Ok to feed raw hamburger meat?

[21hens-incharge]

Raw ground beef from the store is a very good source of Salmonella and other ungood bacteria. That's why we cook it! Infecting your chickens is a bad idea, for their eggs, meat, and interactions with your family. At least cook any meat that you feed them! Mary

This got me wondering about it. I was under the impression that things were better in the beef industry then when my parents grew up.

I was wrong.
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/how-safe-is-your-ground-beef

After reading all that I will be cooking it........ Thoroughly!

 

[Folly's place]

There are also very good studies on the feeding of raw meat diets to dogs and cats! Such pets are much more likely to harbor Salmonella, Shigella, and other nasties, than pets fed cooked diets. I tell people that fresh roadkill might be safer than commercial raw meats! Mary

 

[chickens really]

There are also very good studies on the feeding of raw meat diets to dogs and cats! Such pets are much more likely to harbor Salmonella, Shigella, and other nasties, than pets fed cooked diets. I tell people that fresh roadkill might be safer than commercial raw meats! Mary

My Friend feeds all her Dogs raw meat Diet and she wonders why they crap their butts off sometimes or get ill?...She just spent over $1500 on intestine infection....Hmmm....I feed expensive manufactured Dog food ....I guess too each their own...

 

[Patinas]

I have given my flock raw hamburger only once and they loved it but I decided it just seems weird to me to give them raw meat...my issue, not theirs. Yes, I could cook it and then give it to them but since chickens don't have the ability to cook meat, it seems unnatural to me.

A few ideas that come to mind to up their protein while they are molting are:

• Put them on starter/grower with oyster shell on the side. The whole flock can eat it whether they are molting or not.
• Put them on a feather fixer blend
• Give them meal worms (about 50% crude protein)
• Feed them lightly scrambled eggs (yes, this involves some cooking but I'd rather slightly cook it than offer them raw eggs...don't want them deciding raw eggs are delicious!)

Lots of people feed their flock meat/fish, cooked/uncooked, without ill effects so I put this in the bucket of personal choice and what works/doesn't work for you. I do think if you choose to feed any kind of meat/fish to your flock, just make sure it is fresh. I use the rule of thumb that if I wouldn't eat it or give it to my family, it doesn't go to the flock either.

 

[Folly's place]

I feed Flock Raiser, a 20% protein all-flock diet, to all my birds all year. It's great for the young, the roosters, anyone molting, hens not laying, and laying hens with the oyster shell on the side. Easy! It's available with mill dates within a month at my local TSC.
Other people will make other choices, depending in part on what's available fresh where they live. Mary

 

[chickens really]

I feed Flock Raiser, a 20% protein all-flock diet, to all my birds all year. It's great for the young, the roosters, anyone molting, hens not laying, and laying hens with the oyster shell on the side. Easy! It's available with mill dates within a month at my local TSC.
Other people will make other choices, depending in part on what's available fresh where they live. Mary

No such feed here in Canada...Just Starter, Grower, layer and Finisher.......Yep....

 

[Chickassan]

I won't eat ground beef cooked or raw so since it doesn't come in the house the flock dosent get it. I did give them a little bit of venison to ramp up the protein during the molt and they enjoyed that.

 

[chickens really]

This summer we had a Frog explosion ....My Chickens and Ducks were nuts catching them...My Husband was even grossed out mowing with the lawn tractor ...Frogs everywhere...I stick to Dry Cat Food though if moulting...

 

[AthenasOwl]

In an effort to boost their nutrition while they are molting and have stopped laying eggs, I looked at some cans of cat food and cans of dog food at the supermarket today. Only 10% protein. Instead, I bought two pounds of raw hamburger meat. Chopped meat. Beef. 90% lean. It's 22% protein. Now for the big question: Is it ok for my hens to eat that raw, or is it best to cook it up for them first?

I have fed my chickens raw meat...mostly accidental though...I was giving a snack to my cat, and the chicken (Missy, a Buff Orpington) came up and stole the piece of steak out of the cats mouth! I didn't even consider the chicken doing this..neither did the cat! No one got hurt, and the cats fear ALL our chickens now, because of how strict Missy has been with them. It was at this point that I decided not to worry about it too much because the birds obviously have a desire to eat it, and it doesn't harm them. It isn't as if they eat it every day either.

 

[Chickassan]

How do you get yours to eat cat food? Is there a certain brand? I've tried my butt off to sneak a little cat chow in but they just look at me like I've lost my mind.

This summer we had a Frog explosion ....My Chickens and Ducks were nuts catching them...My Husband was even grossed out mowing with the lawn tractor ...Frogs everywhere...I stick to Dry Cat Food though if moulting...