Can chickens and ducks have milk?

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happyhens44

happyhens44

BroodyAddict
9 Years
Apr 25, 2010
1,446
4
159
Northern WI
I don't know if this is a dumb question or not. But lately Ive been giving them left over table scraps etc. And To prevent another egg bound hen I got told they should have plenty of celcium (sp?) just wondering if a little milk is the right way to go? or no
idunno.gif
 
Milk, yogurt, cheese, etc are all good in moderation, just like almost everything else. For a more feedable calcuim you can check at the feed store for crushed oyster shell and just keep some in a dish in the coop for them to free-feed.
 
Chickens like all birds lack the ability to digest lactose.

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html

As the other commenter noted, lactose is likely to pass through the chicken's system essentially undigested, and that can cause gas, too. Milk is not the best thing to use to supplement calcium for your chickens. Crushed oyster shell is much better, inexpensive, and readily available for poultry use. Check at your feed store.
 
In the birds I have experience with, flatulence is not a normal process. When the posterior digestive tract is distended with gas, it may interfere with how the bird respiratory tract handles air, thus reduces the birds ability to breath properly.
 
I believe I read somewhere that birds do better with yoghurt, kefir, etc than milk itself. My girls get yoghurt, and 2 of 3 love it. They also get egg shell offered for calcium. Today they had some cheese that was leftover from lunch. I think i have the calcium angle covered.
 

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