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#1 11/06/2009 9:24 pm
- cherylcohen
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- From: Lafayette CA
- Registered: 09/18/2009
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Do they eat their own poop?
I've seen the girls in the hen house - where I never put food, pecking away at the pine shavings and whatever poo is in there and they eat something. Are they eating poo or pine shavings?
Is this okay?
The Omelet Ranch - 9 adults, 9 teens and 16 - 4 month olds. 4 SPPR & 4 BBS ORPS just hatched 8/30!!
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#2 11/06/2009 10:37 pm
- luvbiddies
- Just Hatched
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
I saw mine eat poop too. Yuck, but they haven't died from eating it so I think it's ok.
Lisa
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#3 11/06/2009 11:28 pm
- SurprisingWoman
- Chillin' With My Peeps
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
Rabbits need to eat some of their poops to keep their gastointestinal tract going.
Chickens might be the same.
Cecal pellets help them absorb nutrients:
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/archive.php?2005031017595109
Ezekiel 23:20
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#4 11/06/2009 11:30 pm
Re: Do they eat their own poop?
I would have been better off not knowing.
29 hens, 3 roos and 9 juvies. Breeds of choice: Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas, FBC & GC Marans, various polish, EE & backyard mixes.
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#5 11/06/2009 11:30 pm
- Beekissed
- The Person
- From: WV
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
Some folks use the DLM just to increase their flock's protein intake....yes, they do eat their own poop. And, in some CAFOs, their poop is fed to cattle and sheep for extra protein.
Fear knocked at the door. Faith went to answer the door but no one was there.
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#6 11/07/2009 9:01 am
- cherylcohen
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
thanks for the advice so far....My girls get plenty of protein so I'm not worried about that...they can't possibly be bored so maybe it's just something they do
The Omelet Ranch - 9 adults, 9 teens and 16 - 4 month olds. 4 SPPR & 4 BBS ORPS just hatched 8/30!!
Bay Area Meet Up/Chicken Swap in the works!
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#7 11/07/2009 9:15 am
- ChickBond 007
- Licensed to Cull
- From: Madison County, Iowa
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
Mahonri wrote:
I would have been better off not knowing.
Me, too, Mahonri. Sometimes ignorance is bliss, especially while I'm eating my eggs.
~~~"Is this Heaven?... "No, it's Iowa" ~~~
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#8 11/07/2009 9:17 am
- elmo
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
SurprisingWoman wrote:
Rabbits need to eat some of their poops to keep their gastointestinal tract going.
Chickens might be the same.
Cecal pellets help them absorb nutrients:
http://www.practical-pet-care.com/archive.php?2005031017595109
Rabbits, yes, but I had not ever read that about chickens.
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#9 11/07/2009 9:34 am
- isabrownmom
- Out Of The Brooder
- From: Indiana
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
After one hen poos, another is right there to clean up after her. I really do not have too much poo in the coop or in their run and they are well fed, spoiled chickens so I do not understand their need to eat each others poo! Just grosses me out!! Of course, my beagle wants to eat their poo, too! YUCK! 
Wife to a great husband who tolerates my chicken craze, mom to 3 kiddos, cake decorator, waitress, domestic engineer and caretaker to a LOUD beagle and 5 lovely Isa Browns!
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#10 11/07/2009 11:00 am
- digitS'
- Chicken Obsessed
- From: ID/WA border
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Re: Do they eat their own poop?
cherylcohen wrote:
. . . maybe it's just something they do
Well, I think you've got that right.
My birds have plenty of grit to choose from but scratch seed often seems to go straight thru them.
Pigeons build nests with all this poop included. The babies eat some of that and you are NOT supposed to do anything to discourage it. Their parents feed them partially digested food (crop milk) and more fully digested food . . .
All a part of the natural diet . . . and yes, the chickens do eat some wood shavings, too. . . . dirt, composted stuff, fallen tree leaves, etc. etc. etc.
Steve
They don't know what it is like to read a newspaper and get ink on your fingers.
They don't know what it is like to take your shoes off and wiggle your toes under the dinner table. ~ Carlos Santana
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