Can Chickens Eat Red Grapefruit?

I’ll never forget the day I accidentally gave my chickens some red grapefruit.

It was a sunny morning and I was enjoying a delicious ruby red grapefruit for breakfast on my back porch.

My flock of Rhode Island Red chickens was milling around in the yard, pecking and scratching as chickens do.

After finishing my grapefruit, I still had about half left.

Hating to waste food, I figured I’d toss the leftovers into the chicken run for the girls to enjoy.

They always appreciate fresh fruit treats.

Well, let’s just say that day didn’t go quite as planned!

As soon as I tossed in those grapefruit pieces, the chickens swarmed.

There was a flurry of feathers as they fought over the unfamiliar citrus treat.

Juice sprayed everywhere as they pecked enthusiastically.

It was chaos!

Within minutes, every last bit of grapefruit was gone.

I chuckled, amused by their excitement over the fruit.

But soon, my chuckle turned to a groan as half the flock started projectile pooping neon red liquid!

It was a mess of colorful chicken poo explosions.

Needless to say, I quickly realized that red grapefruit and chicken digestive systems don’t mix well!

So can chickens eat red grapefruit?

Let’s discuss…

Are Red Grapefruits Safe for Chickens?

The short answer is yes, in moderation.

Red Grapefruits are not toxic to chickens.

However, some things to keep in mind are:

Red Grapefruit Acidity

Red Grapefruit is very acidic, with a pH around 2-3.

This acidity can upset a chicken’s crop and digestive system if they eat too much.

Small amounts are ok, but don’t let them binge on grapefruit.

One time I gave my flock a whole grapefruit each as a special treat.

Later that day, a few of them had very watery, neon orange poop.

I realized the high acidity had given them an upset crop.

After that, I never fed them more than a few grapefruit segments at a time.

Red Grapefruit Seeds

The seeds of a red  grapefruit can cause impaction in chickens if eaten.

Make sure to remove any seeds before feeding grapefruit.

Grapefruit seeds are large and hard compared to other fruit seeds.

If eaten, they can get stuck in a chicken’s crop or gullet, blocking the passage of food.

I almost lost one of my hens when she choked on a grapefruit seed.

Luckily I was able to dislodge it, but it was scary.

Now I always closely check for any stray seeds when feeding them grapefruit.

High Sugar Content

Like many citrus fruits, grapefruits are high in natural sugar.

Too much can cause loose droppings.

Monitor your flock after feeding grapefruit.

Grapefruits contain about 9 grams of sugar per fruit.

That’s a lot of sugar for a chicken’s small digestive system.

One time after letting my flock pig out on grapefruit, they had very wet, sticky poo.

Their droppings were orange and smelled fruity.

It took a day for their digestive systems to recover.

Now I never let them have more than a segment or two in one feeding.

Interactions with Medications

Grapefruit contains compounds that interact with some chicken medications and supplements.

Do not feed it if your chickens are on any medications.

For example, grapefruit can interact with common poultry drugs like amprolium.

It prevents the medication from being properly absorbed.

Once when my hen was on Corid for cocci, I made the mistake of giving her grapefruit.

It likely inhibited the effectiveness of her medicine.

After that, I avoided citrus fruits until she completed treatment.

Watch for Diarrhea

Diarrhea is a common side effect if chickens eat too much grapefruit.

The high sugar and acidity levels can loosen their droppings.

Keep an eye out for watery, off-color poo if you feed grapefruit.

One time my flock had terrible orange diarrhea after free-ranging on fallen grapefruit.

Their run became a sticky, foul-smelling mess within hours.

I gave them probiotics and restricted their diet to dry layers mash until things firmed up.

Now I limit their grapefruit intake and haven’t seen diarrhea since.

If your flock gets grapefruit-induced diarrhea, withhold other treats and provide electrolytes.

Try mixing yogurt, apple cider vinegar or probiotics into their water too.

Their poo should return to normal within 48 hours as long as you remove access to grapefruit.

Red Grapefruit Nutrition Facts

Red Grapefruit has an impressive nutrition profile making it a healthy snack for chickens.

It contains vitamin C, lycopene, antioxidants, potassium, and other key vitamins.

Vitamin C boosts chickens’ immunity and respiratory health.

Lycopene supports their liver and egg yolk color.

Potassium helps regulate electrolyte and muscle function.

Antioxidants combat free radicals and keep your flock healthy.

One medium grapefruit provides around 120% of a chicken’s daily vitamin C needs.

It also gives small amounts of vitamin A, thiamine, folate, copper, and magnesium.

So while high in sugar, grapefruit packs a nutritious punch.

Just be mindful of portions since chickens don’t need much added sugar.

Add Variety to Their Diet

Feeding different treats adds variety and nutrition to a chicken’s diet.

While grapefruit alone shouldn’t make up a large part of their food, it makes a nice snack.

Adding new fruits, veggies, and foods keeps chickens engaged and healthy.

A varied diet prevents boredom and stress from eating the same rations daily.

It also exposes them to different vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.

I like to sprinkle in novel treats along with their layer feed and scratch grains.

Grapefruit, watermelon, sprouts, cucumber, and berries are favorites.

Make sure to introduce new foods slowly to allow their guts to adjust.

But mixing it up prevents picky eating and nutritional deficiencies.

Possible Drug Interactions

Red Grapefruit can interact negatively with some antimicrobials and antiparasitics.

The biggest classes to avoid are coccidiostats and anthelmintics.

For example, grapefruit reduces absorption of amprolium, toltrazuril, and sulfa drugs.

It also inhibits efficacy of ivermectin, fenbendazole, and other dewormers.

Basically grapefruit makes these drugs less effective at killing parasites and pathogens.

So I recommend avoiding grapefruit if your flock is on any medications.

Wait until at least 5 days after finishing treatment before feeding it again.

Your vet can advise you on which drugs may interact with grapefruit.

Preparing Red Grapefruit for Chickens

To prepare red grapefruit for chickens, start by washing thoroughly under water.

Then peel off the rind and slice the fruit into segments.

Carefully check each segment and remove any seeds.

You can feed the membranes or discard them.

Cut larger segments into smaller pieces for easier eating.

Throw the prepared grapefruit pieces into their run or coop area.

Make sure to give only amounts they can finish within a few hours.

For variety, you can also juice grapefruits and mix into their water.

Dilute the juice well so it’s not too strong.

Washing hands after handling grapefruit prevents transferring bacteria.

Proper prep makes grapefruit a fun, healthy snack for backyard chickens!