The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[Scott H]

After I caught the black cat in the live trap, being the softy that I can be sometimes, I started putting out a bowl of cat food for it. I've seen it on the game cam a couple of times but this guy comes in a lot! We want him but he's probably as wild as they come. Our last 4 cats have all been adopted from the wild.





And somethings been eating the miniature marshmallows without setting off the trap.....

 

[aoxa]

I am confused about this statement Vicki......
Although they contain a small amount of cyanide why make their bodies deal with any?

You can juice whole apples (seeds in), why would it be any different for chickens? They'd have to eat a lot of seeds to show negative effects.. My chickens eat a lot of apples in the fall. We buy feeder apples for treats. No trace of the apple is left in the end, and haven't had any sick chickens.

 

[armorfirelady]

I'm back. Just browsed quickly through all the posts. I like the white stuff I have now (sand) then what's back home. Over 3 ft of snow waiting for me with more coming.........

I'm told girls are hanging in the coop and not impressed with white stuff.

As for apple seeds......mine get whole apples and there is nothing left when they are done. I have never had a problem with them eating them.

 

[Scott H]

Quote:
I don't know....
You have to smoke for a long time to show bad health effects too. I was just asking why feed them if there is a risk?

Wiipedia....

...

Quote:

But what's the weight ratio difference between a chicken and a human? Why doesn't it kill them?
Seems if you were looking for a natural wormer apple seeds would be a logical choice....

Also they say the seed passes through a humans digestive system whole but doesn't a chicken grind them in their crop?

Quote:

The Good News

Swallowing a few apple seeds whole will not cause poisoning. The hard seed hulls keep the poison contained within the seed and it can pass through the digestive system whole. The problem comes from chewing up the seed. Although a large quantity of seed would would have to be ground or chewed up and consumed, amygdalin poisoning is still possible. Remove the seeds before eating and do not give the pips to children, who may have a lower tolerance to amygdalin. Do not grind the seeds when processing the fruit for juice, applesauce, or preserves. Following these simple precautions will ensure your safety when eating apples.

 

[ki4got]

Scott, re: apple seeds...

I think each animal (people included) have their own ways of dealing with toxicities from food stuffs... many animals metabolize things differently, so something that may be toxic to a human may be just fine for a bird (chicken)...

I know raw pumpkin seeds are not very edible for people (unless heat treated first) but have useful properties in animals, such as minimizing internal parasites. it could be that apple seeds have a similar effect, that the 'poison' in the seeds is changed in some way by the chicken's digestion to help it rid itself of harmful parasites but not harm the bird itself.

there are some animals that will purposefully eat things that would be toxic or deadly to other animals. some do this to add that poison to it's own body to prevent other animals from wanting to eat it, others are just able to utilize a food source nothing else eats, thus making sure it'll have something to eat when everything else is gone.

 

[aoxa]

Scott, re: apple seeds...

I think each animal (people included) have their own ways of dealing with toxicities from food stuffs... many animals metabolize things differently, so something that may be toxic to a human may be just fine for a bird (chicken)...

I know raw pumpkin seeds are not very edible for people (unless heat treated first) but have useful properties in animals, such as minimizing internal parasites. it could be that apple seeds have a similar effect, that the 'poison' in the seeds is changed in some way by the chicken's digestion to help it rid itself of harmful parasites but not harm the bird itself.

there are some animals that will purposefully eat things that would be toxic or deadly to other animals. some do this to add that poison to it's own body to prevent other animals from wanting to eat it, others are just able to utilize a food source nothing else eats, thus making sure it'll have something to eat when everything else is gone.

Yes like goats who eat poison ivy

 

[Scott H]

Not buying it ladies. ..LOL...I think that they think they are BOSS wrapped up in an apple. They can tolerate them but in no way are they good for them.

 

[delisha]

Quote:

I am confused about this statement Vicki......
Although they contain a small amount of cyanide why make their bodies deal with any?

Quote:
Originally Posted by aoxa

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott H


I am confused about this statement Vicki......
Although they contain a small amount of cyanide why make their bodies deal with any?

You can juice whole apples (seeds in), why would it be any different for chickens? They'd have to eat a lot of seeds to show negative effects.. My chickens eat a lot of apples in the fall. We buy feeder apples for treats. No trace of the apple is left in the end, and haven't had any sick chickens.

I don't know....
You have to smoke for a long time to show bad health effects too. I was just asking why feed them if there is a risk?

Wiipedia....

...

Quote:

But what's the weight ratio difference between a chicken and a human? Why doesn't it kill them?
Seems if you were looking for a natural wormer apple seeds would be a logical choice....

Also they say the seed passes through a humans digestive system whole but doesn't a chicken grind them in their crop?

Quote:

The Good News

Swallowing a few apple seeds whole will not cause poisoning. The hard seed hulls keep the poison contained within the seed and it can pass through the digestive system whole. The problem comes from chewing up the seed. Although a large quantity of seed would would have to be ground or chewed up and consumed, amygdalin poisoning is still possible. Remove the seeds before eating and do not give the pips to children, who may have a lower tolerance to amygdalin. Do not grind the seeds when processing the fruit for juice, applesauce, or preserves. Following these simple precautions will ensure your safety when eating apples.

A chickens gizzard grinds foods..not the crop.

I have never heard of anyone dying from apple seeds..have you?....history tells us quite a bit.
Great information

 

[Scott H]

Nope, but my mom told me not to eat them. ..I know it looks like I'm all worked up about this but I'm not. ... just curious.
I'm not actually talking about dying but long term health.
People worry about wormers, using Sevin or Invermectin for mites but not consuming cyanide?

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Yes like goats who eat poison ivy

Horses view poison oak the way people view ice cream and birthday cake. If you ever need to remove a lot of poison oak, go down to the sale yard and buy and old Shetland pony. You can either resell it or keep it around for the kids or to pull a cart since they are very easy keepers.