Is it ok if chickens eat raw salmon?

[Jamie_chick]

we have freezer burned salmon and I’m wondering if I can feed it to the chickens or if I should just toss it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'd definitely toss it, but in the run in amounts they can clean up before tossing them more the next day. Chickens operate on the "do lunch or be lunch" principle. They will eat it if it doesn't eat them. They will love that freezer burned salmon, it is a great source of protein. Just don't give them more than they can clean up. That would be a great treat.

 

[Jamie_chick]

I'd definitely toss it, but in the run in amounts they can clean up before tossing them more the next day. Chickens operate on the "do lunch or be lunch" principle. They will eat it if it doesn't eat them. They will love that freezer burned salmon, it is a great source of protein. Just don't give them more than they can clean up. That would be a great treat.

I did read on this site that that can eat fish, but it should be cooked. Which is doable for sure. I’d want to make sure the bones are removed anyway.

 

[jlwquilter]

I have 2 packages of salmon a neighbor gave me for the hens. I guess freezer burned too. I don’t know a thing about salmon.

Do I really have to cook it? How do I do that?? Does it have bones too? I get it’s a great protein food which is why I was excited when the neighbor gave it to me. But now it’s sounding like a lot work.

I did give them raw shrimp - mainly heads and tails - from the same neighbor - the other day. I ran it thru the food processor first to get it into smaller bits. They weren’t too sure at first but ended up eating what I put out. That was a few days ago. I plan on giving them another batch tomorrow. The shrimp was also very cold so I’m using it as a cooling food too. I figured shrimp is just a water bug and the hens eat raw bugs all the time. All I know for sure is no one has died and I’m getting the most eggs ever.

Would like to know about the salmon though....

 

[AHotchick]

Raw Salmon must be frozen to kill any worm/parasite eggs... yes all farmed and wild salmon may have it... so if your sushi chef hasn't frozen it good luck to you. After being frozen you're ALL GOOD! Chickens' will love it

 

[jlwquilter]

Raw Salmon must be frozen to kill any worm/parasite eggs... yes all farmed and wild salmon may have it... so if your sushi chef hasn't frozen it good luck to you. After being frozen you're ALL GOOD! Chickens' will love it

Thanks!

 

[gtaus]

I did read on this site that that can eat fish, but it should be cooked. Which is doable for sure. I’d want to make sure the bones are removed anyway.

I don't know why the fish would have to be cooked, or have the bones removed. I live on a lake and the eagles and hawks eat raw fish all the time. Chickens are not eagles or hawks, but I think they would do fine with raw fish.

I have given my chickens limited amounts of fish remains after cleaning the fish for our supper table. So far, I can't say that they really show much interest in the fish. I don't know if that is because my chicks are only 9 weeks old, if maybe the fish parts are too big (I did not cut them up), or they just don't care much for fish. Anyway, I usually leave the fish remains overnight in a feeding pan and dump the remains the next day into the compost bin before the fish start to smell bad.

I guess I would be willing to cut up the fish remains into smaller pieces, but I really don't want to cook or remove bones from the fish remains. I do have an old food processor and could grind/blend up the fish remains if anyone would recommend that idea. I am all in favor of feeding my chicks a variety of food, but not if it takes too much time and effort on my part and if the chickens don't care anyway.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Ducks and geese, among other birds, swallow fresh live fish whole, fins, bones and all. I've seen chickens dismember frogs and mice with their beaks to get them into bite sized pieces. I've also seen chickens swallow smaller mice whole. I've been known to cut larger mammals I've trapped open and toss them in the run so the chickens can eat them. None of these are cooked. I do not remove any bones.

My only possible concern with that salmon is how big a piece are the skins? I've fed my chickens skins from cooked fish after we've eaten. Mine eat the skins but sometimes they can be pretty tough for the chickens to break apart. I don't worry about cooking the meat, deboning it, or cutting the meat up into bite sized pieces. I have been known to cut things like fish skins into bite sized pieces.

 

[gtaus]

I don't worry about cooking the meat, deboning it, or cutting the meat up into bite sized pieces. I have been known to cut things like fish skins into bite sized pieces.

Good to know. I don't know if my chickens don't care for fish remains, they are too young to tear it apart, or if they just have other food available that they like better. Since I have moved my chicks out to a coop and grass pasture, they don't eat very much of their chick starter feed either. They must be getting some good food from the grass/bugs etc... They have not shown much interest in the fish remains I have given them. That's OK as I still have a nice compost bin that will take anything the chickens don't eat.

 

[Petunia Lynn]

I read this to learn if I could safely feed my girls freezer-burned salmon but I am really shocked to see how some feel simply baking or cutting food into smaller pieces is ‘a lot of work!’ Come on flock masters!