Raw vs cooked meat for hens

[peterjarmo]

Im a relatively new chicken keeper, what are ppl's thoughts on feeding raw vs cooked meat to their birds as an occasional treat? Just wondering if it will encourage cannibalism if it's raw... Also considering feeding my chickens duck carcasses (also raw) this winter from hunting after I get most of the meat off but wonder if the feathers etc is too closely resembling a chicken...
Just don't wanna start any issues in the flock (8 hens 6 mos old now).
Thanks for any tips

 

[Judy]

I doubt it would encourage cannibalism, but that's only a guess. Cannibalism usually gets started because an open would invites pecking, and eventually eating. The instinct is there to eat whatever is available, live or dead. I don't see how offering a carcass now and then would make a difference.

 

[peterjarmo]

Makes sense, I guess they'll just go after each other if they see an open wound.... I did have an issue with a bleeding tail quil and the others were pecking it but it stopped after I covered the bleeding area in blu kote...

 

[chfite]

My dogs are raw fed. There have been occasions when the chickens have been out when the dogs were eating. Chickens being what they are think that they should be able to eat what they want to eat. On the occasions, the chickens would march en masse to the dog and try to take away the food.

The Aussie would just bowl them over and go back to what he was doing. The Chihuahua, on the other hand, is small and they can take his food away from him. I have found them eating the Chihuahua's meat before and had to take it away from the chickens and give it back to the poor, little dog.

These velociraptors can strip a piece of raw chicken in short order, so I have to get it back in a hurry.

Nowadays, I make sure the dogs have been fed before letting the chickens out for the day.

No cannibalism here.

Chris