fat back ok?

[Jennyhaschicks]

We have fat back left over from our pigs.. Would it be ok to feed to the chickens? How often should it be given to them if it's ok to feed?

 

[Cindiloohoo]

So long as it isn't salted. Salt will kill chooks in large ammounts. I don't give mine salted pork or anything with high salt content.

 

[teach1rusl]

Any meat attached to it???? I had to search to see whether fatback would have any protein or useful qualities (besides fat)...empty calories really, like giving them a spoon of lard. So I guess you could, but I'm not sure that I would. Now, if there was a little meat attached for them to pick off....

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

Not salted...
Not much meat attached either. Honestly I was just looking for ways to use up our fat back. I certainly wouldn't give them large quantities by any means.

 

[chickensducks&agoose]

you could use it as a cold weather treat, get them some more calories to help keep them warm.

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

chickensducks&agoose :

you could use it as a cold weather treat, get them some more calories to help keep them warm.

That is more what I was thinking..

I guess I could give it to the wild birds as well.​

 

[Break an Egg]

Make suet out of it. Melt the fat, and add wild bird seed, and cool it in a shallow pan. You can then toss chunks of it to your chickens.

 

[HorizonSon]

Quote:
Ummm, couldn't be farther from the truth. Empty calories would be more in the lines of things like corn or wheat. Anatomy and biology studies would enlighten one to know that fats, in particular saturated or short-chained fats, are part of the basic fundamental building blocks at the cellular level. So is cholesterol!... But alas, most prefer to blindly follow the diet dictocrats as opposed to REAL Science.

Now; rendering the fat would most certainly concentrate it from a food to a superfood. Add some seeds and nuts to it, and now you have heavenly superfood

 

[HorizonSon]

Quote:
Great idea. Though suet is rendered fat; which is different than just melting it

 

[sashurlow]

"So is cholesterol!... But alas, most prefer to blindly follow the diet dictocrats as opposed to REAL Science."
Going off topic, but... your body makes its own cholesterol. While there are essential fatty acids (because the human body can not make them), there is no such thing as "essential" cholesterol. So the "REAL" science states that because we are living long enough for all that cholesterol to build up in our veins and because we make our own, going low on the extra cholesterol is a good thing.
Chickens, however, don't live long enough to have issues.