using human dishes to feed chickens--safe?

[Tala]

I do it ALL the time. You won't ever catch them with my cast iron (the dogs take care of that for me) but I've sent my best stainless pans out there, Pyrex dishes, etc. I also have rubber Fortiflex bowls and stainless dog bowls, and I've fed them out of cardboard boxes from work. Just depends on what's convenient and/or what needs cleaning today. The dogs pre-wash most of our dishes. I put a pan on the floor and say "dishwasher, get to work!" like I really have to tell them to "work"

Sure they all get cleaned before we use them again. Not a big deal to me. I've been known to eat without washing my hands after seeing the chickens. I eat off the floor too, and I've been known to share drinks with pets. But you don't have to eat at my house or kiss me, so don't let it bother ya

 

[SeaHen]

I do it ALL the time. You won't ever catch them with my cast iron (the dogs take care of that for me) but I've sent my best stainless pans out there, Pyrex dishes, etc. I also have rubber Fortiflex bowls and stainless dog bowls, and I've fed them out of cardboard boxes from work. Just depends on what's convenient and/or what needs cleaning today. The dogs pre-wash most of our dishes. I put a pan on the floor and say "dishwasher, get to work!" like I really have to tell them to "work"


Yep, this is the way I roll too. Whatever got used and needs cleaning up goes to the dogs, birds or both. People have recoiled at the fact that I'm a nurse and have such slovenly standards, but I think they're silly. I know of an immunologist who lets his kids literally crawl on floors and eat dirt to strengthen their immune systems, so I figure having animals pre-wash my dishes isn't so bad.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I take old pie pans and use them again and again, washing them outside with dish soap and a dedicated brush.

I HAVE in the past, used a small stainless steel bowl for the chickens, and then put it through the dishwasher for us. But I couldn't bear using it and put it out in the garage, where it sits now.

 

[panner123]

My Father-in-Law tells a story of when he moved into a new area about feeding animals from the dinner dishes. Seems they had a neighboring family show up at dinner time and offered them to have something to eat. Every day for a few weeks this family came over at dinner time. One night he fed them, but instead of putting the dishes in the sink (before D/W), he set the plates down for the dogs to clean. When the dogs had finished with them, he placed the dishes in the cupbroad. The family never came back at dinner time. If you are washing the dishes there is no problem, I think everyone does it.

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

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OK, I won't invite you to dinner, NO prob

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

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And I have a bengal cat that Loves water and sometimes he helps me wash the dishes lol

 

[gryeyes]

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I think I love you, Chihuahuamom. In the most platonic, "let's have dinner sometime" way, of course.

 

[catchthewind]

I used to be a bit of a germophobe, but I studied immunology and microbiology in university and learned how germs and stuff work. At the time I also lived with a clean freak who Lysoled and bleached everything constantly. We were both always sick. When I moved in with my husband, we started using homemade cleaners and were overall way less careful about germs and such. We're sick a lot less. If you gave me a choice between a little too clean (no bad bacteria, harsh chemicals used to clean) and too dirty and no chemical cleaners, I'd probably pick too dirty. I think we don't do ourselves any services by being too clean. Then if you ever go into an environment that isn't as clean, your body has no idea how to handle it.

Just my opinion obviously.

That being said, my kids definitely lowered my standards, as did working in a vet clinic and cleaning out kennels of sick animals. And dogs, chickens, etc, have less germs in their mouths than humans do. We eat a very diverse diet, which makes for a lot of different bacteria. My animals are raw fed too, and they sniff and lick us. I don't let them lick my face, but mostly because I don't like it, not because I think they'd make me sick. And I do practice common sense when they've just eaten, but honestly, a little bit of bacteria (even E Coli or Salmonella) won't generally make a healthy person sick. It's when those bacteria are left to multiply and become more than just a little that it becomes dangerous. That's why the 5-second rule works (and though I love the show, why Mythbusters was wrong when they "disproved" it): the food hasn't been on the floor nearly long enough for bacteria to multiply, so even if it did pick up something dangerous, your body will make short work of it quickly.

 

[alhanse77]

I let my chickens eat leftovers off of our dinner plates. When I put them in the dishwasher I always add the Sani-Rinse option just to be safe.

 

[Chihuahuamom444]

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I think I love you, Chihuahuamom. In the most platonic, "let's have dinner sometime" way, of course.