Raina Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Hi all, My uncle rang up this morning to ask if he can bring the girls back in a couple of days cuz they are going away for a few days (going to buy some woodchip today, should hopefully get delivered tomorrow) Well i asked him how they were and he said fine, then he told me he put chicken & turkey Frames (with meat still on ) in with the girls(then bought them up the garden and told his daughter the fox had got to them ), he also told me that's he's been giving them corned beef and ALL the table s"Ooops, word censored!"s (including uncooked potato peels) and that his grandaughter had been sharing all of her crisps & chocolate with them when they free range. Will this do any harm to them? They have been getting plenty of grit as i gave him nearly a full bag of grit.they've also been getting poultry spice too. He was also bragging he got a couple more double yolkers too (he's had 4 of them now)and that he's getting three eggs a day about every 2 weeks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Not ideal Raina. I'd have them on a strict regime of just pellets and water for a few days to give them a chance to recover from the excesses.......and it might be a good idea to ask some-one else to look after them next time. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Will Do, Might have to ask my cousin next time, He owns all sorts (Chickens,Ducks,Goats and some other critters) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 see, now when I speak to someone of my parents' generation and older about chickens, they all say "oh we just fed them everything and they were fine." uncooked potato, unsoaked bread, meat, the lot. are we just being too fussy or do we know more know about what is bad for them??? I'm not trying to make a judgement on anyone at all but i do find it a really interesting that there is such a switch. maybe it's because we see them as pets and not work-hens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 My grandmother thinks I'm mad buying my girls pellets! When they had hens, they were only fed s"Ooops, word censored!"s and rooted around for their own food in the yard. However, those hens were egg layers and dinners, so didn't live for very long That said, I don't like the idea of the girls being fed close relations. That can't be good for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 That said, I don't like the idea of the girls being fed close relations. That can't be good for them Me neither *shudder* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 maybe it's because we see them as pets and not work-hens. We see them as both, and that is why we feed them chicken food - it makes sense that they are properly nourished if they are laying you eggs. We do give them some s"Ooops, word censored!"s, and they forage in the garden too, but I'd like to be sure that if they are working for us, and laying us eggs, they are getting proper nourishment. Older folk wonder why I buy the food too, though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xScrunchee Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 My lots get given s"Ooops, word censored!"s. The only things I don't give them are raw potato peelings and meat, especially not chicken meat However, the lady who I get my chickens off of feeds them everything under the sun including left over chicken curry I cannot bring myself to do that but in all honesty it's probably because the thought of it repulses me. I know for a fact that if one of the flock died-the others would quite happily eat it along with all other kinds of meat such as mice, frogs, birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I always thought that cannabalism in any species was potentially dangerous. Something about genetic problems. Am I making that up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbier Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I'd never feed my chooks leftover chicken meat, but there are plenty of examples of a species eating its own in the wild, when they can. Some are just opportunistic scavengers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 I did feel sick when he told me about giving them the bird meat, but he told me he fed them the same stuff he used to feed some chooks of a farm I'm getting them back Thursday too (They are going away friday to wales to see some family,My Uncle & his OH not the chooks lol)) I'm quite eggcited lol. Just about to order some stuff from Flyte So Fancy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Mine get s"Ooops, word censored!"s but not poultry carcasses or uncooked potatoes. After the last foot and mouth outbreak ( I know, chickens don't get it) Defra imposed a whole lot of regulations about what can and can't be fed to all animals, to prevent similar catastrophes happening again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emchook Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 ooooh yuck .. my friends 6 year old daughter threw my chooks a bbq'd chicken leg for their lunch during a bbq .. I too felt a little sick..but the chooks were fine ! Quite funny about the chicken carcasses, the fox and his daughter though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 Quite funny about the chicken carcasses, the fox and his daughter though I had to LOL He said she was screaming & crying & running round in circles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emchook Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 OH DEAR ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Kate Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 Debbier makes a very good point about them being cannibalistic if they get a chance. but (sorry, can't remember who now) is right when they say it's not good to be a cannibal as it does cause brain problems - apparently cannibalistic humans weren't