Can I feed my free range chickens Meat? If so, What kinds?

[RocketDad]

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Oh my. I think I have a new house rule!

I wouldn't give chickens raw meat. I sometimes trim out a steak, roast or pork chops before cooking and toss the trimmings in a small non-stick skillet over low heat. I drain the fat that runs out and mince the rest.

If I cook meat with the "trims" on, and trim it before serving, I always reserve it for them. And they get chicken.

 

[technodoll]

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So far I haven't noticed any ill effects, quite the contrary...

I don't give them a lot, perhaps 1 cup of minced meat split among 25 adult birds, some days they don't get any meat if I have none defrosted and available.

Most often I give the flock chicken, turkey, horse or fish because that's what the dogs eat - I buy big blocks of frozen raw minced meats for them.

The other day I tossed the flock a big hunk of cold leftover crockpot pork roast ( that had been in the fridge for a week, hubby and I were tired of eating pork roast LOL) and they went bonkers, like a swarm of piranhas

I think everyone should feed their flock what feels right for them.

I've never heard of meat harming chickens and IMO it makes perfect sense to feed as close to a natural diet as possible (wild chickens are omnivorous and opportunistic foragers as well as scavengers) but not everyone feels the same and that's OK!

 

[panner123]

Meat won't hurt them, if you have free range chickens and they come upon a dead animal they will eat it. Now if you want to give them a real treat, go fishing and feed them the cleanings from the fish (raw).

 

[NYREDS]

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Really??? You mean like raw chicken and beef??? I don't even give raw meat to my dogs...

Who do you suppose cooks meat for the wild dogs? Raw meat is much better for animals than cooked meat because it is closer to what they would naturally eat. Their systems are set up for it.
BTW-there is no "mad chicken disease".

 

[WoodlandWoman]

There is a disease like mad cow disease in deer, though. That's what chronic wasting disease is. It's a big deal in my state. You can get deer tested and store the meat in the freezer, until you get the results. Sheep have a disease called scrapie that's like that, too. I don't have a problem feeding chicken to my chickens. Chicken is actually safer to feed them than some of the other choices, if you're worried about that type of thing.

 

[kcsunshine]

If you've ever seen them grab a small mouse and rip it to shreads as they fight over it and eat it, you won't have any concerns about feeding them meat, raw or cooked. They make short work of a roasted chicken carcass - almost scary. Just pray you never pass out in the coop with hungry chickens.

 

[JP33]

When my tegu doesn't eat his turkey and liver mix as an ocassional treat I give it to my seemingly blood thirsty chickens. You would have thought they found their chicken mecca the way they clean that plate!

I also give left over mice my snake passes on, they like those also. Basically, I have come to believe that chickens will eat just about anything that doesn't eat them first!

...JP

 

[panner123]

I don't feed raw meat on a daily basis and I will not cook it for them until I SEE THEM SET UP A B-B-QUE IN THE RUN. If anyone has ever seen wild chickens, they know a chicken will eat whatever they can to stay alive, this means bugs, worms, smalll rodents and even if times are tough they will kill the weakest chicken. People today put to much into thinking an animal is like a human. Should we give them the best diet we can, heck yea. But try this and see what happens, put out your normal feed and a bowl of raw meat. I will bet they go for the meat first. If they are still hungry they will then go for the feed. IT WILL NOT HURT THEM, UNLESS THAT IS ALL THEY GET. Chickens that have gone wild will eat grain or grass also.

 

[JustMandy]

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Yes, that is how mad cow got started...with two big variables. They were fed bad beef AND (this is the biggy) cows are vegitarians. They should have never been fed meat at all, let alone bad meat.

Chickens, on the other hand, are omnivores. They are supposed to eat meat and can handle it. I know lots of back yard flocks eat chicken scraps.

Plus, in general, a back yard flock is going to be fed much higher quality food then a commercial flock...the cows in question were a commercial herd.

 

[RocketDad]

I don't feed raw meat on a daily basis and I will not cook it for them until I SEE THEM SET UP A B-B-QUE IN THE RUN.

In theory I agree. I give my cat small treats of raw meat once in a while too. My concern is that e coli and salmonella present in small amounts (virtually guaranteed with packaged raw food) can breed and multiply in the time between the meat coming out of the fridge and the trimmings going to the hens. Remember, "keep hot food hot, and cold food cold." So if meat bits are going to sit around on the counter in the "treats bucket" for a while, I cook it. I handle my chickens and I rather not worry about them making me or my kids sick, even if the hens themselves don't succumb.

As far as mad chicken disease, how would you know?