Can chickens actually taste what they are eating?

[BiddyBiddy]

Cuteness overload! Why oh why did I look at these clips?!? Now I want to get more chicks!!!

 

[ShrekDawg]

Cuteness overload! Why oh why did I look at these clips?!? Now I want to get more chicks!!!

Thank you!!!

And dooooo iiiiittttt!!

 

[Chickassan]

Beak trimming isn't anything i'd ever have done either, my knuckle heads keep what they came with.
Barbaric solution to a purposely horrific problem.
Those are never my cup of tea.

I have some 50+ year old chicken cages from a commercial poultry farm. Each cage space is only about 10 inches wide and maybe 18 inches deep. I remember the guy talking about cutting their beaks or the chickens would peck each other to death. I converted most of those cages to rabbit cages, but I still have a few of the original chicken cages. I would hate to see any of my chickens in a cage like those.

I know that you can order the beaks cut on the chicks you order, but I have never done it. If their beaks contain sensory organs for their feeding, all the more reason to keep the beaks uncut for foraging on the homestead.

 

[Henriettamom919]

@Chickassan @KDOGG331 ,

How are my fellow Mother Cluckers today? I had to go actually do stuff for my human family yesterday...pfft.

 

[Sea Wolf]

Taste is very limited. They have no sensing ability for spicy heat. This is why bird feed for feeders is mixed with cayenne to repel squirrels. My parrots ate dried cayenne and other red pepper pods like candy. I also feed my chickens a wet mash twice a week that is laced with cayenne. They love it and eat every speck. It's good for egg production.

 

[Sea Wolf]

Beak trimming isn't anything i'd ever have done either, my knuckle heads keep what they came with.
Barbaric solution to a purposely horrific problem.
Those are never my cup of tea.

I was part of a large order of young Red Star pullets from a breeder and they were delivered to a local farm store for pickup. They were boxed ahead of time and when I got them home, I was horrified to find that all of them had most of their top beak cut off. I returned them immediately for a refund. My birds free range and I need them to be able to peck at things they find and pick them up in their beak to eat. This is barbaric and they still do this.

 

[Chickassan]

Doing very well, staying indoors trying not to melt.
I'm lucky enough to have record heat today.

@Chickassan @KDOGG331 ,

How are my fellow Mother Cluckers today? I had to go actually do stuff for my human family yesterday...pfft.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I was part of a large order of young Red Star pullets from a breeder and they were delivered to a local farm store for pickup. They were boxed ahead of time and when I got them home, I was horrified to find that all of them had most of their top beak cut off. I returned them immediately for a refund. My birds free range and I need them to be able to peck at things they find and pick them up in their beak to eat. This is barbaric and they still do this.

I think the beaks to grow back eventually so they probably would have been fine but yes I agree it is cruel and probably best to get your money back if you weren’t happy.

 

[CaramelKittey]

Chicks aren't as discerning but a lot of that is practice at chickening! Also, meal worms are exciting on an instinct level as chickens spend a good part of their day scratching and foraging for worms and bugs!

Mine love rice, oats and fruit but hate strawberries! Who knows why

Hi!
Our chickens are complete opposites! LOL! Mine will fight over a strawberry. but won't eat other fruits. Just berries. It's strange how chickens have such different taste preferences!

 

[Sea Wolf]

I think the beaks to grow back eventually so they probably would have been fine but yes I agree it is cruel and probably best to get your money back if you weren’t happy.

Nope. When they cut the beak commercially it is just at the nares and through the bone as well. Permanent damage.