The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[TeaChick]

QUESTION:
Do you feed the entire carcass (after ppl are done with it) bones and all, or do you pick the meat off the bones, or does anyone do something else???

 

[delisha]

QUESTION:
Do you feed the entire carcass (after ppl are done with it) bones and all, or do you pick the meat off the bones, or does anyone do something else???

toss in the whole carcass..you might have to pick up the bones if you have dogs. I pick up the bones after a few days even when my dogs do not have access to the compound.

 

[aoxa]

I brought one more bird in the house today..the rest seem fine on the first day out. I am not sure the three in the house are worth the extra effort to try to save, but, I am making sure they have a few days of available food and water with out having to go far. I will give them that much.

You have adults in the house or the chicks?

The ones you lost: Did it hit some breeds more than others? How many total did you lose?

toss in the whole carcass..you might have to pick up the bones if you have dogs. I pick up the bones after a few days even when my dogs do not have access to the compound.

I don't bother with removing the bones. Dogs can eat raw chicken bones no problem. Henry just finished it off after they picked the meat off.

I usually make stock out of the carcass, but we have so much. Figured the chickens deserved a treat (and Henry)!

 

[TeaChick]

toss in the whole carcass..you might have to pick up the bones if you have dogs. I pick up the bones after a few days even when my dogs do not have access to the compound.

Oh, thanks!
Yes, I have dogs.
We already took care of yesterday's carcass, but I'll keep this in mind for chickens and turkeys we roast in the future.

 

[TeaChick]

I don't bother with removing the bones. Dogs can eat raw chicken bones no problem. Henry just finished it off after they picked the meat off.
We feed our dogs raw chicken sometimes too, but the cooked bones are too splinter-y for dogs, aren't they?

I usually make stock out of the carcass, but we have so much. Figured the chickens deserved a treat (and Henry)!
This sounds like you put the carcass out for your chickens and dog.
I think I'm confused. :-\

 

[aoxa]

We feed our dogs raw chicken sometimes too, but the cooked bones are too splinter-y for dogs, aren't they?

Yes they splinter and can slice the mouth/throat/stomach

Quote: I put the carcass out for the chickens, Henry got it after they were finished.

 

[TeaChick]

Yes they splinter and can slice the mouth/throat/stomach

I put the carcass out for the chickens, Henry got it after they were finished.

I see.
We pick the carcass for the dogs and throw away the bones (wrapped up extra tight).
But I think we could put the carcass in the hen house where I keep food in there for them (they free range, but some mornings I get up later than others, so I make sure there's always food in the hen house for them); then I could pick up the bones in the morning.....
Thanks for the clarification.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
yup. that's what I'm doing... I have one pen the dog can't get into, but my free rangers can get in to pick at it.

 

[Kassaundra]

I am horrible about skimming so not sure if this clarification was made when it comes to bones raw is okay, the cooked are the ones that tend to splinter.

 

[TeaChick]

I am horrible about skimming so not sure if this clarification was made when it comes to bones raw is okay, the cooked are the ones that tend to splinter.

That's how I understand things.