Many spices that make food flavorful aren’t just added as an ingredient to food to make it yummy.
On the contrary, many spices offer several health benefits to humans and animals alike.
As birds are immune to capsaicin, including chickens, there’s really no harm in feeding chickens some spicy food.
So, let’s get right into the subject at hand, whether or not chickens can eat spicy food, and examine the pros of feeding your flock some spices.
Can Chickens Eat Spicy?
Humans and many other mammals with sensitive TRPV1 receptors avoid eating spicy stuff as they can feel the pain of the fiery heat of chilies.
But, chickens don’t pick up the heat from capsaicin as they are immune to it.
Hence, eating spicy food for chickens is no big deal.
Many chicken keepers offer their fowl chilies, peppers, and spicy food to help build their immunity, keep them warm in the winters and provide their winged friends with extra nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
In most cases, the spicy food fed to chickens is human food leftovers.
While some human food, leftovers are good for chickens as they might provide protein, vitamins, and other nutrients.
However, fast food and other oily, salty, and spicy snacks can be toxic for your flightless pets.
So, it does help to practice a bit of caution.
Offering your chickens spicy foods isn’t a bad idea, but you must be careful about the kind of spicy food you put before them.
Is Chili OK For Chickens?
Yes, chickens can eat chilies.
Indeed, chickens don’t feel the heat or the burning sensation in the mouth or stomach associated with having chilies.
But, that doesn’t naturally lead to the chickens not enjoying the health benefits of eating chilies.
Chili peppers are loaded with vitamin C, an antioxidant helpful for decreasing inflammation, immune function, and wound healing.
Vitamin K1 and B6 prevent blood clotting, boost energy metabolism, improve kidney function, and strengthen bones.
The potassium and copper found in chilies reduce the risk of heart disease and create healthy neurons.
Peppercorns have potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Studies suggest that the consumption of peppercorns improves cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, and brain and gut health.
Furthermore, it fights inflammation, reduces the risk of respiratory infections, enhances nutrient absorption, stimulates appetite, and even fights off cancer.
Can Chickens Eat Chili Powder?
Sometimes too much of a good thing can become bad too if done excessively.
So, it helps to be moderate in all things.
When it comes to giving your chickens some chili powder, you won’t be hurting them if you use a bit of black pepper powder or some cayenne pepper powder in their food.
Many chicken keepers recommend using chili powder in the chicken feed of fowl during the cold winter months to keep from respiratory infections, pump up the chickens’ body temperature and build their immunity.
You can be sure that your chickens will not suffer ill consequences due to the consumption of chili powder in their feed.
It would help if you remembered to practice restraint in using spices in your pet’s daily diet.
Is Crushed Red Pepper Good For Chickens?
Many chicken keepers looking to darken the yolk of eggs of their chickens tend to feed their fowl more red peppercorn or crushed red pepper.
You may rest easy knowing that your chickens will not face any side effects from eating crushed red peppers.
Crushed red pepper is a combination of red chili pepper types.
Crushed red pepper flakes are usually a combo of red peppers like jalapeno, bell, Fresno, Anaheim and cayenne pepper.
The result of sprinkling some on the chicken feed will relieve your fowl from digestive issues, pain and inflammation.
The beneficial compounds in hot peppers, including capsaicin, prevent oxidative damage and stress levels.
What Taste Do Chickens Hate?
Chickens are omnivores that enjoy a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and multiple protein sources.
Seeing how your chickens will eat almost everything from grass to worms to leftover human fast food to chicken, it might seem like there’s little that chickens won’t eat.
But, you can be sure that there are particular tastes and smells that don’t attract chickens.
According to Dr. Neil Bernstein, a renowned ornithologist, the chicken’s brain is well-developed for sound, sight, and balance but their sense of taste and smell isn’t as acute.
However, many chicken keepers vouch that if you want to keep your chickens away from someplace, you can always use citrus fruits such as lemons or limes to make them run in the other direction.
Others claim that their chickens hate the taste of radish or mustard.
Many chicken owners also tend to think that chickens may come from a flock, but each chicken seems to have a personal preference or dislike towards certain food items.
Most chickens steer clear of many different herbs such as sage, peppermint, spearmint, tansy, yarrow, lavender, St. John’s wort, calendula, chives, and borage.
Oddly enough, while some chickens don’t mind eating spicy stuff, other chickens are put off by the scent of peppercorn, cayenne, garlic, and paprika.
Wrapping Up
For the longest time, chickens have been considered simple-minded creatures with little brains and zero capacity to feel.
However, recent research conducted by renowned ornithologists suggests otherwise.
What was once seen as breakfast, is now being acknowledged as a complex being with the ability to think and feel.
So, when it comes to the diet of your winged pet, you don’t have to worry about giving it some chili peppers or red peppers, as both may serve your pet well.
Chicken feed dusted with some black pepper powder will benefit your chickens.
However, if you find that your pets have gone off their food, it might be that your flock doesn’t appreciate the taste or smell of the spices you are offering them.
If you still want your flightless birds to benefit from the health benefits of peppers, you could try giving them some fresh peppers.
