Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[cocktail_chick]

We went to supper at some friends house last night and they've got lots of chickens and regularly feed them uncooked potato peelings. I said I thought they were poisonous to them and a definite NO, but they said they'd been feeding them to theirs for years! I've had a quick look through the threads to find more information on the subject of uncooked potato and other no no foods and why they're bad, but without luck. What's it all about ............. ???

[Olly]

OK, I don't know the scientific bit, but potatoes contain something which changes when cooked, and in the raw state it's poisonous - it's certainly poisonous to humans, and as far as I know that goes for chickens too. You or I would not die from eating one raw potato, we might not even be very ill, but if you consumed it constantly it wouldn't be good for you.

 

Clearly your friends' hens have survived a raw potato diet, maybe it's a cumulative thing? I just wouldn't take the risk - it's so easy to cook them. I usually pop the potato peelings in a jug in the microwave for a few minutes while the potatoes (for my dinner!) are cooking on the stove.

 

I'm sure someone who knows the scientific details to this will be along shortly!

[Space Chick]

The Potato is a member of the deadly nightshade family, along with tomatoes, sweet peppers, aubergines, and peppers such as paprika, cayenne, and Tabasco sauce A particular group of substances in these foods, called alkaloids, can impact nerve-muscle function and digestive function in animals and humans, and may also be able to compromise joint function.

 

Because the amount of alkaloids is very low in nightshade foods when compared with other nightshade plants, health problems from nightshade foods may only occur in individuals who are especially sensitive to these alkaloid substances and small animals which have a lower tolerance due to their size.

 

Cooking lowers alkaloid content of nightshade foods by about 40-50%, making them safe in the main. However, some individuals will have a high intolerance to some even when cooked. Potatoes actually have the highest levels of alkaloids in them, and I am intolerant (ie. allergic) to potatoes and so cannot eat them even when cooked. I have been like this since I was 6 years old. While non-sensitive individuals are able to eat these foods, especially in cooked form, without problem.

 

Green and sprouted spots on potatoes usually reflect high alkaloid content, even though the green itself involves the presence of chlorophyll, not alkaloids. For this reason, sprouted areas should always be thoroughly removed before potato cooking, or the potatoes should be discarded altogether.

 

There you go, hope this has helped

[sjp]

I'm glad some ones asked this question I know of people that feed uncooked tatters one beening a farmer were i get the bedding from his reasoning was that 1 it stimulated they're pecking so encouraged them to feed which i understand as the days I've got cabbage or pumpkins in the run more pelletts have been eaten 2 when chooks FR'd on farms they'd eat anything they could find

I know mine have eaten both raw spuds that they dug up and ones I've missed thhey also had a go at them when I'd got them set out in trays drying plus potato and tomato leaves

[chick wiggle]

Wow! Well impressed SC, not just a pretty face are ya? That was really interesting and helpful, thanks!

[cocktail_chick]

You guys are all awesome, the accumulative knowledge of this forum is phenomenal. Thank you so far, hope there's more to come - I'm going to compile all your info into one document and send it to my friends! Have made the statement that they were poisoning their chooks last night without all the details, I'm looking forwarding to back up my statement. A x

[Valkyrie]

Interesting question - my OH's cousins will chomp on raw potatoes because "they like them" - yuk! I thought they were crazy and told them that spuddies should be cooked. One in particular is never wrong, so I gave up. Just showed Debs answer to DD as she was tempted at the time, but not done since. Lets face it - raw potatoes are bleh anyway.