Feed Meat?

[Queen Chika]

If you feed them meat, won't that start cannibalism? I read a bunch about people giving their sick chickens scrambled eggs

 

[twiggy2008]

chickens shouldn't have meat.
x

 

[gritsar]

Though I haven't fed my chickens meat, I know plenty of BYC'ers do. Mine find their own "meat" in the form of frogs, mice, lizards, etc.
As for scrambled eggs, my chickens get them for a treat whenever I have an overabundance of them.

 

[chickensioux]

I've always heard it will encourage cannibalism too. I don't do it.

 

[Wifezilla]

Chickens are not vegetarians...they are omnivores.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

Mine had leftover cooked catfish last night; they were fighting over it. I have had no problem giving them the occasional cooked meat, not an everyday thing for them. They regularly get scraps and so do love them.

 

[claud]

Mine get all our leftover scraps - which includes meat. I have no cannibalism issues. I think meat would be a natural part of a chicken's diet - insects, salamandars, frogs, etc. -some even eat mice.

 

[Debi214]

Mine get scrambled eggs, hard-boiled eggs, spaghetti with meat sauce; leftover soups & stews; you name it as long as it has been cooked first and they haven't turned into cannibals.

I don't eat raw meat so I wouldn't feed my birds raw meat either.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

Mine just ate shrimp well yesterday. It had a little freezer burn that kinda made it taste off but, not spoiled. They loved it.

 

[Cetawin]

Feeding them scrambled eggs gives them protein in addition to what they get in their food.

Feeding their egg shells crushed back to them gives them a calcium boost which helps their shells stay strong. My girls get oyster shell and their shells washed and crushed, for extra calcium.

Feeding them meat scraps will not make the cannibals. They kill and eat mice, bugs, lizards, snakes and etc all on their own and it does not mean they will suddenly start eating each other.

If you provide them proper diet, meat scraps and kitchen scraps is a nice "treat", I stress the word treat because that is not meant to be their only diet.

In the information pages of this site, you can find a list of good treats. Mine love steamed rice, veggies, fruit, oatmeal, yogurt, scrambled eggs, leftover meatloaf, baked chicken, baked fish, pancakes, etc etc.I have yet to ever have a chicken eat another chicken because they turned cannibal after eating meat. I never give them any type of white potato, they do love baked sweet potatoes though.

If one is hurt and there is blood, they will attack the injured one and kill it, if intervention is not forthcoming. That is the nature of the chicken beast, so to speak.