Are you wondering if it’s safe to feed your chicken a bit of peanut butter?
Whether you want to take a spoonful of peanut butter out to your favorite hen as a treat or toss out unfinished peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the flock, we’ve got the answer to help you keep your feathered community happy, healthy, and safe.
The Peanut Butter Nutrition Profile
One tablespoon of smooth peanut butter, according to the University Hospitals Science of Health, contains
- 23 grams of protein
- 26 grams of fat
- 6 grams of carbohydrates
- 35 grams of sugar
- 79 grams of fiber
- 04 milligrams of calcium
- 31 milligrams of iron
- 6 milligrams of magnesium
- 76 milligrams of phosphorus
- 44 milligrams of potassium
- 4 milligrams of sodium
- 61 milligrams of zinc
- 52 milligrams of copper
The Specific Nutrition Needs of a Chicken
Chickens need to eat about 120 grams of food per day. But what does that look like when broken down into specific nutrients? And how does that compare to a tablespoon of peanut butter?
| Nutrition Item | Amount Present in Peanut Butter | How Much a Chicken Needs Per Day |
| Protein | 8.23 grams | 17 grams, for a light breed hen, or 23 grams for growing broilers |
| Fat | 16.26 grams | 6 grams |
| Fiber | 1.79 grams | 3 grams |
| Calcium | 15.04 milligrams | 1.14 grams |
| Phosphorus | 117.76 milligrams | 0.48 grams |
Is It Safe for Chickens To Eat Peanut Butter?
Yes, it’s safe for chickens to eat peanut butter in limited quantities.
One tablespoon of creamy peanut butter provides almost double the amount of protein a light-breed hen needs to consume in a single day.
That same peanut butter also gives the hen about a third of the necessary fat.
If you give chickens peanut butter, it’s best to do it when they grow (especially as a fast-growing broiler), consistently laying eggs, or going through a molt.
Feathers are about 80-85% keratin protein, so regrowing feathers takes an enormous amount of protein from a chicken’s body.