So, Can Chickens Eat Limes?

There has been a long-raging debate concerning whether or not chickens can safely eat citrus fruits, including limes.

Some people say that chickens can safely eat limes, while others say that limes and all citrus fruits are harmful or even deadly to chickens. It’s tough to get to the bottom of the argument.

What’s the real answer? Can chickens eat limes?

Yes, limes are absolutely safe for consumption by chickens so long as they are eaten as part of a well-rounded diet. Given to chickens as an occasional supplement or a refreshing treat, there is nothing to worry about. Limes are a good source of vitamins, and so long as you are not giving chickens an excessive amount of them you won’t have any ill effects to worry about.

I’m glad we got that cleared up. But, as with most feed items for livestock, moderation is everything.

Giving your chickens too many limes could lead to nutritional imbalances or other health problems.

With just a little bit of care, you won’t have to worry about that. Keep reading to get the full story.

Nutritional Profile of Limes

Limes are a dependable source of vitamins for chickens, although not quite as good as lemons.

Limes have slightly higher sugar content than lemons and a good selection of vitamins, particularly vitamin C, though vitamins B1 through B6 are present very sparingly.

Limes also have a decent sampling of minerals, including iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and a little bit of calcium.

100g Limes	Amount
Water	88.3g
Calories	30 kcal
Protein	0.7g
Total Fat	0.2g
Ash	0.3g
Total Carbohydrates	10.5g
– Dietary Fiber	2.8g
– Sugars	1.69g
Calcium, Ca	33mg
Iron, Fe	0.6mg
Magnesium, Mg	6mg
Phosphorus, P	18mg
Potassium, K	102mg
Sodium, Na	2mg
Zinc, Zn	0.11mg
Copper, Cu	0.065mg
Manganese, Mn	0.008mg
Selenium, Se	0.4µg
Vitamin C	29.1mg
Thiamin	0.03mg
Riboflavin	0.02mg
Niacin	0.2mg
Pantothenic acid	0.217mg
Vitamin B-6	0.043mg
Folate, total	8µg
Choline, total	5.1mg
Vitamin A, RAE	2µg
Carotene, beta	30µg
Vitamin E	0.22mg
Vitamin K	0.6µg
Fatty acids, total saturated	0.022g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	0.019g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	0.055g

Limes are also about 88% Water by weight, meaning that they can help keep your chickens hydrated on hot, dry days.

Health Benefits of Feeding Limes to Chickens

Vitamin C is something chickens generally don’t need in their diet, as they can produce it on their own biologically.

Nonetheless, a little extra vitamin C never hurt anyone, and it certainly doesn’t hurt chickens.

In fact, limes (and other citrus fruits) can help keep chickens healthy by boosting their immune system and helping to fight off infection.

The B vitamins present in limes are responsible for everything from helping chickens grow and lay eggs, to keep their feathers healthy and shiny.

Minerals like iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and calcium are all essential for maintaining a chicken’s health.

For example, iron is necessary for proper blood cell function, while phosphorus is critical for bone health.

Potassium helps keep muscles functioning properly, while magnesium is essential for nerve function. Calcium, of course, is necessary for strong bones and egg production.

The citric acid in limes can improve digestive health, and limes (and other juicy fruits) can also help keep chickens hydrated in hot, dry conditions.

While limes aren’t quite as good as lemons when it comes to providing these essential nutrients, they’re still a valuable addition to your chicken’s diet.

Can Chickens Eat Raw Limes?

Definitely. Chickens can eat raw limes with no problems whatsoever, and serving limes to your chickens raw is the best way to maximize their nutritional intake.

Whenever you heat or cook certain vitamins, they begin to break down or neutralize, reducing the health benefits of the produce in question.

Can Chickens Eat Lime Seeds?

Lime seeds are completely safe for chickens to eat. Much like the limes themselves, there seems to be a fair bit of misinformation out there regarding the alleged toxicity of lime seeds.

Unlike other fruits with seeds that contain cyanide or other toxic compounds, there is nothing harmful in lime seeds and your chickens may eat them freely.

Can Chickens Eat Lime Peels?

Lime peels are also safe for your chickens to eat. Most chickens probably won’t find them particularly appetizing, but they are completely safe to eat and do contain some nutrients.

One thing to note, however, is that smaller or weaker birds might struggle to pierce the peel of a lime, in which case you should peel it or split it for them.

Can Chickens Eat Cooked Limes?

Yes, chickens may eat cooked limes safely, although we recommend giving them fresh and raw to avoid degrading their nutritional value.

Never Serve Limes Cooked with Harmful Ingredients to Chickens

A special consideration if cooking limes or preparing them as an ingredient in some other food, you must never give any limes prepared in this way to your chickens if they contain harmful ingredients that they cannot have.

Butter, oils, sugar, salt, and other high-calorie or harmful ingredients have no place in a chicken’s diet.

This means no key lime pie, no preserves, no limeade, or anything else. As delicious as these refreshments are, your chickens should not have them.

Beware of Pesticides on Store-bought Limes

A particular concern when purchasing limes or any other produce from a grocery store intended for serving to chickens is the presence of pesticide residues.

The vast majority of commercially sold produce has been heavily treated, repeatedly, with pesticides prior to it being brought to market.

This produce is supposed to be washed thoroughly before being packaged and sold to a consumer, but this does not always work out the way we would hope.

Accordingly, you must take it upon yourself to thoroughly wash any lines that you buy at the store before you give them to your birds. If in doubt, buy organic or just peel the limes entirely before handing them over.

How Often Can Chickens Have Limes?

Chickens should be eating anywhere from 80% to 90% of their calories in the form of a nutritionally complete chicken feed. That’s just the way it is.

The remaining 20% to 10% of their diet can be made up of supplemental items or treats in the form of produce or other food, including limes.

So long as you’re staying within these tolerances, you can give your chickens limes a couple of times a week with no ill effects.

Harmful Effects of Excess Lime Consumption

Although there is nothing inside a lime or its seeds that will directly harm your chickens, eating too much of them can definitely cause problems.

First and foremost, the number one concern with excess lime consumption is taking in too much vitamin C which will become an antagonist to calcium uptake and the use of calcium in the chicken’s body, particularly when it comes to laying eggs.

This can result in malformed eggs or eggs with extremely weak, brittle shells. It can also significantly change the taste of eggs.

Beyond that, eating too many limes will eventually result in nutritional imbalances that can cause a host of health problems in your birds.

Make sure you stick to the above, prescribed regimen for supplementing your chicken’s diet of feed.

Preparing Limes for Your Chickens

Preparing limes for your flock is a cinch. All you need to do is cut the limes in half or slice them into quarters before handing them out after the usual feeding spots. You can also cut up the lime into tidbits if you want.

Large or powerful chickens may be given a whole limes to peck at. They shouldn’t have any difficulty piercing the peel of the lime with their beaks and splitting it open in short order.

Can Baby Chicks Have Limes?

You may give limes to chicks once they are 6 weeks old or older, but make sure you feed it to them very sparingly.

Limes are strongly acidic, and it won’t take much to upset the delicate digestive tract of a young chicken. Once again, chicks, like all chickens, should live primarily on chicken feed.

Make Sure You Clean Up After Giving Your Chickens Limes

Although your chickens can and may eat every part of a lime, don’t count on it. Also, don’t let the peels or other discarded bits simply sit around and rot.

This is a health hazard to your chickens, and just as importantly can attract pests, insects in particular.

Now, you might think that is a good thing since your chickens are likely to eat those insects, but you definitely cannot afford an infestation of their coop or tractor.