Opinions on feeding scraps?

[Jetblack2004]

I give my flock scraps everyday. Peelings, fruit and veg, meat, they get everything!

I'm not exactly sure if any scraps are bad for them

Just curious to see what other people do. I've heard that some people don't give their chickens human scraps at all. What are your opinions? And any idea what human foods are a no-no for them?

 

[Folly's place]

I don't give scraps every day, or scratch daily either. The flock does free range over a horse pasture, field, and spruce hedge, so varied goodies are out there. Not so much in winter, and not at all with snow cover!
I do give some stuff, never raw meat from the store!!!
Moldy items, raw meat from the store, high salt items, avacadoes, green potato peels, all bad. I also won't feed them chicken meat, or pet food with chicken; feels wrong to me!
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

Mary has given you a good "to avoid" list. I would add white bread to her list. Or if it is offered at all, do so very sparingly.

She and I do things a bit differently, but you will find that there are as many different management styles as there are chicken keepers. I will give my birds chicken, cat or dog food with chicken, turkey.

During the winter, I sprout grains and BOSS for my flock. I also give them grit during the "frozen months."

By far, the most important dietary amendment I give my flock is deep litter in both coop and run. The birds glean a lot of goodies from that litter. Since the ground has recently thawed, my flock is eating about 20% less prepared feed b/c they are getting so much from the DL in their run.

 

[RonP]

I started my current coop and run around 13 years ago. I do not cull, I have 2 birds from the original 6 still with me, now 13+ years old. I keep around 12 in total, replacing members that have passed the previous year with point of lay hybrids. That said...

My deep litter run is also my compost "dump", 18 to 24 inches deep, mostly leaves, grass cuttings, and wood chips.

Pretty much anything biodegradable except chocolate, avocado, and uncooked green potato skins also go in the run. Some days or weeks nothing, some days (day after Thanksgiving, or holiday celebrations) a garbage bag or 2 full of food waste, including cakes, bread, pasta, paper napkins, cardboard, paper bags, shredded mail... a bushel full of soft red bell peppers, rotisserie chicken carcasses, venison trimmings, fresh and saltwater fish trimmings, fresh killed raccoons, squirrels, opossum, etc...

If they don't eat it, they bury it. All good composting material. I don't pay attention to "treats", they get them when I get them. Last week they got a garbage bag full of stale bagels... some are still in the run. They will get another a week or so after I see none left...

Egg production does not seem to vary. They have access to 20% flock raiser, granite grit, crushed oyster shells, water, and their predator proof run 24/7.

I don't pamper or pay much attention to their eating habits. They are sulfsufficent, seem healthy, long lived, and happy.

 

[Kiki]

How old/young are your chickens?
How long have you been feeding them daily scraps?

How is their egg production?


If they are laying regularly and not fat then I don't see a problem.
If you are getting wonky eggs and have fat chickens...then I think it is too much.

I believe it is best to limit and and all treats to a very minimum.
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

 

[Jetblack2004]

How old/young are your chickens?
How long have you been feeding them daily scraps?

How is their egg production?


If they are laying regularly and not fat then I don't see a problem.
If you are getting wonky eggs and have fat chickens...then I think it is too much.

I believe it is best to limit and and all treats to a very minimum.
http://articles.extension.org/pages/69065/feeding-chickens-for-egg-production

There isn't a problem at all with the hens, I just wondered what other people fed their hens =)

Thanks for the info, Kiki!

 

[Ridgerunner]

LG sure hit it on the head, there are almost as many management styles as chicken owners, especially after they get some experience.

Mine generally get a 15% protein feed with oyster shell on the side unless I have babies in the flock. Then all get a 20% protein feed with oyster shell on the side. They get a wide variety of kitchen scraps and a lot of excess and wastes from my garden. I don't separate many things out. If they don't want it then they don't eat it.

When I trap mice I feed mice to them whole. If I trap a bigger critter I generally toss it in the run and open it with an ax so they can get to the good parts. When I butcher chickens I keep a certain bucket handy to collect various bits that will be fed back to the chickens. I'm not worried about them eating meat, raw or cooked.

 

[Jetblack2004]

Interesting post, @Ridgerunner.