Can Chickens Eat Avocado?
Toxic No, chickens should not eat avocado: the skin, pit, leaves and, to a lesser degree, the flesh contain persin, a toxin that damages the heart muscle of birds.
Is there a safe amount of avocado?
No. There is no portion of avocado worth giving a chicken, so there is nothing here to calculate. Do not feed any part. Compost avocado skins and pits somewhere the flock cannot reach, and keep hens away from avocado trees, which drop leaves and fruit.
Which parts are safe
Every part is a problem
- Skin
- Pit
- Leaves and bark
- Flesh
- Guacamole and any dish containing avocado
How to serve it
Do not feed any part. Compost avocado skins and pits somewhere the flock cannot reach, and keep hens away from avocado trees, which drop leaves and fruit.
What persin does to a bird
Avocado contains persin, a fatty compound the plant makes as a natural fungicide. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes the effect of avocado in birds as myocardial necrosis, damage to the heart muscle, with signs that include laboured breathing, fluid build-up, weakness and sudden death. Chickens and turkeys are on its list of susceptible species. Caged birds such as budgerigars and cockatiels are the most sensitive, and Merck notes that chickens seem more resistant than those species, but resistance is not immunity and there is no established safe dose for a hen.
Persin is concentrated in the leaves, skin and pit, with less in the ripe flesh. That is why you will read that "the flesh is fine in small amounts". Some hens have certainly eaten a little avocado flesh without visible harm. The problem is that the amount that harms a given bird is not known, the damage is to the heart, and there is no treatment beyond supportive care. A treat with that profile is not worth testing on your flock.
Where the exposure actually happens
Nobody feeds a hen a whole avocado on purpose. The realistic routes are the compost heap, where skins and pits end up and a free-ranging flock digs; kitchen scraps that included leftover guacamole; and, in warm climates, an avocado tree in or near the run dropping leaves and fruit. Fence the compost, keep avocado out of the scrap bucket, and treat the tree as a hazard.
If a chicken has eaten avocado
Contact a vet who sees poultry rather than waiting to see what develops: there is no antidote, and supportive care is easier to give early. Watch for laboured breathing, a fluffed-up hunched posture, weakness or a swollen abdomen. Because no safe dose is established for hens, a small amount is not a reason to assume a bird is fine, and no immediate signs is not proof that she is.
Avocado: nutrition per 100 g
| Nutrient | Per 100 g, raw |
|---|---|
| Calories | 160 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g |
| Water | 73% |
| Fat | 14.7 g |
For comparison, layer feed is about 16 percent protein and is formulated to be the whole diet. Whatever avocado adds, the feed still has to do the work: see the chicken feed calculator for how much a flock eats and the water calculator for how much it drinks.
How we calculate it
No portion is recommended, so there is no calculation on this page.
Based on:
- Avocado ingestion causes myocardial necrosis in birds; chickens and turkeys are among susceptible species (Merck Veterinary Manual)
- Avocado: toxic principle persin; birds are affected (ASPCA Animal Poison Control)
- Nutrition per 100 g, raw (USDA FoodData Central)
Figures are typical guidelines for planning. Your birds, breed, climate, and feed will vary.
Frequently asked questions
Can chickens eat avocado flesh?
Best not. The flesh has less persin than the skin, pit and leaves, but the toxic dose for a chicken is not established and the damage is to the heart. There is no reason to risk it for a treat.
What happens if a chicken eats avocado?
Persin can damage the heart muscle, causing breathing difficulty, weakness, fluid build-up and in severe cases death, usually within a day. Watch any exposed bird and contact a poultry vet if signs appear.
Are avocado leaves and pits dangerous to chickens?
Yes, they hold the most persin. Keep the flock away from avocado trees and out of compost that contains skins and pits.