Meat scraps?

[CANDLE98]

Can you feed chickens meat scraps? We had a bunch of grissel and stuff from steak left over and was thinking about giving it to the chickens, but I thought I should ask you guys first! Does anyone know the heath effects of giving chickens meat scraps?

 

[jhm47]

No problem. They will love it, and it will increase the protein in their diets.

 

[Judy]

Sure. Chickens are not vegetarians, but the only feed I can buy locally is all veggie. So I add animal protein daily. Canned mackerel is pretty cheap if I don't have anything else. Lots of folks give yogurt but mine don't get too excited about it. I buy a large bag of store brand shredded cheese pretty cheap. They turn down veggie/fruit scraps for me regularly, but I've never had them do anything but get excited over anything animal-sourced. And they free range and find bugs all the time. They don't eat much feed at all, and I give 5 hens at most two handfuls of goodies (cheese etc.) per day.

 

[Judy]

BTW.

Lots of folks who get plenty of eggs feed scrambled eggs regularly. With shells. Buzz in food processor or blender, then cook.

 

[PortageGirl]

Meat scraps won't hurt them at all, chickens eat anything, and very little harms them. There's a chart up in the "Learning Center" section that does mention some things to avoid, like potato peals? but I've always tossed em out with the scraps, ...I think it's a quantity thing too, it's not as if they've gotten 20 lbs at a time, though since I've read so much about it now, I do throw them right into the compost ever since. Live and learn!

 

[Judy]

I've read some posts where people include the potato peels with the rest, offer all kitchen scraps, and they say the chickens skip the potato peels. Maybe they are a little bit smarter than we think.

 

[Goldie56]

Thanks to all the folks who have answered my posts so far, as I am new to chicken keeping. Now a question- How often should I give my girls treats? As far as protein and calcium go I have heard that we can overdo it. I gave them natural yoghurt yesterday and they loved it. Can I give them calcium rich things everyday or should it be once a week? I made oatmeal with skim milk powder and they loved that too. They are outside all day and eat grass and bugs. Thanks.

 

[dangerouschicken]

My chooks are composting machines. They especially love pork or venison, just as soon rip it from my fingers than miss a single morsel.

 

[Kim_NC]

Ours get treats and scraps everyday. They love meat of any kind.

We keep the scraps to not more than about 10-15% of their total feed. For me, that's about keeping their nutrition 'balanced'. Unless its the same scraps everyday (not likely at most households), their system has to adjust to food swings. By keeping it to the 10-15% I avoid upsetting their system.

 

[PortageGirl]

Mine get kitchen scraps every day, (or very nearly every day). During canning/freezing season, some goes into the compost pit because of the quantity... of course the chooks go into the compost pit at times too. >>>> they occasionally get over that way and have a cluckin good time in there. I actually discourage them from doing that too often though, cause bugs and worms in there are my friends. But, no sense getting worked up about it either.