Chickens as garbage disposals.....

[Tegan]

So my primary use of my (soon to be) chickens will be as garbage disposals. A weird use, I know...but...hey..it works for me. Anyway.....

If you were to use your birds as fridge and plate cleaners...would you just dump things whole into a pan, or would you buzz them up in a blender or food processor first. I know that it's not necessary, but I thought they might eat more of it if it was fine chopped or pureed. Thoughts?

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

I chop and scatter. They go crazy over kitchen scraps, and will attempt to eat huge chunks just to get it before the other birds. I fear they could choke or impact the crop. I scatter, because the dominant birds hog all the good stuff if it is all in one place.

 

[sheetmetaltom]

depends on what they are getting, some things like rice and corn I scatter, spaghetti and pasta I leave on the plate. lower ranking ones will usually grab and run while the top ones will eat off the plate.

 

[Tegan]

Thanks guys. These are seramas, and will be in a raised wire floored run (solid floor coop, perches in run). There will only be 3-4 hens per cage, does it matter if the food isn't scattered with that few number of hens? (Don't worry, I have a tractor that I'll be rotating them in, so they will get ground time.) I could do a few small pans if needed, but it would be easier to do one pan....so just wondering if you think that will work.

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

With so few of a small, mellow breed, I think you'll be fine putting the food in one plate. But see how it goes. If you get a bully, you might want to have an extra plate.

 

[boyswillbeboys]

I put mine in an ice cream pail, and let them go at it, there is usually enough grab and runs to leave room for everyone to get something. I have a bag of grit available where they can get it any time, day or night, I've been putting some down lately, as Ihave 4 week old chicks in the coop now, and they can't fly up to the bag yet.