volaille love eating Cucurbita pepo , gourds and squash , so do n’t throw out your eatable fall decorations this autumn . These vegetable ( technically , they are fruit ) can be used to combat boredom and push troop health class - round .
Gourd source are being hit the books for their helminthic properties — it acts as a lifelike dewormer — while the shape of many change is quite nutritious .
In addition , chickens find eating these item extremely entertaining . Most mixture store well , so it ’s a good idea to stock up up in the surrender while they ’re plentiful and practice them throughout the year to keep your stack sizable .
A Natural Dewormer?
Pumpkins , gourds , squash , cucumbers , cantaloupes and watermelons are all from the Cucurbitaceae industrial plant family , commonly known as the gourd phratry .
Seeds from the plants of this mob have been used for hundreds of years as a born dewormer for farm animal as well as homo . ( Clickhere for our recipe on a nutritious mashfor chickens made from autumn pumpkin or squash . )
Many chicken - keepers recommend feed in volaille pumpkin or squelch come for a workweek each fall and spring to aid preventinternal parasiteoverloads . However , despite being frequently recommended for worm prevention , no grounds exists that proves efficaciousness of the seeds from these plants as a lifelike dewormer in crybaby . One reason : There has been no driving economical grounds to fund such studies .
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There has , however , been an increment in worry over parasitic worms becoming resistant to all commercially available synthetic dewormers . As such , researchers have study other livestock using the seeds of the gourd kinsfolk plants , hope that a rude dewormer can be plant to substitute the synthetic helminthic that are becoming inefficient .
The seeds fromCucurbita moschata(pumpkin and winter squash ) have been record toreduce worm load in goats , and the seeds fromcucurbita pepo(summer squash ) were found toreduce worm slews in mice .
It seems fair to consider that if these seed can reduce parasitical worms in other animals , they might also help as a rude dewormer in domestic fowl . Shutterstock
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Why Deworm Chickens?
All chickens that have admission to the open probably carry bloodsucking louse . They just course cull them up as they smack and scratch in the grunge .
It ’s normal for healthy crybaby to have some level of these worms . But the worms confiscate to the tum lining or otherwise feed off the chickens and prevent them from absorbing all the nutrients that they have .
When worm point become too high-pitched , it can threaten the poulet ’s life .
Kristina Mercedes Urquhart
Signs that chickens have too high of a louse burden include :
Deworming the mickle periodically helps prevent worm loads from becoming too high-pitched . That ’s why it might be beneficial for chickens to be feed raw ( whole or soil ) autumn pumpkin or squash seed free choice for a week each spring and fall down as a natural preventive standard .
Janet Garman is the author of50 Do It Yourself Projects for Keeping Chickensand owner ofTimber Creek Farm . She believes that pumpkin act as a innate dewormer because of cucurbitacin in the pumpkin seeds .
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“ This is true for the other members of the gourd family , too , ” she says .
The seminal fluid from Cucurbitaceae family member are coat with cucurbitacin , which is think to be responsible for their anthelmintic properties . The sum paralyzes worms and their larvae . Then the parasites can be flushed out of the chicken ’ system of rules .
The amount of cucurbitacin contained in a squash racquets or pumpkin can deviate importantly depending on variety and maturity date . But the seeds from bombastic , mature member of the gourd family usually contain smashing amounts of cucurbitacin .
This think of that the amount to feed is inexact . That ’s why the seeds are ordinarily feed in gratuitous - pick to let the chickens self - regulate consumption . Kristina Mercedes Urquhart
Other Benefits
Garman , a former stock feed - store owner , take down that gourd family members also contain a lot of vitamin and mineral . They can also be fed to the deal raw or cooked .
Because chickens are so entertained when eating them , many chicken - keeper provender whole squash , pumpkin vine , cucumbers and melon throughout the class . We regularly rationalize a pumpkin , mash , gourd or melon in half and point it in the chicken campaign or coop to see the playfulness .
Our rooster normally call the hens to nutrient whenever we append it to the run but do n’t stop to eat it themselves . However , it ’s a different story when a yield from the gourd family is introduced . They ’ll sit down and banquet instantly .
autumn pumpkin , squeeze and melons control tumid amounts of the pursuit :
They are also excellent source of dietary fiber but check little saturated rich , cholesterol and sodium .
