Turnips can be enjoyed throughout the year as they are available year-round. They can also be given to a number of animals and pets as they are not only entertaining to eat but they are nutritious too. So, can chickens eat turnips? This article explores this question.

Chickens can definitely eat turnips. This food may be foreign to chickens but once the bird gets used to this food they will enjoy eating it and will be entertained as they eat. This food will deliver a variety of vitamins and minerals to the bird’s body including iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, B vitamins, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, manganese and sulfur compounds

Can chickens eat turnips? 

Chickens can enjoy a variety of vegetables, in fact, giving your chicken vegetables is essential in maintaining the bird’s health.

The recommended chicken diet consists of grains, fruits and vegetables. Turnips can definitely be given to chickens but this vegetable needs to be given in addition to other vegetables.

Benefits of chickens eating turnips:

Turnips are packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals. These include iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, B vitamins, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, manganese, and sulfur compounds.

They are also low in calories making this a nutrient-dense but low-calorie food for the bird 

All parts of the turnip are edible, you can feed the whole plant to the bird.

The roots and the leaves will deliver nutrients to the bird’s body just as the flesh of the turnip will. Turnip greens deliver vitamin A, fiber, magnesium, vitamin b6, and calcium to the bird

What to know about feeding chickens turnips:

Don’t worry about overfeeding these animals’ turnips. Turnips are very hard vegetables that take chickens a while to peck and eat, because of this, it is very hard to overfeed turnips to chickens.

Just be sure to feed chickens other vegetables along with the turnips 

Can baby chicks eat turnips? 

Yes, baby chickens can eat turnips, but this food should only be given to baby birds in very small amounts. Baby birds only eat 1-2 ounces of food a day.

Because they eat so little, it is important to give them foods that are nutrient-dense and will supply them with all the nutrients they need to grow.

If the birds overeat turnips, they may not have enough room for their starter feed, as a result, they may develop malnutrition 

If you do decide to feed turnips to baby birds, avoid giving them raw turnips because they are very hard. Younger chickens will have an easier time eating turnips that are cooked and even mashed 

How to serve turnips to chickens 

Chickens are very simple birds to feed, if food is thrown into their coop, or on the ground where they frequent, then the birds will peck at the vegetable.

This pecking is entertaining and keeps them busy, pecking a turnip can take a long time. You can also leave a turnip or two in a hanging basket and allow the birds to peck at it

If your chickens are having a hard time pecking at the whole or halved raw turnip you can cook it, mash it or grate it before serving.

This will make eating the vegetable easier for all types of chickens. Grated turnips can also be mixed in with the chicken’s other vegetables 

If your chicken has never had a turnip then it might take a while for the bird to get used to it. Chickens assess a new food before deciding to eat it.

The bird may look at the turnip with some suspicion before deciding to have a taste and eat it. You may have to offer the bird this food a couple of times before the bird decides to eat it 

Conclusion

In conclusion, chickens can definitely eat turnips.

This food is packed with a variety of vitamins and minerals such as iron, copper, calcium, magnesium, fiber, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, B vitamins, protein, omega 3 fatty acids, manganese, and sulfur compounds.

This food is both enjoyed by chickens and entertaining to eat. Chickens can also eat this food cooked, grated or mashed. Serve turnips along with other vegetables, fruits, and grains for a balanced diet 

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 English ivy?, Can chickens eat timothy hay?, Can chickens eat yellow cucumbers?, Can chickens eat yellow rice?