overly healthy. and I agree, if they're giving me eggs and they are my responsibility then i want them fed well and healthily. so it must just be our finer feelings that stops us from feeding them poultry meat. chicken curry to chickens... i don't think I fancy curry flavour eggs. if they take on garlic then they must take on curry. mind you, it would give a boost to coronation chicken if they were dinners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emchook Posted January 5, 2010 Share Posted January 5, 2010 I roasted a cheap chicken years ago and the house was filled with the delicious smell of fish That is what happens when farmers feed them fishmeal to help them grow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 my girls get s"Ooops, word censored!"s but no relation to them gets put into that run unless its still healthy and breathing!! can imagine it now, here you go girl heres aunt may for your tea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henhathnofury Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Feeding any kind of meat to chickens is wrong on so many levels. Mad cow disease was caused by meat in the form of bonemeal, being fed to cattle. Yes, lots of people fed their chickens s"Ooops, word censored!"s of all descriptions - but this was before we were aware of the problems this can cause in the food chain. Compacted crops can be caused by the wrong foods....farmers in the old days would cull a sick chook, rather than go to pains to avoid. Large scale farmers still do this...but we are pet owners, so we have lots of knowledge. Chocolate apparently is dangerous too......as my vet told me as I explained about dropping a chocolate muffin and having it devoured. I would be very angry about someone feeding my chooks bad food, as I would if they gave my daughter meat (she's a vegetarian) No harm done as one-off but I'm sorry, I do think it shows a fundamental lack of respect for your lovely chickens, that this 'carer' just threw them all sorts of rubbish. Ignorance perhaps but dear oh dear.....beef? If I am looking after a pet, one of the first things I look at is the feeding routine. Your chickens need to detox but they should be fine in the long term. I am also not sure if the chicken carcass joke was really that funny either.....I was a sensitive kid and my father once 'hanged' my toy rabbit with a RIP sign on him....so I am aware of this sort of humour....it's dark and sometimes it's great, but not (imho) when it includes animals. Sorry to rant but I felt cross by this person's actions. You are a great chicken mum though to be concerned...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallina Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Mad cow disease was caused by feeding meat to animals which were vegetarian: it was very unnatural, and the meat was not properly cooked. Chickens are natural omnivores, and love meat more than anything. I draw the line at feeding them poultry, but I can't see any harm in feeding them other meat, as long as it is thoroughly cooked. I would rather see them eating this than live mice, frogs, and slugs. Layers' pellets are not natural: they are designed to make a hen lay far more eggs than is good for them. A natural diet for a hen would be a nice roast dinner, just like we have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreveryoung Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 so is tyere anything feed wise that are just too feed and not to push laying?? just curious?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emchook Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Gallina There is nothing natural about giving a chicken a roast dinner or anything cooked !! I am sure they will enjoy it as they seem to eat anything. In regard to cross contamination I found this online : Mad cow disease was caused by feeding animals with diseased animal protein containing meat and bone meal, thus causing the disease in cattle. The animal proteins contain prions which are found in the brain, spinal cord, eye (in the retina), and other tissues of the nervous system of affected animals or humans. In addition, prions can be found outside the nervous system including the bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes. Low levels of prions may also be found in blood. These Prions are highly resistant to heat, ultraviolet light, radiation, and disinfectants that normally kill viruses and bacteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tutti Frutti Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Chicken, turkey, beef, chocolate, crips, uncooked potato peel??? :shock: Double yolkers and 3 eggs a day from 2 chickens? I honestly thought he was pulling your leg! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raina Posted January 6, 2010 Author Share Posted January 6, 2010 I'm getting them back tomorrow, So they'll just have Layers Pellets & some porridge before they go to bed. He hadn't Just fed them that stuff he had been giving them layers pellets too. I had told him not too feed them meat,raw potato's & chocolate again as it's bad for them.I didn't know he had given the chooks any of that stuff till he told me on the phone. I got 3 eggs from them too,just not as often as he said (i'd get them maybe once every 2 months) Oh and he didn't mean every day he meant 1 day (think it might be my typing) II thought he was having me on about the double yolkers (he's always pulling jokes)i had them from April - September with non & he had them from Late September - January and got, i think he said 4 double yolkers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debbier Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I would rather see them eating this than live mice, frogs, and slugs. I'd be chuffed to bits if my chooks got rid of some slugs in my garden! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
