Are cooked bones safe?

[Artichoke Lover]

I’ve seen a lot of posts on here of people talking about feeding their flock the carcasses of cooked chicken and turkey and I’ve been wondering if there is any risk of them swallowing the bones or pieces of bones and getting them lodged in their throat or crop. I know it’s not recommended to give cooked bones to dogs and cats for this reason. And I want to know if it’s a concern for birds too.

Also is cooked (Uncured) pork okay to feed in small amounts?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Anecdotally, yes and yes. My birds have thus far ground bone to dust in their crops, when offered. Its not something they seem much attracted to, however. Cooked pork is fine - like all animal meat, its a complete protein, and there is essentially no trichnosis left in the commercial pork supply for the US, which used to be the big concern.

 

[cavemanrich]

I have been giving chicken and turkey carcasses to my flock for ever. They pick off the meat, and leave the bones. I jokingly will say to them,,,, "HERE YOU GO YOU LIL CANNIBALS"
I give my chickens most dinner leftovers,,, if there are any.
I don't give them sweets,,, like cake, and no citrus fruits ether. I also don't give them things that may have a lot of salt in the recipe, The chicken meat, while may have some salt,, is not very salty to any extent.
Have been keeping chickens for 20+ years,, and they all live long lives.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Artichoke Lover]

Anecdotally, yes and yes. My birds have thus far ground bone to dust in their crops, when offered. Its not something they seem much attracted to, however. Cooked pork is fine - like all animal meat, its a complete protein, and there is essentially no trichnosis left in the commercial pork supply for the US, which used to be the big concern.

I have been giving chicken and turkey carcasses to my flock for ever. They pick off the meat, and leave the bones. I jokingly will say to them,,,, "HERE YOU GO YOU LIL CANNIBALS"
I give my chickens most dinner leftovers,,, if there are any.
I don't give them sweets,,, like cake, and no citrus fruits ether. I also don't give them things that may have a lot of salt in the recipe, The chicken meat, while may have some salt,, is not very salty to any extent.
Have been keeping chickens for 20+ years,, and they all live long lives.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you to both of you! This has been on my mind for while. Now I can stop wondering. Sounds like my chickens will be getting the leftovers from tonight’s pork chops in the morning.

 

[3KillerBs]

I throw the carcasses from roasts into the run. DH asks me to pick up the larger bones that don't vanish into the deep litter.

 

[Sueby]

I make broth from all my leftover bones, but then the chickens get the leftovers from that - bones & all. By that time they are mostly mush, but still some bone chunks & I've had no issues.

 

[Sally PB]

I make broth from all my leftover bones, but then the chickens get the leftovers from that - bones & all. By that time they are mostly mush, but still some bone chunks & I've had no issues.

I do the same. Most of the bones are soft enough for me to mash with my fingers, so I think those bones are no match for a crop filled with grit.

 

[cavemanrich]

DH asks me to pick up the larger bones that don't vanish into the deep litter.

I would instruct DH to do it himself if it bothers him,,,

 

[MadamContrary]

I make broth from all my leftover bones, but then the chickens get the leftovers from that - bones & all. By that time they are mostly mush, but still some bone chunks & I've had no issues.

I do the same. Most of the bones are soft enough for me to mash with my fingers, so I think those bones are no match for a crop filled with grit.

Same, my girls love bone mush, if I can snap it with my fingers it's soft enough for them. They don't leave anything behind.

 

[raingarden]

After watching the zoo keeper show on TV I got to thinking about how thay are always providing their animals with "enrichment" and wondered what I could do for my cermani. They live in little 18 sq.ft. single-pair pens/cages for now and it doesn't look like there is much for them to do. So, one day I caught a little striped dove (they are a real nuisence) and put it in with a cermani pair. They would eather contract a horrible disease or have a little pet to entertain them.

The dove would hang out on the roost board and the chickens did not seem to pay much attention for a few days. Then one morning the dove had a scrape and all the feathers pulled off its back. The next morning it was nowhere to be found. There is no place it could have escaped or been pulled through the mesh. I found a clump of feathers in the dry leaf bedding but nothing else and am still wondering if a mouse got in the pen or the cermani ate it. May never know.