[viettaclark]

A recent thread about "Greens" stirred up some interesting and strong opinions about the feeding of scraps tp chickens.
My girls are bouncy and healthy and give me lovely eggs. They eat just pellets and grass in the run in the morning and I let them out to forage all afternoon. They get oats, corn, greens late afternoon and I may give them some left over pasta, potato, wholewheat crusts etc. I gave them scraps of chicken omelette once which I considered a high protein, fat/salt/sugar free goodie.
I understand that some of you would view this with distaste but they are my girls and it certainly did them no harm whatsoever. Livestock such as pigs and poultry have been fed scraps for generations and careful husbandry and hygeine won't cause problems (such as salmonella,overweight) in a small back garden flock. 
I thought it might be interesting to see what people think. Please remember you are expressing your views, not being critical of others or trying to convert them!!

[Kate and her Ducks]

First thing to point out is not my view but the fact that it is actually illegal to feed kitchen scraps to your poultry (pigs etc). This is in response to the very well publicised connection between scrappy, BSE and vCFJ and the association with livestock being fed near canabalistic diets.

Many of us do feed scraps to our poultry but I would never feed meat to mine. It is an induividual choice but before making it best to have as many of the facts as possible.

[redmolly]

Well they are not vegetarian else they wouldn't be eating spiders, slugs and toads etc... It's common sense I believe. Our girls will fight over scraps!! At the end of the day - chickens were around long before the manufacturing of pellets!!  

I make sure ours get all the pellets they want, they free range round the garden and share leftovers and scraps with the dog!!

Can't say I'd ever give them chicken though!! Although they are partial to ham and beef!! Oh and prawns!!  

As for the legalities......I'm not one to be dictated to by overpaid government officials - who've probably never seen a chicken apart from a water filled one on the shelf in the supermarket!! 

[Casey76]

I would never, ever feed cooked chicken meat to my hens (despite the fact that they happily eat frogs and mice, love beef catfood etc).

Does it make me hypocritical that I feed hard boiled eggs (suitably mashed) to my girls as a protein boost?

[redmolly]

 
It's a funny one that - we know that eggs are good for them and happily feed eggs (and shells when needed).....but as for feeding them chicken?!!!! 

[8doubles]

Hens are cannibalistic and do not need to be starving to do it. That said i do not feed chicken leftovers to my hens and limit the amount of scraps they get.
Chooks are like humans and prefer tasty junk food to the balanced nutrition provided by pellets / mash and too many 'treats' results in fat hens and thin eggs.

(seems in this house if the women are on a diet i am too so why should the chickens get away with it) 

[NigelB]

I've kept chickens for a good few years now and feed them kitchen scraps all the time.
I do try to avoid giving them chicken products though, there's something about feeding chicken to chickens just doesn't 'feel' right......
Happy as larry they are though, and I'll be bu***red if some twonk in a government paid-for suit is going to legislate what I can or can't feed my flippin' chickens, who's own products hardly ever make it past our own kitchen...

[redmolly]

With you on that Nigel!!! 

[coco]

I don't think I've found anything the hens won't eat ... they get fed all sorts of greens and leftovers.

They have the usual pellets during the day and I generally save all the scraps that accumulate throughout the day and the kids give them when they get home from school.

xx

[Angus]

Well as a family who do not like to waste anything that can be recyled we feed our hens pellets add lib during the day, they also get greens collected for them each day by the kids and they eat all over leftover scraps including a chicken carcas the other day they striped it bare of all the meat in minutes.  Our hens are pets and they are loved and cared for and take it from me they have a very happy life indeed.

[poppies]

First thing to point out is not my view but the fact that it is actually illegal to feed kitchen scraps to your poultry (pigs etc). This is in response to the very well publicised connection between scrappy, BSE and vCFJ and the association with livestock being fed near canabalistic diets.

Many of us do feed scraps to our poultry but I would never feed meat to mine. It is an induividual choice but before making it best to have as many of the facts as possible.

I agree with all that Kate has said but as I am D.E.F.R.A. registered  I have to be extra careful as I have sheep and pigs using the same fields, but I cannot understand anyone feeding their chickens meat, mine probably eat mice and frogs and I know they eat slugs and snails, but they have'nt been cooked , and although not poultry -  foot and mouth started in the same way

[Angus]

If table scraps include any meat that is fit for us to eat it makes no sense that your hens cannot eat it also, after all it is just a form of protein.   The fact its cooked makes no difference.  We should not be anthropomorphic when it comes to all animals we keep.

[kitkat]

I wouldn't give mine any chicken products, but lots of other things. Sardines being their favourite, i stay away from anything salty . I think DEFRA and their rules are unrealistic, especially for back garden keepers

[redmolly]

There's a lot of good things to be said about DEFRA and their rules and guidelines in fairness...but as for back gardens....common sense prevails!! 

Speaking of foot and mouth.......hunting season is upon us!! It should soon be around again then! Just in time! Blue tongue last year - although no real hunting restrictions.........hmmmm!!

Anyway - back to topic.....none of my girls will be entering the food chain - regardless of my husband showing them the oven!! I think that is probably where it is necessary to only feed pellets etc......in much the same way as drugs given to our horses were then exempt from the food chain!! However....being well in their 20's - they would have been a bit tough!!! 

[poppies]

. Please remember you are expressing your views, not being critical of others or trying to convert them!!

thank you,  that's what I like about this forum we express our views without any nastiness or sarcasm