Deciphering between fact and fiction when it comes to using holistic remedies or natural supplements for your homestead flock can be difficult. Cayenne pepper is often touted as a supplement that will help your chickens lay better during the winter and will help prevent frostbite. However, are those benefits true? Is cayenne pepper even safe for chickens to eat? Cayenne pepper is a hot, dry, and strong spice. Those characteristics scream ‘use with caution’ in the herbalism world. On the homestead though, cayenne pepper can have its place in your natural poultry first aid kit. Let’s find out, can chickens have cayenne pepper?
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Can Chickens Have Cayenne Pepper?
Yes, chickens can have cayenne pepper. However, just because a food is not bad for chickens, doesn’t mean that it can be used with reckless abandon. Especially when it comes to using herbs and other natural supplements. As with most natural herbs and spices, having a basic understanding of how the herb (or spice) works is essential for using the supplement properly and safely.
Cayenne pepper, whether it be in its whole form or in powdered form, actually does provide good health benefits. Here are some general health benefits provided by cayenne pepper.
Cayenne Pepper Benefits:
- analgesic– is a natural pain reliever
- carminative– can help relieve digestive uncomfort
- counterirritant– this simply means that it causes irritation (think hot, spicy flavor) in one place to less irritation or inflammation in an other place
- diaphoretic– induces sweating, which is not applicable to chickens since chickens can’t sweat
- hemostatic– helps the blood clot
- hunger restraint– helps stimulate the feeling of fullness and speads up your metabolism
- circulatory stimulant- stimulates blood flow
- antioxidant– contains capsaicin which is a natural antioxidant
- naturally anti-inflammatory– does not trigger inflammation
While these are all general health benefits of cayenne pepper, you can see how some of those benefits can be helpful for keeping your homestead flock healthy. We will discuss more of the specific benefits that cayenne pepper has for chickens later.
Many of the benefits provided by cayenne pepper are due to the presence of capsaicin. Capsaicin is a natural plant compound and antioxidant that gives cayenne pepper its characteristic taste. It is responsible for reactions to consuming cayenne pepper such as your eyes watering, your throat burning from the spiciness, or sweating from the hotness.
Capsaicin is mainly found in hot peppers, like cayenne peppers, chili peppers, habanero peppers, and other foods derived from spicy peppers, such ground cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. Oregano, cinnamon, and cilantro are other herbs that contain a minimal amount of capsaicin.
Capsaicin is present in larger quantities in the seed lining of hot peppers. However, it is also present in the flesh of many types of hot peppers. When it comes to feeding chickens, giving them either the seeds or the flesh of hot peppers will still provide them with some of the benefits of capsaicin.
Is Cayenne Pepper Safe for Chickens?
So, even though chickens can have cayenne pepper, is is safe for them to eat? Yes, cayenne pepper is safe for chickens to eat when it is used properly. There are two things to keep in mind when safely feeding your chickens cayenne pepper:
#1. Natural Taste Response
Chickens, and most birds for that matter, have different taste receptors than mammals. Birds are reported to be able to taste flavors such as bitter, salty, or sour. However, the taste receptors that sense sweet or spicy flavors are inactive in birds.
The taste receptor TRPV1 is the receptor responsible for responding to spicy foods. It is a protein that controls the detection of toxic stimuli. When foods containing capsaicinoids are consumed, the protein binds to the capsaicinoids and sends a signal to the brain triggering the sense of spicy, hot flavors.
The sense of hot, spiciness can help prevent you from overconsuming hot and spicy foods. It is thought that birds still have the TRPV1 receptor, however, that receptor is insensitive for birds and chickens. Thus chickens will consume hot, spicy foods without batting an eye and often with much excitement.
Since cayenne pepper is a hot, spicy and strong spice, it obviously will have affects on the body. When consumed in large quantities, the body may not know how to handle the overpowering stimulus of the hot, spicy food. While this rarely causes any serious health concerns, you should still be aware of the strong affects cayenne pepper can have. Especially for chickens who can’t sense when they have over-eaten the spice and who have a small body mass for the spice to affect.
#2. Nightshade Family
Cayenne pepper is also in the nightshade family. Many nightshades are on the ‘foods to avoid’ list for chickens since they contain organic compounds called alkaloids. Alkaloids and glycoalkaloids are thought to have toxic affects when consumed in large quantities. Foods in the nightshade family can also trigger inflammation when they are consumed on a regular basis.
Even though cayenne pepper (and other hot peppers) are in the nightshade family, they don’t contain enough alkaloids to be toxic. When we consume hot peppers, the hot, spicy response is usually enough to prevent us from consuming too much. However, you need to be in control of much cayenne pepper (or other hot pepper) that your chickens consume since they will not have those same taste responses.
