How to use chicken guts after processing

[WillOB]

I know that plenty of people feed their chickens raw and cooked meat, including chicken meat. Does anyone feed feed their chickens the guts from the chickens that they just processed?

Also, I saw a guy that would put the guts (or dead animals etc.) into a 5 gallon bucket that has a lot of wholes. He hangs the bucket under a tripod. He covers the meat/animal with hay and/or wood chips and makes several layers. This attracts flys and produces maggots. The chickens eat the maggots for protein. The hay and wood chips keep down the smell. Do you consider this a good or a bad idea?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[loanwizard]

I know that plenty of people feed their chickens raw and cooked meat, including chicken meat. Does anyone feed feed their chickens the guts from the chickens that they just processed?

Also, I saw a guy that would put the guts (or dead animals etc.) into a 5 gallon bucket that has a lot of wholes. He hangs the bucket under a tripod. He covers the meat/animal with hay and/or wood chips and makes several layers. This attracts flys and produces maggots. The chickens eat the maggots for protein. The hay and wood chips keep down the smell. Do you consider this a good or a bad idea?

Thanks in advance for your comments.

I feed mine to the birds and they eat it up. Only in moderation though. I have had 100 birds worth and if it isn't cleaned up at one sitting, it is a smelly mess as it goes bad quickly. I have created a maggot pile as suggested but for me, with free ranged birds.... too much hassle. I do throw out my fish bodies and guts after cleaning them, but it would probably be better served in the compost heap which I plan to do on a larger scale this spring.

Shawn

 

[WillOB]

Thanks Shawn for your response. It was a big help.

 

[Mehjr10]

There are some threads that say the maggot bucket deal could lead to botulism, I don't know. But I do throw mine to my black soldier fly colony during the active months but in moderation. I usually try to just dispose of vegetable matter, but some meats do go in. You could always cook them and feed some every day. I give mine venison scraps to clean up.

 

[DianeS]

If I'm just processing one or two chickens, then yes the remaining ones get to eat the "guts". (After I remove the delicious liver and heart, of course!) But if I'm processing 10 chickens and will only have 4 left - that's too much for them to handle so most of it goes in the trash or compost.

I tried the maggot thing once, it worked for a week or so before the local feral cat population found it and knocked it over. I couldn't find a way to hang it that they couldnt get down, so I stopped doing it. I felt the maggots were safe for the chickens to eat, but the spoiled meat was definitely not.

 

[WillOB]

This is good information and about what I thought about how much of the "guts" that the chickens could eat. I had not heard of Black Soldier Flies until the last day or two. I have been learning about them and am absolutely amazed by them. They are so cool. We should be moving this spring/summer and will be starting with chickens and now BSFs when we get to the country. Thanks you all for your help.

 

[Mehjr10]

This is good information and about what I thought about how much of the "guts" that the chickens could eat. I had not heard of Black Soldier Flies until the last day or two. I have been learning about them and am absolutely amazed by them. They are so cool. We should be moving this spring/summer and will be starting with chickens and now BSFs when we get to the country. Thanks you all for your help.

During the warmer days I will get several hundred BSF that crawl off from my colony each day, which is a 30 gallon drum. It is amazing how much stuff they can eat.. The flock goes crazy when i come around the corner with the bucket. For the winter I covered them with chicken poo from the coop floor and we will see how many survive. Good luck with yours.