Author Topic: Good scrap items for fattening birds  (Read 8511 times)

Kier

  • Joined Jul 2008
Good scrap items for fattening birds
« on: August 22, 2010, 04:46:36 pm »
Apart from the commerical fattening pellets what other household scraps are good for fattening the girls and boys before dispatch day??? Was thinking high carb foods such as potatos (boiled/cooked first) etc.
Cheers

DJ_Chook

  • Joined Jun 2009
  • Mid Wales
  • Chicken mad, nothing else just chickens.
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #1 on: August 22, 2010, 05:52:07 pm »
 I would guess any left over food carbs could add weight. I've used a variety of feedstuffs... grower feeds, fatteners & finishing feeds.

I'm forever trying different feeds and methods for meat birds. At the moment I'm experimenting with a 100% mixed grain/freerange diet. Now at 6 weeks they are definitely heavier birds than usual.
Chicken nutter extraordinaire.

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
  • Qui? Moi?
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2010, 07:07:35 pm »
Yes, but is it fat or flesh ;)
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

Castle Farm

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Hereford/Powys Border. near Hay-on-Wye
    • castlefarmeggs
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2010, 03:53:04 pm »
A bird destined for the freezer can only achieve the finishing weight that it was bred for and once that weight is reached it puts the rest of the feed into fat around the lower half of the abdomen.
Bred for meat types such as Ross/Cob will go off thier legs if kept on to long.

Pure breeds such as Light Sussex will very rarely get above 5lb dressed, as the best of the strains that were lost to unselective and exibition breeders years ago.

Crosses between Indian Game and any of the heavier breeds would be better, but still a long way behind a Ross/Cob.

It's not what you feed them, it's how they are bred,so trying to get a silk purse out of a sows ear is a waste of money.



This is the result of a Welsh Black x Welsh Black. Dressed out at 8lb+ on a grain diet free-range.
Traditional Utility Breed Hatching Eggs sent next day delivery. Pure bred Llyen Sheep.
www.castlefarmeggs.co.uk  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Utility-Poultry-Keepers/231571570247281

Hardfeather

  • Guest
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #4 on: August 23, 2010, 04:32:23 pm »



This is the result of a Welsh Black x Welsh Black. Dressed out at 8lb+ on a grain diet free-range.

Do you mean a Welsh Black X Indian Game?

Castle Farm

  • Joined Nov 2008
  • Hereford/Powys Border. near Hay-on-Wye
    • castlefarmeggs
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2010, 08:37:58 am »
No, it is a WB X WB.
This is a WB X Indian Game.



The WB X WB cock was mated with pure IG and produced him, plus a whole lot of very good pullets.
Traditional Utility Breed Hatching Eggs sent next day delivery. Pure bred Llyen Sheep.
www.castlefarmeggs.co.uk  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Utility-Poultry-Keepers/231571570247281

egglady

  • Joined Jun 2009
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2010, 12:26:03 pm »
we have hubbards as meat birds and feed them growers; kibbled maize and left over veg/rice/bread...whatever really.  their meat is delish and they are steady on their legs so i think we are getting it right.  they also free range.

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2013, 11:13:00 am »
Is it OK to include things like leak tops and onion skins in the scarps? Or is it just the blander, more carboy types of things that chickens like?
We do the best we can with the information we have

When we know better we do better

kelly58

  • Joined Mar 2013
  • Highlands, Scotland
  • Home is were my animals are.
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2013, 12:10:17 pm »
Chuckies dont do leeks and onions, at least mine dont  :chook:  :)

Ina

  • Joined Feb 2012
  • South Aberdeenshire
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2013, 12:28:39 pm »
And don't forget...
 
It is illegal to feed chickens anything that's been in your kitchen!  ::)

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2013, 03:02:25 pm »
Yes - it was a purely hypothetical question. I do all my vegetable preparation outside  :)
We do the best we can with the information we have

When we know better we do better

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2013, 03:50:06 pm »
And don't forget...
 
It is illegal to feed chickens anything that's been in your kitchen!  ::)

is that true? i didnt realise that.

+how about adding some vegetable oil to their diet diet.if they are underweight.

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2013, 06:47:43 am »
Off track slightly, but we feed ours a tiny amount of chopped onion weekly to prevent canker, a fungal infection. They love the onion but we have never tried them on leeks. Always worried that strong tasting stuff may affect the egg taste though, but have never got round to experimenting.


Maize puts weight on but it is only fat, not meat.

suziequeue

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Llanidloes; Powys
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2013, 07:06:16 am »
That's interesting Chris. I might add a bit of onion to their mash aswell then.
We do the best we can with the information we have

When we know better we do better

Kitchen Cottage

  • Joined Oct 2012
Re: Good scrap items for fattening birds
« Reply #14 on: December 29, 2013, 07:58:11 am »
You can feed domestic chickens leftovers.  They are governed by the Animal Act and there is nothing in there to prevent it.  This would only apply if you sell the eggs

Mine eat all my scraps :)

 

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