Can we talk about how people keep trying to feed chickens avocado?

I saw it again at my local feed store in Bakersfield last week, a new keeper asking if avocado was a good treat. The pit and skin are toxic to them, folks! I learned this the hard way six months ago when my curious hen, Mabel, got into a compost pile and got sick for two days. It matters because it's a common kitchen scrap that can actually harm your birds. Has anyone else had to gently correct a friend or neighbor on this one?

3 comments

3 Comments

quinnmitchell1mo ago

You ever wonder if the "healthy fat" marketing for people makes them think it's good for all animals?

richardh448d ago

But what if the marketing actually helps by making people think more about ingredients in general? Even if someone gets it wrong with avocado, they're at least reading labels and trying to be mindful, which is a start. Maybe the bigger issue @quinnmitchell is just a lack of clear pet specific info, not the human health ads themselves.

matthewf401mo ago

That "healthy fat" idea is a real problem, @quinnmitchell. I gave my dog avocado years ago because I heard it was good fat for people. Big mistake, he got super sick. Vets see this all the time with things like nuts or fatty meats that are fine for us. People just don't know animal bodies process stuff totally different. It's scary how easy it is to make that jump from human health food to pet poison.