Milk for chickens?

[yellowchickensmomma]

I put a small bowl of milk in the run for a stray kitten that has made my coop its home. My chickens drank the milk gone before the kitten could get any. Is it ok for them to have 2% milk?

 

[canada-goose]

Sure. They love the stuff!

 

[kathyinmo]

No, it is not good to give milk to chickens.

 

[bargain]

We routinely feed ours kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese and milk and buttermilk....... This is always homemade and only the cottage cheese has salt in it so I only give them just a few spoons of it.

I have to tell you our roosters always taste the kefir before the ladies and just shakes his head and immediately tries to put he beak into food like what is that taste! It's a bit too sour for him. HA!

Have a great and blessed day.

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Hi Kathy, I'm sorry I never heard that milk was bad for the chickens. Ours is raw goat milk. Not pasteurized, does that make any difference? We apparently posted at the same time, so I'm very interested in the details on this as I do love my chickens and would never want to feed them anything harmful

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
Why?

I know it's not quite the same as yogurt but quite a few people give their chickens yogurt.

 

[kathyinmo]

In the old days, they used to recommend feeding milk products to chickens - but in the old days, they weren't pasteurized clean of the lactobacilli in the products. Now, they do clean them of bacteria - but they replace those bacteria into yogurt which is why birds can eat a little yogurt (1 teaspoon per bird) without problems, and with good effects instead.

Also 1 teaspoon OACV (organic only for the bacteria in it please) to 1 gallon of water. This compliments the yogurt's or probiotic's activity, helps correct gut acidity, helps them digest their food better, and helps them be more thrifty. I do this weekly as a "tune up" along with the yogurt.

 

[bargain]

Thanks, then my non pastuerized raw milk should be fine as it is clabbered or in the forms above..and they have never had any problems with it.

Glad you solved my concern!

Have a blessed evening.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

My chickens always drink my raw goats milk.
So far I've not had any problems from it.
Just really tender chicken!!!

Jean

 

[rstampa]

I don't believe in giving my chickens any dairy foods. Except cooked egg which is not really dairy. There is too much fat even at 2% and it is high in sugar, even the plane lite Yogurt has to much fat and too much sugar.
I know the benefits of eating Yogurt but it doesn't outweigh the draw backs.
I have diabetes and have to watch my sugar, carbs and yes fats that I eat. Any Yogurt is a Big NO NO! So if Yogurt has too much sugar for me, what will those empty calories do for your chickens.
People give their chickens a lot of scraps and such. Yes, they love it but is it really good for them in the long run?

Exceptions are mentioned above with the, Right from the cow or goat approach. I don't own a cow or a goat. I have to buy mine at the Super Market.

Free Range and sugar free!

Check the sugar contents on the label next time.


Just my thoughts on giving milk to chickens.

 

[dacjohns]

Quote:
So you're saying that pasturized milk is not good because of the lack of lactobacilli?

What are the harmful effects?