The never ending potato question

[wab11287]

So I have 15 chickens in my flock. They are all between 1-2 years old. I have looked up as much as I can about feeding them potato peels. I work in a restaurant which boils about 100 pounds of potatoes a day and then we cut the skin off. They are all white potatoes.

I have read so many website articles that say both its OK and that its toxic. Then a few that said as long as they are not green or rotten they are OK.

Can someone please clear this up for me as I could bring some home from time to time and feed them if its safe.

Thank you!

 

[Ribh]

I feed mine peel. They love it.

 

[Huntergatherr]

I have seen it give them diarrhoea and make them lethargic and unhealthy.

 

[123RedBeard]

I have seen it give them diarrhoea and make them lethargic and unhealthy.

Can you clarify the quantity? And how long of time frame?

 

[chickens really]

Well the green potatoes are not good. My Grandma always boiled the potato peals and fed them to the chickens and the pigs.

 

[wab11287]

I will not be giving them any green potatoes. They are all white potatoes that are boiled then cut the peel off with some of the inner potato attached still. I have given them a little bit before and they love it but then a friend of mine told me not to give them the peels so I was looking it up. That's I am trying to find out if I can continue to give them peels from time to time.

I understand that there isn't any real nutritional benefits to them but I am not concerned about that. Its more of a treat for them as well as trying to use the peels for better use besides in the trash.

 

[rebrascora]

If the peels are not discoloured and are cooked, then the only concern would be dietary imbalance. The more potato peelings they eat, the less formulated feed they will consume. Potatoes are high in carbohydrates and low in protein, so there is a risk of birds getting fat/obese if it is more than 5-10% of their daily intake on a regular basis. If you offer them a higher protein feed rather than just 16% protein layer feed then that may offset some of the concerns but you would still need to limit the amount of potato you were giving them, in the same way that scratch needs to be limited, especially if you are emotionally invested in your birds and would be upset if they got sick and died. I am aware that sounds over dramitic but too much carbohydrate in the diet can lead to a multitude of quite serious and even fatal ailments including Fatty Liver Haemorrhagic Syndrome, ascites, egg binding and prolapse, salpingitis and internal laying. Some people raise chickens to produce eggs and that is their sole purpose. Most people here on BYC have at least some emotional investment in their birds, so it is worth understanding the risks of deviating from a formulated feed.
Layer feed is formulated to be a complete feed that supplies laying birds with all the nutrients they need to produce eggs and remain healthy. Once you add extras you start to tip that balance, particularly if they prefer the treats to the layer feed as is usually the case. That minor imbalance over a few days or even a week or two is not a problem, but longer term is when issues start to arise and sometimes you may never know that things are not as they should be until a bird dies suddenly from Fatty Liver or prolapses. Obese birds are much harder to notice than other animals because those feathers hide it so well.

 

[wab11287]

Feeding them peels would be maybe once a week and each bird would not consume a lot after its spread out between them all. I am getting a new egg layer feed next week since the previous owner only was giving them cracked corn feed. I am giving them oyster shells as well in small amounts to help with calcium. I will make sure to limit the amounts I feed them and if I notice any type of health issues I will discontinue it.

Thank you for the information!