Question

[raineeg62]

Folks, I have to admit that I don't have chickens at the present time. I helped raise my share back in my youth. (I am considering a small flock once I get the "tractor" built. Living in town on only two lots means space is at a minimum. But, I digress.) What I am asking now is in regard to the different ways of supplementing protein into the diet of a flock of chickens or maybe I should say I'm asking if what I saw today is the norm. Here goes, I saw a flock of chickens pecking away at the entrails of a dead and freshly eviscerated calf. I don't recall ever feeding such a thing to our chickens when I was a kid. Is this something new? I know it's been almost forty years since I was in charge of feeding chickens so maybe this is a new trend in free range chicken feeding? I found it appalling but maybe I was over-sensitive. Any comments?

 

[Percheron chick]

They're chickens. They feast on some pretty nasty stuff and come back for seconds. Typically, their protein needs will be met with any fortified chicken feed. You can up their protein with meats, fish, egg, cat food, soybeans bugs.... They are little dinosaurs.

Feeding the parts to the chickens gets rid of them but you are still going to attract animals of prey so me personally, I wouldn't do that if I wanted to keep my chickens.

 

[raineeg62]

Thank you for the response Percheron Chick. I suppose I should have stated my question differently. The owner of the chickens I saw doing this had done this on purpose. When the calf was born dead she took the calf and gutted it with the intent of the chickens eating the entrails. I would think that would make the creatures a bit "blood thirsty" but like I said, maybe I'm a bit sensitive.

 

[Den in Penn]

Yes many people do feed meats straight to chickens. It helps with the feed bill when you can get free food like that. I suppose the farmer could have widened the circle and buried the calf letting the worms have a go first, but who knows where that path leads and as a farmer you want to have it stay on the farm.

 

[raineeg62]

Well, thank you. It's kind of "Ew" to me. I've since asked a couple of people who raised chickens back in their younger days and they reacted with the same "Ew" as I did. They just didn't recall purposely feeding chickens the entrails like that. In their day dead animals like that were hauled off by "one of those fellas that did such things." I guess, to each his own. I appreciate the response!

 

[thedollysmama]

Chickens are very basic creatures. They don't share our morals. It's not uncommon for them to eat some pretty unusual stuff. We have trouble when we are processing rabbits and the chickens are squabbling over the bits and pieces. Would I give my chickens calf guts? I would worry about predators but I can see people doing it. Circle of life, making something positive out of a loss, etc.

 

[chickiegrrl]

Percheron Chick - my hubby calls the chickens "little dinosaurs" as well.

Makes me laugh every time.

 

[Percheron chick]

Percheron Chick - my hubby calls the chickens "little dinosaurs" as well.

Makes me laugh every time.

Have you ever had that moment sitting outside at the picnic table eating and the chickens come over hop on the table and give you the "eye"? I feel like that part in Jurassic Park where the t-rex is eyeing the little blond.

 

[TXchickmum]

I cannot sit outdoors with as much as a cup of coffee without having the entire flock perch at my feet and glare! -hilarious!

 

[humphrey farms]

Have you ever had that moment sitting outside at the picnic table eating and the chickens come over hop on the table and give you the "eye"? I feel like that part in Jurassic Park where the t-rex is eyeing the little blond.

every day!