5 Benefits of Cayenne Pepper for Chickens
When used properly, cayenne peppers can have several beneficial uses for the homestead flock! Keep in mind that many holistic remedies and natural supplements have not had adequate research done on them to scientifically prove any benefits, especially for chickens. However, many benefits will naturally make sense give the properties of the supplement.
Here are some benefits of adding cayenne pepper to your flock’s diet:
#1. Rodent Repellant
While not a direct benefit to the chickens, cayenne pepper can act as a rodent repellant. Since birds are not repulsed by the spicy flavor of cayenne pepper, sometimes cayenne pepper is mixed into bird food to make it less palatable for squirrels and rodents.
You can use the same principle if you have an issue with rodents eating your flock’s feed. Since rodents can taste the spiciness of cayenne pepper, you can mix it into your flock’s feed to make it less attractive. A generally accepted ratio is about 1 cup of cayenne pepper for every 25lbs of feed in order for it to be affective.
#2. Brighter Egg Yolk Color & Increased Egg Weight
There is no direct evidence that cayenne pepper will make your chickens lay better during the winter months. Other factors such as the amount of light they are sensing, weather conditions, age, dietary nutrition, and overall health play a bigger role in winter time egg production.
However, cayenne pepper has shown evidence of affecting the yolk color of eggs as well as egg weight. Cayenne pepper contains the carotenoid xanthophyll. Xanthopylls are responsible for coloring egg yolks, as well as coloring a laying hen’s beak, feet, and vent. When foods containing xanthophyll are consumed, the xanthophylls are transferred to the egg yolk. Any extra xanthophylls get stored in the beak, feet, and skin around the vent.
You can tell when a hen is laying well because her beak, feet, and the skin around her vent will be bleached of yellow color. This is due to the xanthophyll’s being used in the egg yolks. Darker colored egg yolks are considered to be more nutritious. They actually contain more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than pale egg yolks.
A dietary concentration of .5-.3% cayenne pepper is needed to significantly improve egg yolk color. Adding cayenne pepper to your laying flock’s diet can also increase the weight of the eggs your hens lay.
#3. Immune Booster
Cayenne pepper, or more specifically capsaicin, is anti-microbial and anti-viral. However, cayenne pepper does not kill bacteria or microbes. Instead, it disperses the bacteria into smaller groups. When bacteria, or microbes, are separated into smaller groups, they are less strong and the immune system can fight them off better.
While cayenne pepper can’t be used to treat bacterial infections, it can help prevent bacterial infections and encourage a strong immune system. Giving your flock cayenne pepper can help them build a strong immune system. A strong immune system will keep them healthier and more productive.
There has been some research done on the affect of cayenne pepper against salmonella. Salmonella is naturally present in a chicken’s gut. Cayenne pepper can help prevent the salmonella bacteria from proliferating and being spread to a hen’s eggs.
#4. Circulation Stimulant
Since cayenne pepper has hot and spicy properties, it is a natural circulation stimulant. Cayenne pepper increases the energy output of the cardiovascular system and circulatory system. This helps push blood to the extremities, such a chicken’s comb, wattles, and toes.
Cayenne pepper can also stimulant the digestive system, which produces internal heat and increases the metabolism. An increased metabolism can provide a chicken with more energy (given that it eats enough nutritious food) and create internal heat for helping a chicken stay warm during cold weather.
During the winter, cayenne pepper can be used to help stimulate a chicken’s circulatory system and digestive system. Both of which will help a chicken stay warm during cold tempertures. It is often thought that improved circulation will help prevent frostbite. Even though cayenne pepper increases circulation to the comb and wattles, it will not completely prevent frostbite.
Frostbite is caused by other factors along with restricted circulation, predominately moisture and exposure. So make sure you are taking other measures to prevent frostbite in your flock during the winter aside from using cayenne pepper.
#5. Added Dietary Nutrition
Along with the listed health benefits, cayenne pepper can also add nutrition to your flock’s diet. Supplemental nutrition is especially helpful during the winter months when many flocks can’t access supplemental forage by free-ranging. Here are some nutritional benefits of adding cayenne pepper to your flock’s diet:
- Aids Digestion– Cayenne pepper stimulates emzyme production which helps with breaking down foods.
- Increases Iron Absorption– Cayenne pepper can help the body absorb and use iron better because of its high vitmain C content.
- Provides Vitamin A– Vitamin A is essential for a strong immune system, good vision, reproduction health, proper growth, and proper bone health.
- High in Vitamin C– Vitamin C is helpful for boosting the immune system and stimulating collagen production.
