reason, it’s always best to feed quinoa to your chickens sparingly, only as a treat or as part of a table scrap meal once a week or fortnight.
Can Chickens Eat Cooked Quinoa?
If you’ve already cooked your quinoa, and you’ve found out you’ve simply cooked too much to eat yourself, then it’s very wise to consider feeding some to your flock.
This way they can enjoy it too, plus benefit from all the nutrients and vitamins that quinoa has to offer your chickens.
Most of the time, cooking grains, vegetables, or other foods actually reduces the nutritional value of said foods. This is either lost through moisture or through heat. Luckily, cooked quinoa is just about as healthy as raw quinoa for your chickens.
The other good news? Cooked quinoa is usually much easier for your chickens to eat, as it’s softer in texture.
The only extra thing you need to watch out for when feeding cooked quinoa to your chickens is to be sure you haven’t left anything that’s considered harmful to chickens in the quinoa itself, such as too much salt, onions, or too much sugar for example.
Nutritional Benefits Of Quinoa For Chickens
Interestingly enough, the reasons why quinoa is considered a superfood for humans is pretty much the same reason it’s considered a superfood for chickens.
This is, being absolutely rich in protein compared to other grains. Containing countless nutrients and vitamins, including high amounts of calcium, zinc, potassium, and literally so much more.
When we talk about what really matters for chickens, here are the main nutritional benefits specifically for chickens.
Protein
As you might be aware, chickens are absolute fiends for protein. Considering they are actually omnivores, chickens will happily eat high protein meats like taco meat and even hot dog (without the preservatives or additives of course).
This is also why they gobble up any insect that comes just a bit too close, from dragonflies to spiders, to the popular treat: mealworms.
All of this desire for protein makes complete sense, as laying hens need between 16-18% protein in their diets to keep up their busy schedule of laying and foraging.
The plant-based proteins found in quinoa are incredibly enriching for chickens, being up to 15% protein in total too! This means it’s a prime protein supplement for growth, egg production, immunity, and muscle strength.
Fiber
Another important part of a chicken’s diet is fiber. This aids in the digestive process which is crucial for chickens. Quinoa is very high in fiber, which improves chickens’ digestive health and balances high sugar or cholesterol levels, helping prevent any overweight chickens!
Iron
Iron is an essential mineral found in quinoa, which chickens rely on for various bodily functions. For example, iron helps in transporting oxygen in the bloodstream. Moreover, it also plays a vital role in the production of healthy eggs.
Other superfoods for chickens containing iron or other essential minerals include chia seeds, or root vegetables like radish or parsnips for your chickens.
Phosphorus And Calcium
Quinoa is rich in minerals such as phosphorus and calcium, both of which are needed to produce healthy eggs. In addition, calcium helps strengthen chicken bones and feathers.
A lack of calcium can have quite a noticeable impact on your chicken’s health and wellbeing. You can tell a chicken may have a calcium deficiency if they stop laying eggs for an extended period of time, they lay smaller eggs, or they lay soft-shell eggs. This is because calcium is the primary element that makes up their eggshell.
Aside from feeding your chickens quinoa, another good way to ensure your flock is getting enough calcium is to feed your chickens scrambled egg with crushed eggshells in it too!
How To Serve Quinoa To Chickens
Although it’s not rocket science, there are a few things to remember when serving quinoa to your chickens. After all, it’s your responsibility that they get the required nutrition and dietary requirements they need to remain happy and healthy.
The first thing to remember is that quinoa, whether it’s uncooked or cooked, should never replace your chicken’s normal formulated seed mix, or layer pellets. Although quinoa is considered to be super healthy, it lacks the balance a chicken needs for regular laying, and overall health.
By feeding your chickens too much of any one food group, your chickens will often “fill themselves up”, and may go without a meal or two of their normal seed mix. If this happens too frequently you may find your chickens to develop slight deficiencies or end up laying fewer eggs.
So, with this in mind, the best way to serve quinoa to your chickens is either:
- Add some uncooked quinoa to their feeder or with their seed mix. This helps them get a balance of the benefits of quinoa, without missing out on any of their normal formulated mixes.
- Give uncooked or cooked quinoa to your chickens only as a treat. This allows them to reap the benefits of quinoa, without any risk to their normal diet.
Conclusion
Your chickens are in luck!
Chickens can, and will, eat quinoa – both uncooked or cooked, they don’t mind. Plus, so long as you haven’t added any other ingredients to it, quinoa is actually considered healthy for chickens.
Its high macro-and micronutrients levels really make it a genuine superfood for chickens. Unlike a lot of other human foods, quinoa can be fed to your flock more regularly, but still only as a supplement to their normal diet, or as a treat. This is just so you can keep a healthy balanced diet in check.