Can Chickens Eat Coconut Oil? (Benefits & Feeding Tips)

Wondering about can chickens eat coconut oil can be agonizing ― I recently found out the answer from a well-known chicken owner, and he told me this (Don’t tell anyone!):

YES, they may!

As a chicken owner, you can add coconut oil to spice up a tasty treat and add to your chicken’s daily intake.

So before you click away, skimming through the web for more answers, and feeling frustrated, keep reading…

Key Takeaways

Coconut oil is a perfect additive to your chicken’s diet, especially to coat their favorite treats.
From killing bacteria to being skin-friendly, this oil is a natural health ninja (you’ll see why!)
Start feeding small amounts of coconut oil first, and watch out for any adverse reactions.

What Is Coconut Oil?

Coconut oil production is a time-consuming process. In easy terms, this oil is extracted from the coconut’s meat [1].

This process may sound effortless, but I can assure you it’s pretty daunting.

coconut oil on table but can chickens eat coconut oil

Before you can grab a bottle off the shelf and chuck this goodie into your salads, the oil must go through special stages to refine and perfect its taste.

Part of this success is due to the high saturated fat content, helping the oil to remain in an oxygen-free environment.

Less oxygen means longer shelf life, which means that your delightful treat can stay fresh for 6 months or longer without spoiling.

Health Benefits of Coconut Oil for Chickens

The veil is lifted for can chickens eat coconut oil, but there’s a spin to it:

Coconut oil is a superfood that benefits not only internally but externally as well for the chickens.

To summarize, I will list 2 super excellent health benefits below:

1. It kills bacteria.

Around half of the fatty acids in coconut oil are lauric acid.

This acid has antibacterial properties that can kill viruses and fungi. What’s more, it’s grand for preventing and treating infections when used on the skin.

For chickens, applying coconut oil is a double beauty:

This oil will help heal wounds faster and prevent them from getting infected.

2. Improve gut health.

Coconut oil can help you improve your chicken’s digestion and nutrient absorption and reduce that horrible inflammation.

Another gut gremlin, constipation, can be a bugger for your chicken, given that their diet contains little water and may contain too many proteins. So what now?

The answer is coconut oil which will help your chicken with constipation, lubricating its insides and making food easier to pass!

ALSO CHECK: Do Chickens Eat Lizards?

Why Give Coconut Oil To Chickens?

When it comes to coconut oil, there are many reasons why you should give them to the chickens. Below are some of the benefits that chickens can get from coconut oils:

1. Moisturizer

During winter, your chicken may struggle with dry skin and feet.

If you ever turned your hand and saw that deep, dry crack in winter, you know what I mean ― painful!

Dryness is a huge issue and can show as blistering and cracking. Luckily, there’s a solution: rub coconut oil on their skin and feet to insulate them.

Don’t forget the feathers! Applying some oil to their feathers will keep them smooth, rigid, and shiny and will make the feathers strong.

2. Stronger Eggs

If you have egg-laying chickens, they can benefit greatly from coconut oil. Sometimes, during laying, the shells will break due to weak shells.

Breaking usually results from insufficient nutrition, but multiple factors can trigger this.

Introducing coconut oil into their diets will help your chickens to lay eggs with stronger and tougher shells, causing fewer eggs to break and be chucked away.

3. Treating Wounds

Chickens are always outdoors ― rubbing and scrubbing― which often means they get hurt.

They may also fight with one another. Whether they got injured from rubbing or fighting, I suggest applying coconut oil to the injury for maximum healing potential.

Coconut oil has antibacterial properties, protecting your chickens from bacteria growth and helping heal their wounds faster.

Magical, you bet!

READ MORE: Can Chickens Eat Iceberg Lettuce?

How To Feed Coconut Oil To Chickens?

There are many different ways to feed coconut oil to chickens. Choose the most accessible method ― your call!

Below are the methods you can try and see which work best for you:

Scoop some out of the jar and add it to the feed.
In a large bowl, premix the chicken feeds with the coconut oil first. The result will help cover most of the feeds. A tip: Try mixing the coconut oil with pellets.
Cut these treats into smaller pieces, and dip them into coconut oil for a delicious snack. Yummy!

On a side note: Some people think the oil feels like liquid. But actually, it feels more like wax. Don’t believe me? Touch it!

You may find it fascinating to check out our detailed analysis on another curious topic, “Can Chickens Eat Mango Skin and Seed?” for fun, fruity facts.

How Much And How Often To Feed Coconut Oil To Chickens

Coconut oil, when given in moderation, will not harm your chickens ― But don’t go berserk!

Your chickens may show scary symptoms such as diarrhea, cramps, and gastrointestinal discomfort (not pleasant) if you do.

coconut oil for chickens but can chickens eat coconut oil

To avoid this unfortunate situation, I suggest that you can keep this meal option once weekly and only as a treat.

Feel free to be creative: for example, at each meal, dress the treats with this delicious oil, giving them a bit of body ― but don’t overdo it.

Done correctly, your chickens would be less likely to conjure up any of these horrible symptoms. What’s more, they will thank you for it!

Looking to expand your knowledge of what chickens can and can’t eat? Check out our informative article “Can Chickens Eat Baby Spinach” for some valuable insights!

FAQs

Can I feed my chickens virgin coconut oil instead?

Absolutely! An excellent product for skin health, antibacterial properties, and its effect on diseases, this oil has another benefit:
It contains a higher amount of nutrients [2] than regular coconut oil.

What effect does coconut oil have on my chicken’s skin?

Coconut oil can help hydrate the skin of chickens, keeping their skin from cracking during cold winter months.

Conclusion

Can chickens eat coconut oil? You bet!

Feed your chickens a bit of coconut oil here and there ― they will be happy, healthy, and full of vitality. Feed too much, and they’ll be unhappy.

If you’re a responsible chicken parent (I know you are) and fully invested in the well-being of your chickens, monitor them to ensure that your actions are acceptable.

If you do, you’ll also pick up on any adverse reactions: diarrhea, constipation, and odd behaviors, to name a few.

chicken waving at coconut oil but can chickens eat coconut oil

Lastly, don’t forget to leave your comments. Tell me about your experiences and what you think. I’d be delighted to hear from you.

Resources

1. How Coconut Oil Is Made: The Ultimate Guide [Internet]. Virginutty | Coconut Oil. Available from: https://www.virginutty.co.uk/blog/how-coconut-oil-is-made-virginutty
2. Zelman K. Coconut Oil: Is It Good for You? [Internet]. WebMD. 2022. Available from: https://www.webmd.com/diet/coconut-oil-good-for-you

Alina Hartley

Alina Hartley is a small-town girl with a ginormous love of bearded dragons. It all started with Winchester, a baby bearded who was abandoned at the shelter by his former owners because of a birth defect that caused one front leg to be shorter than the other. Alina originally went to the shelter looking for a guinea pig, but one look at Winchester and it was love at first sight. From that day on, Alina has dedicated her life to learning everything she can about bearded dragons. She loves helping new beardie parents start their incredible journey with these magnificent reptiles.
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