Scraps

[MrsCordial]

Ever since we've had hens (must be at least five years now) we've given them kitchen scraps. Peelings have never been popular, but ends of meat, toast, porridge etc have always disappeared fast. We gave our new hens scraps yesterday, and as of this morning they remain completely untouched. We've removed the scraps so we don't attract rats. We've never hd this before. Will they get used to scraps and develop a taste for them, do you think, or do some hens just not take to them?

[Glutton4...]

If they've never had them before, they may not realise they're edible. Once they're more used to you, they'll grasp the idea that your arrival means food, and they'll eat anything! LOL Try putting some layers' pellets in with the scraps to start with, and they'll soon get the message.

[MrsCordial]

Now that is a really good idea! Thanks

[Nicos]

Out of 17 hens we have one lass which won't touch a cooked potato peeling.
She even seems to recognise them as they are flung through the air, and instead of legging it blindly with the others to where they fall, just stands there looking at us.

We've tested this several times...and every time she knows!

Talk about a beady eye!

We give a lot less scraps than we used to though......more are composted or given to the bunnies.

[Two_Sheds]

Ever since we've had hens ...we've given them kitchen scraps.

It's illegal though. "The only exception is homes where all the food is vegan."

Ban on feeding of kitchen scraps to pet poultry and other pet farmed animals « Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency

[MrsCordial]

Oh dear. HMP's going to need an awfully big facility for all the people cheerfully giving their hens scraps!

[Floyd]

That's me entering a guilty plea then since I fetch home any waste pasta, rice and vegetables from work!

[Scarlet]

I don't feed any scraps. Too many treats can cause fat birds and problems with egg quality and or production. A good organic layers feed and a handful of corn in the evening is all they need. I will throw in some weeds if I'm nearby and can't be bothered to walk to the compost bin though.

[MrsCordial]

Scarlet I'd be interested to know what you define as scraps - genuinely interested, I mean, not snarky interested! I don't want to do the hens any harm with the odds and ends we give them.

[Nicos]

Yep...as 2 sheds has said, it's illegal in the UK!

We discussed this a while ago......
http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ens_18654.html

Here is the defra info...
Ban on feeding of kitchen scraps to pet poultry and other pet farmed animals « Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency

[Scarlet]

I really don't feed anything except the occasional weeds or kale/chard leaves, beetroot tops etc -not even grass as this can cause sour crop if left long.
I've never really taken anything from the kitchen up to the pens, so no to pasta, meat scraps, peelings. Nothing cooked.

I know some keepers when they have a sick chicken think that the birds need protein they give cat food/tuna etc. mine have never had it. If I have had a sickly bird they usually get lightly scrambled egg.

[kathyd]

I must admit to being guilty of scraps, but I do try to keep them 'balanced'! I mix up a small amount of carbs (breadcrumbs, chopped pasta, rice, mashed potato) with sunflower seeds, a bit of protein (mealworms, sprinkling of finely grated cheese, leftover wet catfood, hardboiled or scrambled egg) and chopped tomato. In season I add chopped or grated fruit, and occasionally some natural yoghurt or mashed tinned chickpeas. They get about a desert spoon a day each I guess, and they free range most of the time so they eat loads of grass, weeds and whatever creepy crawlies they can find - a bit limited this year for some reason. Everything I give them is chopped up tiny or mashed, I don't give them meat (except cat food), and tinned fish is kept to tiny portions on very special occasions eg disguising medicine or trying to tempt a poorly bird to eat. I don't give too much of any one thing - and I don't throw out whole slices of bread and toast, or fill feeders with couscous like some people I know. I hope I'm not tempting fate by saying it, but so far it doesn't seem to affect egg production ... egg production suffers more from the heat, moulting, broodiness or inherited ill-health (arriving with birds bought as adults in the past). They do have pellets available all the time of course, dry ones in a hanging feeder and mushy ones in empty ice cream boxes (well I need some kind of excuse to buy Carte d'Or ice cream) which I make fresh twice a day. So for me it's all about balance and beak-sized portions. What do you give yours MrsCordial?

[Nicos]

I think here in France we are 'allowed' to do an awful lot more with our animals.
Most of the chooks I see here free range and are chucked whole stale baguettes...and anything left from the kitchen!

Not sure what EU rules are in place, but I think the local Mairie would tell us if we asked.

In reality chooks shouldn't need 'treats if they are fed a good quality layers pellets.
The odd raw veg leaf / herb from the plot should suffice .

[MrsCordial]

This is really interesting. I don't think of what we give them as 'treats' in the sense of special or naughty foods, just as another way of using what we don't/can't eat and augmenting the layers' crumb and whatever they grub up outside. Today the bowl contains 2/3 of an apple (this new bunch would walk over hot coals for apple), the end of my son's Shreddies and four strawberries that have been hanging around for a couple of days. I don't prepare anything special or do anything to it. Much of what they get is what my five year old hasn't been able to stuff into his mouth!

[kathyd]

In our area, one or two villages have given chickens to all local inhabitants specifically to eat leftovers and reduce waste! The inhabitants have been told they're not allowed to eat the birds for at least 2 years! I can't see this as being good for the birds' health and wellbeing, but I guess it's one way to tackle waste disposal....