Can chickens eat cheese?

Why

Cheese is not toxic to chickens, but it is high in fat and salt which can cause digestive upset or obesity if fed too often. Many chickens also struggle to digest dairy products, so introducing it slowly is important.

If you do feed it

• Offer only small, bite-sized pieces of plain, low-salt cheese as an occasional treat.
• Avoid feeding cheese that is moldy, spoiled, or heavily processed with additives.
• Ensure the cheese is fresh and free from rinds or wax coatings.
• Limit treats to no more than 10% of their total daily diet.

Watch out for

• moldy cheese
• high-sodium processed cheese
• cheese with added herbs or spices
• sweetened cheese products

Better choices