[cachehunny]

Can anyone tell me 1) if i can feed my chooks potatoe peelings and 2) if i need to boil them first or just feed them to the chooks raw.  much appreciate any help with this one. 
thankyou
jacqueline

[Yorkie]

I believe you are not allowed to feed your chickens kitchen scraps, whether cooked or otherwise - but wait for others to confirm or deny my understanding.

[arugula]

That is correct Yorkie:

http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/wastefood/caterwaste.htm

Although this link claims to be on the old DEFRA site, the new site points back here..

[jhub]

Layers pellets provide total nutritional needs but cooked potato/ carrot peelings are fine as a treat.

[cachehunny]

Layers pellets provide total nutritional needs but cooked potato/ carrot peelings are fine as a treat.

ok, thankyou everyone for you advice,  i think i'll give the peelings a miss this time as they have just had a handful of dryed worms. 
jacqueline

[jhub]

Re: DEFRA link, I thought this applied to catering waste that has been in contact with animal by products?

[joyfull]

no it also applies to domestic kitchens.

[jhub]

Hi Joy, I understand it applies to domestic kitchens but that it still applies to waste which has been in contact with animal by products.
What do others do?

[Yorkie]

Hi Joy, I understand it applies to domestic kitchens but that it still applies to waste which has been in contact with animal by products.
What do others do?

Interesting point.  According to Defra, the ban applies to all catering waste from premises including household kitchens.
http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/byproducts/documents/swill-leaflet.pdf

Catering waste is described as:
"Catering waste means all waste food including used cooking oils originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household kitchens'. This definition also includes catering waste from vegetarian restaurants and kitchens."

The combination of these two documents implies that the contact with animal by-products isn't relevant to household kitchens and similar premises, and therefore things such as potato peelings are banned.

If you read the first link, the animal by-products issue only appears relevant to other types of premises.

However, having looked at the UK and EU laws, there does appear to be a distinction for all purposes, in that waste not in contact with animals etc isn't controlled.

[jhub]

It's quite confusing!
Furthermore it appears that recycling egg shells for use as a source of calcium for poultry is subject to these regulations and should be done in an approved processing plant.
Gosh!

[Tony H]

DEFRA EU/UK law does state that no food wast should be fed to any livestock this includes garden chucks, unfortuanatly the law doesnt distingwish between a farm and a garden  The law was introduced to prevent the wholsale feeding of livestock with remains/wast being fed to other livestock,
however saying that if you wanted to feed your chucks a few potato peelings you need to boil them first to remove poisons from the skin, and its best to mix it with layers mash or ground up pellets, they love the peelings but dont contain much in the way of vitimins ect.

[Mother-Hen]

Morning,

I would love to see defra checking up and prosecuting everyone who feeds there chickens potato peelings,pasta etc. they can't get there act together to prosecute farmers who miss treat their animals let alone small scale chicken keepers.

I boil my peelings which include carrot and sweet potato peel as well then mix with layers.

[joyfull]

Please can I point out that this forum cannot be seen to condone any illegal practises and we would hate to see the owner of this site and the forum coming into any trouble.

So if you chose to break the law by feeding kitchen waste - including boiled potato peelings and washed baked and crushed egg shells - to your chickens then please do not post that on here any more thanks 

[nerdle]

I think chickens have been fed kitchen waste since the year dot - long before they invented Defra.  I'd go with common sense - they won't eat what's no good for them.

[joyfull]

Please do not post on here if you do or encourage others to do so otherwise the post will be locked. There are genuine reasons for DEFRA bringing in this rule.