Is raw milk ok for poults?

[happydog]

I have 5 day old Bourbon Reds. They're on 24% starter. I'm also pouring perfectly good, fresh Jersey milk down the drain just because there's more than we can drink. Would it be good, bad, or neutral to feed some to my turkey poults? What if I let it clabber first?

Also, I have some egg shells from a batch of hard boiled eggs. Could those be crumbled up and fed to them? Can blackhead be transmitted from chickens to turkeys through feeding them chicken eggshells?

Thanks!

 

[dieselgrl48]

Wow I dunno BUMP.Hope someone with more turkey experience can post.I raised Royal's and a pair of Narrgansett's.I always tossed out our eggshells and they went nut's for bread.They loved left over veggie's too etc.I dunno about the milk never even thought of giving any of my birds milk

.My turkey's were huge and healthy and the offspring's from the Nar's were too as young.Maybe someone else can post on the milk issue.

 

[bumpershoot]

YOU POUR IT DOWN THE DRAIN????

Gosh...I have no words...


I feed what I am willing to part with to dogs, chickens and turkeys. If they had opposable thumbs they'd all be raiding my fridge!

 

[Lotsapaints]

I would at least scald it and mix it with their food making it barely moist and only feed what they'll eat right up. Wow I wish I was your neighbor.... and if you have more left yep clabber it you have any chicks or young birds they can have it too you can feed it to any bird just gradually add it and don't feed too much at a time. I wouldn't feed them egg shells yet compost them or bake them crumble them up and put it in you hen feed. Egg shells should be baked first before you feed them and well crumbled you don't want to start egg eating.

 

[happydog]

Yes, I do pour it down the drain.

And yep, I hate it too. We just moved here and bought the cow right away so we don't have enough other animals yet to help with it. We're getting piglets next so that'll take care of it. But right now we're just swimming in milk. I'm trying to build up my kefir grains to be able to feed the piglets kefir, so I'm making a half gallon of kefir a day. My two year old and I drink a quart of kefir every morning and give the kittens the rest.

I'm trying valiantly to use the milk up but every morning there's a whole nuther pail of the stuff to deal with.

But I thought it's so nutritious (especially the extra protein and calcium) it would be good for the poults. Thanks for the advice.

 

[esthermgr]

I just read an article in Mother Earth News all about using excess milk as feed for other animals. Poultry were among the critters listed who love it.

I wish I had a cow or a goat so I could use the milk for everything- I'm so jealous!!!

 

[esthermgr]

As a thought, I bet there is a hog farmer or an animal shelter near you who would take the extra milk until your pigs come in. You might even get a few bucks for it. That would at least stop the waste. And what about making aged cheeses?

 

[homesteadingcowgirl]

Yes, it is great for your birds and doesn't need clabbered. I do try to wait a couple of days in between giving them the milk just to give their digestive system a change. Their poop will likely change color, but that's also okay (just like fruit to young children if you will).

You can also give milk to your plants, the extra calcium is good for them., There is an article "somewhere" regarding watering with milk. At my house we also make cheese and yogurt to help get rid of what we can't drink.

 

[Amyable]

Quote:
Meeeeee tooooooo!!!!!!!!
I think the raw milk will be great for your birds. Are you able to freeze any of it? You probably have neighbors who would take some off your hands too (where do you live, lol

)

 

[bumpershoot]

why dont you learn to make cheese with the extra?

Man, if I lived near ya this would soooo not be a problem!