Frozen food

[TexasChickenDance]

Will be cleaning out the freezer and I know I have old food as in 1-2 years. Some of this will have freezer burn. Is this all ok to feed to the chickens? Do I need to cook any of it as in the meats first?

 

[ravencreek]

To each their own in this one...I did the same thing, cleaned out my freezer(some freezer burnt) that was long over due and didn't want to "waste" anything. I was told not to feed chickens raw meats by other chicken keepers but my vet told me that they could benefit from having it(they catch and eat mice and snakes after all), As long as it wasn't chicken. Don't feed chickens chicken. Anyway I didn't even thaw it out just put it on cardboard frozen and let them peck away at it, I gave the dogs the raw chicken. Of course I did mine in the summer so they enjoyed the meat popsicles.

 

[Imp]

I agree with ravencreek. Not a problem. Freezer burn is not food poisoning- just dried out bad tasting food. Chickens should love it..

Imp

 

[gsim]

Ravencreek and Imp are right. I would dole it out to make it last and keep eggs coming. What is a few more weeks now unless you need the space right now?

Raw meat provides some enzymes that are not there when cooked. That is why I give mine fresh produce and grass clippings as they are available. Wild animals all get live enzymes from raw meat, guts, and wild greens, seeds, etc. Domestic animals and humans are deficient in enzymes because as a whole, we eat too little live fruit and veggies and too much cooked dead foods as well as processed foods that have harmful preservatives and additives. Wild animals have no cancer while domestic animals and humans do.

 

[Safado]

Quote:
Really? That statement is pretty tough to back up.

I agree that you'll be fine feeding the freezer burned foods raw. I imagine what your vet was recommending regarding not feeding them chicken is due to possible parasites or chicken specific diseases. I've seen other people, who commonly feed cooked chicken to their layers. Yes there is an eww factor, but in the end it is protien.

 

[EweSheep]

I feed my chickens ground up chicken meat and turkey meat and never had any issues of it. After all, chickens are omnivores.

 

[kannm]

Quote:
I have seen my chickens go after a dead bird. I am not sure feeding chicken chicken will hurt them. It's like feeding fish fish. Or isn't it?

 

[Safado]

Quote:
I have seen this too, and I agree, I wouldn't have a problem feeding my chickens raw chicken parts (though feel more comfortable if it is from my own flock). I am sorry for the pet group out there, but when processing chickens, mine love to get the parts, which I should but don't eat (heart and liver). It is porbably irational, but I am more hesitant to do this with processed chicken, because of the freshness, and I am more confident in the way I raised my chickens than how a stranger raised the store bought chicken...this after I tell you I am not too picky about what I feed my birds.

My comment above was just speculating on why your vet may have told the original poster not to feed chicken to chickens.

 

[gritsar]

My chickens love chicken! And turkey, beef and pork. Chicken is their favorite though, they've told me. They tell me it tastes just like.....








Wait for it....




Chicken!

 

[ravencreek]

My vet mentioned E-Coli and Salmonella...He isn't an avian vet...Just a good ole cat and dog vet. Literally, all his office see's is cats and dogs.