anyone else feed road kill?

[sydney13]

The other day I was moving a dead squirrel off the road so that other wild animals could safely eat it when I realized my chicken would probably love it. I brought the squirrel into the backyard with a bucket and the chickens went absolutely crazy over it. Ive never seen them more excited, they were charging all over the yard for more meat and eating the last specks off each other beaks. I think im going to have nightmares about these savage chickens

does anyone else feed their hens road kill or am I the only freak who has does this? Is it safe for them to eat it (It was fresh) and should I be careful they don't eat any bone fragments?

 

[chicks4kids]

Uh, yeah, you may be the only person who does this

I live far off of the road and would never think of trucking back a recently roadkilled animal to my birds. I'd be afraid of what diseases it may have. Plus I couldn't imagine the birds tearing it apart, although I'm sure that they would....that's just not an image that I would want revisiting my mind. Eeeewww!

 

[sydney13]

Quote:

 

[3goodeggs]

I think most squirrels die by a serious case of squirreliness, but some animals may be lingering next to the road because they do not feel well. You do not want to pick up a dead rabid fox...

 

[rungirl]

Uh, yeah that's an ewww from me also!

 

[QuinnP]

I just ralfed all over my laptop

 

[chickenlady08]

Uh no I have never thought of doing that ever. I don't feed any meat other than cricketts and mealworms to them. I would be afraid of what could be wrong with the squirrel or any other animal. I just don't think that is natural but that is just my opinion.

 

[Bat Cave Silkies]

I don't feed roadkill~~can't even imagine picking it up

But I DO feed them the guts from the trout my husband catches~~~talk about pigs at a trough

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I guess I don't see anything wrong with it, but I'd be worried about worms.

 

[Gray Ghost]

Well I for one think there's nothing wrong with feeding fresh roadkill to your chickens. The chance of a roadkilled animal being diseased in a manner which can be transmitted to your chickens is minimal. The vast majority of roadkilled animals were killed by cars plain and simple. I hunt ducks and I feed duck carcasses to my chickens (after I have cut our the breasts and other human-edible parts) and they LOVE them. No reason why they should not get other kinds of dead animals too. It's good high quality protein for them.

GG