Even though chickens are very unpretentious birds, it is important to know what chickens can’t eat.
Does meat provoke cannibalism in chickens?
We know that chickens are omnivores. They will eat almost everything – plants, small animals, insects, and they will not deny themselves the pleasure to go through the compost heap. But is it possible to give chickens meat in principle and what kitchen scraps should never get into the diet of poultry?
Usually, the idea to feed the chickens with something else appears in the mind of poultry farmers during molting or winter when the rich feather depends on a successful wintering. And in this sense, add a little protein will not hurt. Boiled eggs are rich in protein and the hens just love them.
And yes, you can boil a carcass of turkey or chicken (of course, without salt), as well as boil any other meat, as food. And what about the bones? If you are suddenly lucky enough to find the source of this poultry waste? Feeding chicken bones to poultry is not like feeding dogs.
Chickens cannot physically eat bones, so there is no danger of choking. What they will do is to glue all the pieces of meat, fat, skin, and soft tissues. This is an economical and useful nutritious food.
Never feed raw or unsold chicken meat to your birds, if you are not sure about the source. Otherwise, you risk infecting your herd with salmonella.
Does the chicken turn into a cannibal? There is a perception that feeding meat can cause cannibalism. But cannibalism is a learned behavior that provokes several different factors, including overcrowding, drastic changes in the environment, poor nutrition, inadequate nesting, and blood type.
Under normal, healthy conditions, your hens will not hurt each other if you feed them meat residues.
Finally, any fish that is fresh (parasite free) or boiled is a great source of protein. Some poultry farmers buy or take for free in stores or catering facilities raw heads, guts, and other residues after cutting fish. Chickens will eat everything clean, as well as chitin shells left by shrimp. As one farmer said, he had a chicken on his farm, which went fishing with him and ate small fish.
What you should not feed chickens
Sausage products
You must not feed the chickens raw, moldy, or industrially processed sausage meat. Such products contain fats, salt and not to mention preservatives. You risk exposing chickens to food poisoning.
Fast food
Your poultry is contraindicated leftovers of pizza, fried chicken, hamburgers, and fries. They overload fast food with fat and carbohydrates, which are very harmful to chickens!
Sweet or salty popcorn is also not recommended. Remember that poultry does not need a fair dose of salt or refined sugar.
By the way, chickens can do without daily meat treats.
Kitchen mashed potatoes
Many poultry owners make “kitchen puree” for their pets. It consists of potato peel, seeds, banana peel, and other vegetarian products slices, raw rice, pasta.
Then a little water is added, everything is boiled to the consistency of mashed potatoes, chopped (if necessary), and cooled before feeding.
You do not need to mashed potatoes daily. As long as the remnants are kept in a cool place and do not get moldy, you can cook it once a week.
As with all supplements, these should be distributed in reasonable portions.
Remember, the primary feeding of the chickens comes from the permanent feed. Breaking the balance, you can break the metabolism of hens, which will lead to a decrease in oviposition and obesity.
What can chickens eat?
Many chicken lovers ask: What can chickens eat? It’s important to remember that while some foods are toxic to chickens, others are perfectly fine to feed them. The best advice is to always feed them with commercial feed, which is formulated to give them the nutrients they need for healthy growth. Alternatively, you can give your chickens crickets, which are available from bait stores and pet supply stores. And if you’re wondering what they can’t eat, don’t forget about the eggs. They’re rich in protein and are a favorite treat for your pets.
One of the most controversial foods for chickens is avocados, which contain high levels of solanine, which is toxic to chickens. Other sources of thiosulphate are green potato skins, which are poisonous to chickens. And if you’re tempted to give your birds popcorn, don’t. The oils in popcorn are too fatty for chickens to digest. You can also avoid giving your chickens meat treats every day.
Some common foods that chickens should avoid include green potatoes, asparagus, and chocolate. Asparagus and iceberg lettuce are particularly bad for chickens because they contain methylxanthines theobromine, which can lead to diarrhea in chickens. The other food that chickens shouldn’t eat is chocolate. The sweet taste of cocoa butter will make them crave it, but its high concentration of sugar can lead to fatty liver disease.
Some plants are toxic to chickens. Nightshade plants are potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and eggplant. Solanine is toxic to chickens, but it can be broken down through cooking. So you can feed your hens potatoes and tomatoes if they’re properly cooked. Onions, however, can cause anemia in chickens and can be fatal. They contain thiosulphate, which destroys red blood cells.
Raw peanuts are another food to avoid. While they are not toxic, they contain a toxin. Don’t feed them raw peanuts. You can give your chickens a handful of peanuts if they’re hungry. But don’t feed them the skin. They’re more likely to be able to digest the skin and the meat. And don’t give them a ton of leftovers.
Grass clippings and pulled weeds should also be kept away from chickens. Although they’re omnivorous, they’re still omnivorous, and certain foods can be toxic to chickens. If you’re feeding chickens a particular food to them, you must make sure it’s not toxic for them. Those weeds and grass clippings aren’t toxic to chickens.
But what can’t chickens eat? Unfortunately, a few foods are toxic to chickens. While chickens are omnivorous, they aren’t picky eaters and can eat nearly anything you put in front of them. And if they don’t like it, they won’t eat it. If they don’t like it, they won’t eat it.
Chocolate, coffee, and most chocolate-based products are toxic to chickens. Dark chocolate can kill your chickens. Theobromine, a compound found in chocolate, interferes with the heartbeats of poultry animals and is toxic to humans. Likewise, caffeine is toxic to chickens and other livestock. While most foods are safe for chickens, some of them are not. Some plants and foods are dangerous for chickens, but they won’t harm your pets.
Most chickens will eat meat and grains, but you should be careful what they eat. You can’t feed them chocolate if you want to feed your chickens. It can lead to a weakened heart and can kill the animal. So, you should never give them chocolate to your chickens. If they don’t like it, they won’t ingest it, so don’t give them any of these foods.
Most chickens don’t like citrus fruits. Some fruits are toxic, while others are perfectly okay. Even leftover vegetables are fine, but citrus is not a good choice for them. While tomatoes are a good source of vitamins and minerals, they shouldn’t be given to chickens in large quantities. Additionally, green tomatoes and potatoes are toxic to chickens. So, they should only be given small amounts of them.
