Can I "legally" give my chickens leftover uncooked vegetables?

[RATTER15]

The law appears a little unclear on this.

If I have some left over cabbage, can I feed some to my chickens as the law says I cannot feed household vegetable waste!

So how about I buy it for the chickens, we have the inside and they have the outside leaves, being bought for the purpose of feeding the chickens, is this legal.

Sometimes the law is an arse!!!

[tonyav]

There are laws that say what you can or cannot feed chickens, that's a new on on me RATTER. Well you learn something new every day.

[Nosha123]

I would have thought you could feed them any veg items.... They eat anything!!! What does the law state you must do?
I wonder why there is a law to protect what you feed chickens but not other animals?

[ummmm]

How strange. Are you sure it's a law and not recommendations?

[jules77]

Never heard of this one, what a ridiculous law. Everyone I know with chicken feeds them leftovers.

[dzug2]

I wonder if the (alleged) law applies to commercial chicken farming, where it might make a bit of sense?

[RATTER15]

http://www.direct.gov...mallholders/dg_189309

Scroll down to "feeding and watering chickens"

[echokilo]

This is why .... and given the devastation of foot and mouth previously, even if it might be overkill, I think it's a very sensible precaution!! http://archive.defra....tefood/caterwaste.htm

[naomi24]

Does this help Ratter?

//Following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in 2001, the Government introduced a ban on the feeding to animals of catering waste THAT CONTAINS OR HAS BEEN IN CONTACT WITH ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS (ABPs).//

http://archive.defra....tefood/caterwaste.htm

I’d read that as ordinary vegetable choppings being ok.

[RATTER15]

We will continue to feed the vegetable scraps to our birds but I was wondering on the legalities.

[RATTER15]

I think you may be right Naomi, thanks.

[naomi24]

I think the thing about any scraps that may have been in contact with animal by-products is the issue. If they haven't, it would seem to be acceptable.

[FredPuli43]

Seems that these are regulations which are drawn in such a way as to have unintended consequences. Surely an ordinary home, where someone is merely chopping vegetables and leaves the unwanted bits for the chickens, was not meant to be targetted. Can't see Defra bothering with trying to prosecute someone in that kind of case, however the Regulations are read. The Regulations are really aimed at commercial production, at factories or restaurants that might sell or dispose of waste for use as, or in, animal or poultry feed, not some householder feeding scraps to their own layers.

[THECORBYLOON]

It says that catering waste must not be used and catering waste is any waste food so it would seem that it does not matter if it's been in contact wi animal by-products or no.

[Old_Geezer]

If you are not a commercial business then who is to know ?
"Please sir, Mr. Ratter is breaking the law with a chicken."

[mrs_overall]

I will have to check the Guardian jobs page to see if they are advertising for the job of chicken food inspector

[THECORBYLOON]

They may have one for a brave food inspector...

[mrs_overall]

Well knock me down with a hens feather. I just did a Google search and Kirklees council are advertising for an animal welfare inspector, who amongst other things, checks the welfare of chooks

[firewatch]

Next door give there chooks peelings and they go mental!! lol

[boxtops]

I thought it was the same as what you can compost - i.e. you can give them anything as long as it doesn't contain scraps of meat, fish, other protein. apart from anything else, meat scraps would encourage rats. I think you're OK with the veg (but I'm no expert)

[boxtops]

Ratter, have you seen this publication? this from the new DEFRA website (your link was the old site, it said) - it's doesn't seem to say anything in section 7 about NOT feeding veg to chickens http://www.defra.gov....t-chickens-020717.pdf