scartch on dirty litter?

[ebonykawai]

I've read a lot about people throwing scratch on dirty litter to get the chickens to stir it up. Is that healthy? It doesn't sound sanitary to me.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

It's not recommended. The scratch can get missed and then turn moldy. Not something you want them digging up and eating later.

 

[Katy]

I wouldn't worry about it not being sanitary for them to eat after seeing what they like to scratch in out in the cow lot!!

 

[ebonykawai]

Yes, I can see it getting moldy and such, but wouldn't it also mix with the waste? That can't be good either. I'm getting my chickens next month so I wanted to sort this out. I don't think I'm planning on doing this. Just curious what others think.

 

[Omeletta]

I was just thinking...how is scratching in the litter any different than preening their feathers? Obviously if the litter is absolutely disgusting, that's one thing, but I'm especially thinking of feather footed breeds, and when they preen and their feet get pretty gross!

We don't let our bedding get wet, if it gets too wet, we change it. Then their is no problem with moldy seed. My chickens love to turn the rabbit poo in warm weather. They get all the leftover bits that the rabbits spilled. We also disinfect cages, runs and coops regularly.

Tanya

 

[fivebigreds]

the front part of my hen house has several inches of leaves ,
i scatter oats and scratch feed over the leaves and give them mental and Physical exercise . They are entertained for hours looking for the grain. They grind up the leaves and mix manure with them and in the spring i'm going to use the leaf mold for potting soil

 

[MissPrissy]

Chicken love to scratch. I toss out a scoop of cracked corn or mix grains or sunflower seeds, sometimes oats directly out on the floor or run every day. They go nuts when they see the scooper coming.

 

[ebonykawai]

So it's OK if they eat their own waste as well as the feed? Just trying to find out if this wouldn't make them sick somehow. Maybe their digestive tracts are different than ours? I know if humans eat waste they get diseased. I guess if so many people feed scratch this way, then it must be OK. I just want to be sure so I don't get my birds sick. Thanks!

 

[Katy]

I'd hate to think how much cow poo mine have eaten over the years of scratching around in the cow lot.....they haven't gotten sick from it and neither have we.