The seeds contribute draw of protein , atomic number 12 and Zn . The existent amount of each nutrient depends on the variety and maturity level of the fruit , with nutrient levels generally being much greater in ripe wintertime squashes and pumpkins than in cucumbers , melon or summer squash .
Use & Storage
you’re able to keep autumn pumpkin and wintertime squash for months if you in good order cure and store them . With the exception of acorn , sweet dumplings and delicata squash racquets , which can go directly into repositing , gourd family unit member do well if they are cured first .
To cure winter squash and pumpkins , simply keep them at room temperature ( around 70 degrees Fahrenheit ) for 10 to 20 day . After curing , they should be transferred to a ironic ( 60 to 70 percent comparative humidness ) , nerveless ( 50 to 55 degree ) billet . A basement or root cellar will do the fast one for long - term entrepot .
For good result , depot pumpkins and squelch in a undivided layer so that they are n’t tinct each other . This prevents the spread of any rot . Any that have soft spots , cut of meat or shift , or one that are missing root word , should be used first . They will spoil first in storage . Shutterstock
Stocking Up
Because gourd family fruits offer so many benefits for chickens , it ’s a sound idea to plan on extras as well as store varieties desirable for long - term wintertime storage .
In addition to those sold for crepuscle decorations , you may usually find Cucurbita pepo patches or stands that will deal them inexpensively or even give them away after Halloween .
you may also provide to take your neighbour jack - o’-lanterns and ornamentation off their hands . They ’re usually more than happy to be free of them by Thanksgiving .
“ I collect as many as I can for storage , in addition to the ones we grow , ” Garman says . “ With right entrepot in a rootage wine cellar , Cucurbita pepo will last for calendar month . Otherwise , you’re able to cook and puree the pumpkin physique and store it in the deep-freeze . ”
Grow Your Own
It ’s easy to raise all of the Cucurbitaceae plants , and they are quite prolific . But these plant can take up a lot of garden space , so design accordingly .
They are very frost sensitive and should not be sown outdoors until after the last saltation hoarfrost . They thrive in warm , alimental - rich dirt . The warmer the grunge , the quicker they pullulate , with the optimal temperature being between 75 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit .
One popular way to grow them is to sow in them in minor hills consisting of thoroughly miscellaneous loamy filth and composted manure . outer space hills 4 to 6 feet aside and plant with four or five seeds at a depth of 1 to 3 inches .
Once the seed have shoot , thin each J. J. Hill to the strong two or three plant . For optimum growth , the plants then need lots of heat , light and water .
Summer mash , cucumbers and melons give rise comestible yield 50 to 85 days after planting depending on the variety . They do n’t store well so are best used when they mature . wintertime squash and pumpkins take between 80 and 105 days to mature . They make great candidates for long - term storage .
Harvest winter squash and pumpkins after the fruit bend a deep colouring and the rind harden ( usually during September and October ) , but definitely before heavy icing .
You should abbreviate fruit from the vine carefully , leaving 1 to 2 in of stalk attached , and take care not to damage or bruise the yield . green , discredited or bruised fruit will not keep as farsighted in storage and should be used first .
A Year-Round Treat
It ’s easy to course the gourd folk fruits to your chickens throughout the year . But autumn is great because they are easily gettable . Also , protein in the seeded player is also highly beneficial for shuttle that are molting and mature new feathers during this season .
In winter , squash and pumpkin help free tedium . By but rive whole fruit and placing them inside the chicken coop , you ’ll provide your flock with exercise and something delicious to peck at .
Garman suggests feed a nutritious wintertime kickshaw by mixing pumpkin vine puree with oatmeal , mealworms , flaxseed , fresh or dry herb and raisins .
Be trusted to save enough autumn pumpkin or squeeze to feed again in bounce .
Finally , in summertime , feed your chickens the seed and pulp magazine from any cucumbers or cantaloupe you clean out . And feed the leftover rinds from cantaloupe and Citrullus vulgaris . If you have superfluous courgette , feed them those , too . The chickens will devour them .
This news report originally appeared in the September / October 2018 issue ofChickensmagazine .
