[chrisnchris]

Just listening to GQT one of the panelists said she boils potato peelings & feeds them to her chickens........isn't that illegal?
Surely with such a high profile programme, it's panelists and producers should be better informed.

[mumofstig]

Is it being vociferous for us to advise the correct legal situation and to cover the site owner's position ?

It's nice to know we're appreciated 

[chrisnchris]

You are very much appreciated mum 

I'm not sure my sense of humour is always fully understood/appreciated though 

[mumofstig]

Flattery will get you..........................nowhere 

Your choice of words didn't suggest humour to me - perhaps I'm over sensitive................................

[GrannieAnnie]

You are right though CnC, they shouldn't be telling us these things on the TV or anywhere else.  They can do what they want in their own homes, but shouldn't be telling others to do things that are illegal.  Even if it is a daft law! 

[maxyboo]

I think it's also a law that many chicken owners have never heard of. I have mentioned it to several people who think I am joking. Perhaps they will mention it next week and advise people it is against the law. I'm sure a few listeners will be letting them know they got it wrong.

[Steveharford]

Illegal or not. What possible reason could there be for not doing it ? Why boil them anyway?  Genuine question as I used to have chickens and am thinking of getting some more. They will get any leftovers of any sort - veggie that is- and I certainly have never boiled them first.

[maxyboo]

I think it's to do with the scraps possibly becoming contaminated by meat products in the house and potentially introducing disease to your flock which can then spread. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will let us know though.

[Sparkyrog]

We may all think it's daft BUT Mum hit the nail on the head the site can't be seen to condone it in the eye's of the law it is technically illegal 

[BabbyAnn]

If you mean feeding raw peelings as scraps, then cooking will break down the tough cell walls, destroy the enzyme inhibitors that prevent digestion and will better aid uptake of nutrients.  If you mean boiling food that has already been cooked (such as plate scrapings), you will lose what little nutrition is left not to mention the added salt - to be honest, you'd be much better off feeding the chooks with the recommended layers pellets than going down that road.  And then there's the stored / refrigerated foodstuff - if it looks past its best for you to eat, then it's probably past its best for the chicken IMO

[GrannieAnnie]

My Dad always boiled up the peelings to make the food softer for his hens.  They wouldn't normally eat things like carrots, potatoes, so I think the raw stuff may be more difficult for them to digest.

It is silly I know, but like Maxyboo said, its to avoid possible contamination.

[Sassy]

If the potato peelings have never been anywhere near a kitchen/feed prep area it is ok to feed them once boiled.

[New shoot]

The new rules basically say that nothing that has been in your kitchen should then be fed to your hens.  However daft it seems to back garden chicken keepers, they were brought in to prevent the spread of disease and cross-contamination.  After major incidents of foot and mouth and other nasties, you can see why it has happened.

If it hasn't come via your kitchen, you are not breaking any rules    Just do bear in mind comments made about the best thing for their diets being the proper layers feed.  Green veg is great for chooks to peck at.  Too many spuds will make them fat and less likely to lay 

[Jackypam]

Maybe that's why our very elderly French neighbour boils up stuff for her chickens in an old cauldron over a fire in the garden.  Not the EU rules -I doubt she'd pay much attention to those! But for the absorption and to avoid the spread of disease.  I thought it was because its smells disgusting!  It's certainly not just potatoes!

[Casey76]

The rules in France are very different to the UK.  The rule about not feeding anything which has been in your kitchen is DEFRA specific.

In France we are encouraged to feed kitchen scraps to hens