Do yo feed Your flock KITCHEn scraps...

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Sadly, legally, they can't accept them unless I go thru the whole FL licensing scheme, which will cost me (estimated) $500 - $900 per year, plus inspections, and some additional equipment purchases. I was looking into it this past week. Its about $110 if i want to sell eggs for hatching, chicks, etc. But as soon as its "food" you need a three compartment sink, a site inspection, a water quality inspection, calibrated refrigerators and record keeping, USDA approved cleaners, and licensing costs determined by the inspector, at least$330/yr but easily up to 3x that. If its cooked food, I also need a permanent kitchen (my RV doesn't count), more inspections, more records, personal licensing, and more fees.

Charity is expensive!

Really? I know you need that level of licensing to SELL food...but to give away an agricultural (non cooked/processed) product?

I don't think the big state-wide food bank around here would take eggs....but the little food bank run out of the local church is thrilled to get them!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Really? I know you need that level of licensing to SELL food...but to give away an agricultural (non cooked/processed) product?

I don't think the big state-wide food bank around here would take eggs....but the little food bank run out of the local church is thrilled to get them!

I'm making more calls tomorrow. When FL passed the Limited Poultry stuff most of a decade ago, it was supposed to exempt me from all the food sale licensing and associated requirements, so long as I was only selling whole washed eggs and processed chicken - but at some point, that seems to have changed. See "Permitting Requirements" on this page. I can't find any documentation about exemptions anymore, the closest I can get is a limited sales form, less than $15k gross sales per year, which cuts some of the licensing fees in half, after the first year.

Its been very frustrating.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I'm making more calls tomorrow. When FL passed the Limited Poultry stuff most of a decade ago, it was supposed to exempt me from all the food sale licensing and associated requirements, so long as I was only selling whole washed eggs and processed chicken - but at some point, that seems to have changed. See "Permitting Requirements" on this page. I can't find any documentation about exemptions anymore, the closest I can get is a limited sales form, less than $15k gross sales per year, which cuts some of the licensing fees in half, after the first year.

Its been very frustrating.

Glancing at the regulation, one thing jumps out at me:

" A Limited Poultry and Egg Farm is a farm-based food establishment that directly produces and offers dressed poultry or whole shell eggs for sale. No additional processing or food preparation of such poultry or shell eggs is allowed under this permit category. "

If you're not selling them, I'd expect this doesn't apply to you.

HERE is the rules I think that apply to you:

(2) A good faith donor or gleaner of any canned or perishable food, apparently fit for human consumption, to a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization for free distribution shall not be subject to criminal penalty or civil damages arising from the condition of the food, unless an injury is caused by the gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of the donor or gleaner.

Fair warning: I am NOT a lawyer (look, no horns!), but that's my reading of the situation.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Glancing at the regulation, one thing jumps out at me:

" A Limited Poultry and Egg Farm is a farm-based food establishment that directly produces and offers dressed poultry or whole shell eggs for sale. No additional processing or food preparation of such poultry or shell eggs is allowed under this permit category. "

If you're not selling them, I'd expect this doesn't apply to you.

HERE is the rules I think that apply to you:

(2) A good faith donor or gleaner of any canned or perishable food, apparently fit for human consumption, to a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization for free distribution shall not be subject to criminal penalty or civil damages arising from the condition of the food, unless an injury is caused by the gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct of the donor or gleaner.

Fair warning: I am NOT a lawyer (look, no horns!), but that's my reading of the situation.

"apparently fit for human consumption" is my concern. I can't rely on my ignorance here, as I've researched into what it would take for me to be licensed, and posted about it here.

I am ALSO not a lawyer, but worked closely with lawyers for more than a decade, and have helped write legislation in a number of States.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

"apparently fit for human consumption" is my concern. I can't rely on my ignorance here, as I've researched into what it would take for me to be licensed, and posted about it here.

I am ALSO not a lawyer, but worked closely with lawyers for more than a decade, and have helped write legislation in a number of States.

I think in this case "apparently fit for human consumption" just means that the food isn't clearly rotten, spoiled, diseased, other otherwise dangerous.

Like, if you knew and egg was sitting outside for 6 months and donated it anyway, you'd be on the hook. If you only donated fresh eggs or didn't know an egg as NOT fresh, you're protected.

 

[LizzzyJo]

They get every scrap we have that isn't chicken, avocado, sugar, or moldy. They are my little garbage disposals.
Ashes to ashes, scraps to eggs.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Yep. Whatever it is.

 

[Byrd gal]

Mine are obsessed with raisins. I give them scrambled eggs and they like canned corn in the winter. Watermelon peas and corn on the cob in summer.

 

[Tbuchholz]

yep, scraps (they love pork fat)kale stalks, apples, old wormy carrots from the garden etc. They are basically eating, pooping, sleeping, egg (and mud) making little engines. We bake their egg shells and mix with mushy yellow peas and coconut oil as an evening treat. Plus they like having their backs scratched.

 

[Floof]

I'm always looking for ways to put garbage to use and schools make a tremendous amount of food waste. When I worked in the elementary school I set up a station and taught the kids about life cycles, where there food comes from, how to grow their own food, and composting. I also ran the school gardening club. As the kids cleared their lunch away they would separate things out into trash, plant compostable, and chicken treats. In the chicken treats would be things like leftover bread, cheese, milk, deli meats, etc. Twice a week we had club meetings and we would compost in unused garden beds, harvest our own veggies for the food bank, and on occasion I would bring in chicks for the kids to hold which was probably the biggest draw for the club

I never had an issue with lack of protein or thin shells and most of my chickens diet came from those scraps. They laid 6 out of 7 days for months on end. I think if you pay attention to what you feed your chickens you can still achieve the right levels of proteins and vitamins found in mass produced chicken feed.