If you’re growing sunflowers, you’ll know that you need to harvest the seeds of this beautiful flower in late summer. Many people eat their harvested sunflower seeds, others give their seeds to their pets.

You may be wondering if you can do this with chickens, and if they can eat the seeds with the shells still intact, so, can chickens eat sunflower seeds with shells? This article explores this topic 

Chickens can definitely eat sunflower seeds with shells, their digestive systems are able to break the seeds down with no problem. These seeds are able to deliver good amounts of vitamin E to the bird’s body, vitamin E aids in the production of healthy eggs 

Can chickens eat sunflower seeds with shells?

Chickens do well on a diet that includes chicken feed mix, fruits, and vegetables. This combination of food will deliver all the vitamins and minerals that your bird needs to maintain optimum health.

Sunflower seeds don’t necessarily fall into any of these categories but they can still be fed to your chickens, these birds are also happy to eat sunflower seeds with shells 

One major benefit of sunflower seeds is that they can deliver vitamin E to chickens. Vitamin E is helpful for egg production, hatchability, and egg fertility.

How chickens eat sunflower seeds:

Chickens have no problem eating sunflower seeds because the seeds are swallowed whole and the bird’s digestive system is able to digest this tough food. 

Chickens don’t have any teeth, they swallow foods whole, having no teeth keeps chickens from having to chew anything. This doesn’t mean that they can’t eat anything, chickens will simply swallow seeds in their whole form.

A chicken’s digestive system is also quite efficient. After seeds pass through the crop, they enter the proventriculus and then into the gizzard.

The proventriculus secretes hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes which are able to break down both the seed and shell. 

After being digested in the proventriculus, the seeds will then move into the muscular gizzard which also digests food, grit is also present in the gizzard.

The gizzard will grind, mix, and mash the seeds, the grit present in the gizzard is also helpful with digestion. This efficient digestive system is what allows chickens to eat tough foods like sunflower seeds with shells.

Although sunflower seeds with shells can be eaten by chickens, this food should only be given to these birds as a treat, this food offers some nutrients but it can not be fed in place of a diet of well-balanced feed, fruits, and vegetables. 

How to feed sunflower seeds to chickens  

Thrown on the ground:

Most chickens are pretty relaxed about how they are fed their foods, the easiest way to feed chickens some sunflower seed is to simply throw them on the ground and let the birds forge for them.

Foraging gives the bird an opportunity to get some exercise in, it also makes them feel as though they are looking for their food as they do in the wild, this is a mental challenge that stimulates their mind

In seed mix:

Sunflower seeds can also be added to your bird’s feed mix, the birds will eat their feed all the same. Sprinkling the seeds on top of your bird’s rations of fruit or vegetables is another way to get these birds to eat the seeds. 

Can chickens eat too many sunflower seeds? 

Yes, chickens can eat too many sunflower seeds.

You as a chicken farmer need to make sure that the birds only eat sunflower seeds on occasion and in moderation. Chickens love sunflower seeds and they can very easily get carried away if they are given too much of this food.

Sunflower seeds have a very high oil content. This is helpful if you want the birds to gain some weight, but too much weight in a bird is not healthy.

Obesity can cause the bird to lay multiple yolked eggs, lay oversized eggs, have difficulty laying eggs, and have fertility issues. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, yes chickens can eat sunflower seeds with shells. These birds are able to swallow the seeds whole without having to chew them.

The seeds are digested by hydrochloric acid, digestive enzymes, a muscular gizzard, and grit in the gizzard.

You can feed these birds seeds by adding them to their feed mixes, on their fruits and vegetables, or throw them on the ground and let the birds forage for the seeds.

 If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Can chickens eat poppy seeds?, Can chickens eat potato leaves?, Can chickens eat soybeans?, Can chickens eat duckweed?