[matilda duck]

I was told the other day by my Dad that when they kept chickens they used to throw the ash of the coal fire (when cooled) for the chickens to give them extra calcium??  Is this true We have a open fire so this wouldn't be a problem but I don't want to do anything to harm.... Advice please :shock:  :shock:  :roll:

[poultrygeist]

I thought coal ash was pretty much toxic to everything.

I think wood ash is good for the garden, but never heard of anything beyond that.
Most solid fuels, apart from pure coal, contains all sorts of additives so certainly not those. :shock:

Rob

[hectic]

I am pretty sure that the main component of ash is carbon not calcium?

[poultrygeist]

Coal is carbon with many impurities. I would guess sulphur and the like.

Rob

[Spadefighter]

I know ash is very alkaline, very good for compost heaps and soft fruit bushes if scattered under them fairly soon after the fire, as rain leaches the 'goodness' out of it very efficiently. Total guess, but I would imagine once this has happened that you are left with a fairly inert grit?

[mother hen]

Hi folks, If you look at ingredients on cat food it includes ash, just checked some whiskas and it contained 2%, think that it used to be higher!  - when I first got my cats 8 years ago I was appauled by thought of food being padded out with ash.  But maybe it is beneficial I dont know!
Probably in dog food too. :!:

[poultrygeist]

Carbon is an essential part of any dog's diet to filter out the bad smells  

But there's ash used in the food industry and there's ash straight out of the ashpan.
Also, woodash is beneficial for gardening but I read that coal ash should never be put anywhere other than the bin. But I'm open to new ideas  

Rob

[Wannabee]

We use wood chips/bark at work for our energy plant by the lorry loads they skip its ash for land fill and reclaiming land so cannot be to bad for the land. Not sure what type they use in animal feeds. But I guess its not from coal as it has no value when burnt and still has toxin's in it. EPA say so, so who am I to argue....

If ur burning wood or peat I wouldn't see a problem but I wouldn't give them coal or wood pellet ash, both of which still have toxin's  in after been burnt.

Safer still give them grit      

[Roll Roll]

Our border collie used to love chewing on a piece of coal, and i have heard pigs will go mad for a piece they just love if.