Feeding food scraps - good or bad?

[countrygirl74]

Great idea for a post. I mostly give fruit and veggie trim outs myself. I try to give food that is prepared clean. For example a nice stew or Chili. I'm Leary of more processed foods like bread boxed foods with preservatives or added chemicals salts sugars. Meat; rice; cooked potatoes; vegetables; egg shells; fruits. If it looks bad or moldy my birds don't get it.

Same here... if it's good healthy food that we are eating, then I feel good about giving it to my chickens. We try to stay away from processed foods as well, and in turn, keep it away from our animals.

 

[nwredrooster]

The second article spoke of giving away two chickens to each household willing to take them. I agree with the use of the chickens for reducing waste; but, I worry that some folks would neglect the welfare of their hens. People all too often treat free objects as objects of no value. If we just gave a couple of our hens to random folks on the street, would you be comfortable with their welfare?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I agree. There are just some people who shouldn't have animals. I don't care which country you live in. There is good and bad animal husbandry no matter where you look. Despite good intentions some people are ill equipped!

The second article spoke of giving away two chickens to each household willing to take them.  I agree with the use of the chickens for reducing waste; but, I worry that some folks would neglect the welfare of their hens.  People all too often treat free objects as objects of no value.  If we just gave a couple of our hens to random folks on the street, would you be comfortable with their welfare?

 

[blondiebee181]

Agreed.

 

[NosiphoChooks]

Wow I never knew that it was illegal to feed my chooks kitchen scraps! Oh well they enjoy it and it's better than wasting food!

 

[Conchis]

I'm wondering if they are afraid of a variant of Jakob-Creutzfeldt related to feeding meat scraps to poultry?

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

We feed all our leftovers to the birds.

~ Aspen

 

[donrae]

Every food scrap goes to an animal here. Meat, bone and fat go to dogs and cats first. Everything else goes to the chickens, and some times some meat or bone scraps. Yep, my chickens eat chicken! And anything else we eat. I can't imaging having a garbage can of food waste. I do feed mine moldy food from those mystery containers in the fridge, also. Or moldy bread products. They haven't died yet. I figure their system can't be much different than a crow's, and I see them eating NASTY things on the side of the road!

 

[gryeyes]

I don't have many leftovers because I live alone and tend to eat all my food (made me the "fluffy"woman I am) plus I have two stomachs on feet: miniature dachshunds. The flocks usually get fresh treats, like greens I buy just for them, or old fashioned, dry oatmeal for hand feeding opportunities.

But on the occasions there is leftover food, I do try to save some for the flock. Never enough for everybody, though. So I feel guilty about it! LOL

 

[marlo1968]

My chickens get all the kitchen scraps, their waste goes then to compost in the garden, which helps grow the vegetables....full circle here! It also keeps the trash can from smelling too much. When we go out for lunch or dinner we bring home any leftovers for the chickens....no more doggie bags here, much to our dogs' shegrin. The school kitchen also saves their kitchen scraps for me, so most every day the chickens get a nice serving of vegetable and fruit scraps.