- Flavonoids & Carotenoids– Because cayenne pepper contains vitamin C, it also supplies flavonoids and carotenoids. Both of which help reduce cellular damage caused by oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between damaging molecules (called free radicals) and the body’s antioxidant defenses.
- Provides Supplemental Minerals– Cayenne pepper provides ample amounts of potassium & magnesium.
- Natural Antioxidant– Cayenne pepper contains natural antioxidants that help boost the immune system and support overall good health.
- Reduces Inflammation– Cayenne pepper is naturally anti-inflammatory and can help reduce inflammation, a common trigger for many health concerns.
Cayenne Pepper Worming Myth
Sometimes cayenne pepper is touted as a natural de-wormer for chickens. While the spicy capsaicin may help make the digestive tract a less than desirable environment for parasites to thrive in, it has not been proven to be an effective natural de-wormer. However, cayenne pepper can help limit parasite colony growth and it can be used in conjugation with other natural de-wormers.
How to Feed Chickens Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper can be a great addition to your homestead flock’s diet! However, you must know how to properly use this hot, strong spice for the benefit of your flock.
Some people are more tolerant of hot, spicy foods than others. That is because they have built up a taste tolerance to the spicy capsaicins, subsequently, their body knows how to handle the hot, spicy foods better. The same principle can be applied to chickens, with the exception of the taste response. When using cayenne pepper for medicinal purposes, it is a good idea to gradually introduce cayenne pepper in small amounts so that the chicken’s body can slowly build up tolerance of the hot, spicy food and know how to handle it beneficially.
Cayenne pepper by itself will not be very appealing for chickens to eat. Instead, you can mix cayenne pepper into other foods that you feed your flock. Here are some ideas for incorporating cayenne pepper into your flock’s diet:
- healthy treats– mix into oatmeal, healthy oatmeal alternatives, or scrambled eggs
- fermented feed– use it as a fermented feed topper
- dry feed– while you can add it to your flock’s dry feed, cayenne powder is so fine that it often sifts to the bottom of the feed
- water– some suggest mixing cayenne pepper into your flock’s water, however, make sure your flock still drinks the water despite the added supplement
How Much Cayenne Pepper for Chickens?
Since chickens are not affected by the spicy taste of cayenne pepper, they can unknowingly consume more cayenne pepper than is beneficial for them. The stimulus of the hot, spicy food can cause unwanted side-affects if the body doesn’t know how to handle the spice.
Follow these supplemental guidelines to ensure you don’t overdose your flock with cayenne pepper:
- cayenne pepper shouldn’t exceed 1% of your flock’s daily diet
- add 1 cup per 25lbs of feed to act as rodent repellant
- use .5-1 tsp. per 1 cup of feed or healthy treat as a general health dosage
It is not scientifically known how much cayenne pepper should be fed to chickens for specific health benefits to be achieved. However, adding even small amounts of cayenne pepper to your flock’s diet will no doubt provide them with at least some benefits such as a stimulated circulation system, additional nutrition, and a boost to the immune system.
When to Use Cayenne Pepper for Chickens
Responsibly using cayenne pepper means you not only should control how much of the supplement you give your flock, but you should also control when you when you add it into their diet. Cayenne pepper will not be beneficial for chickens during the summer months or during hot temperatures. A chicken will be trying to stay cool, and cayenne pepper is naturally a hot and stimulating spice.
Instead, only use cayenne pepper during the fall and winter months, when temperatures are starting to dip. Cayenne pepper can be especially beneficial during unseasonal cold spells or prolonged severe winter weather. It can help alleviate or prevent the symptoms of cold stress.
During the fall and winter, you can use cayenne pepper on a weekly basis. It will be most effective when used on an as-needed basis so that your chickens don’t become accustomed to the stimulating supplement in their diet. As with any natural supplement, avoid using cayenne pepper for longer than 7-10 consecutive days.
Cayenne pepper is not known to cure and treat any poultry ailments. However, you can still incorporate it into a sick or ailing bird’s diet to help break up harmful bacteria, boost the immune system, and provide additional nutrition.
Spice Up Your Flock!
Since chickens can’t sense spicy sensations, it can be tempting to just let them eat as much spicey foods as they want, since they provide health benefits anyways right? However, even too much of a good thing can be cause unwanted side affects. Knowing how cayenne pepper works with a chicken’s body can help you better understand how to best use this hot, strong spice for health of your homestead flock. Incorporating cayenne pepper into your flock’s winter diet can help them stay healthy, and hence productive, during the cold winter months. And remember, even just a little bit of this strong spice can go a long way in providing stimulating health benefits for your chickens!
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by Alexa
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