"Defra says hens not allowed leftovers" according to Times

[slinkycat]

In the Times weekend supplement theres an article about self sufficiency including hen keeping. It says "recent guidelines from Defra state that plate scrapings should no longer be given to animals"
I've had a look at the Defra site and can't find this, surely this can't be right? I've always given my hens leftovers (not meat though)
Anyway if it is right, how would they enforce it?

[Andyvon]

Too many rules and regs nowadays Slinky. As the old saying goes "Rules are for the observance of fools but the guidance of the wise". If common sense says that something is nonsense, then it probably is so ignore it. There are just too many people in organisations such as Health and Safety and Defra who are trying to justify their posts and expenses claims.

There's nothing wrong with giving scraps to hens.

[slinkycat]

good saying Andy, not going to stop giving my hens scraps, they love it, just wondering where the Times got their info from, guess it must be on Defra somewhere, but I couldn't find it.
Feel sorry for all those hens that are suddenly going to get their scraps withdrawn!

[ruthann58]

mine will still be getting their scraps , no doubt they shouldnt be eating worms slugs and any other goodies that they manage to scratch from the garden ,as andyvon said to many sitting on their backsides in offices thinking up rules and regulations dont reckon most of them could tell the difference between a hen and a cockeral to start with

[woofgang]

This is why the table scrap ban
"However, in the UK, YOU are NOT ALLOWED to feed the following animal proteins or any feedstuffs containing them (Refer to DEFRA):

Processed animal protein;
Gelatine of ruminant origin;
Blood products;
Hydrolysed protein;
Dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate of animal origin "

http://www.animallove..._chicken_feeding.html

[waterboatman]

What a load of codswallop! Chooks have been getting scraps for centuries. As slinky says, they love 'em. And, as Andy says, they are just trying to justify their jobs and expenses. If that is the best they can come up with they don't deserve their jobs.

[woofgang]

I think that the BSE thing has changed views on what is safe and what isn't. From the look of the banned substances, avoiding feeding them meat and meat products should mean that the birds (and egg eaters) are safe without depriving the chickens.

[wildwood]

The processed animal protein [and blood] is mentioned because it comes from domestic animals which are themselves subject to some baddies.

Chickens will eat insects, mice, small rats and sparrows if they can catch them, so outright unprosecced animal protein like meat leftovers will not harm them. The only thing you have to watch is animal fat, birds can not digest the lumps properly but would not encounter this normally.

Leftovers scraps is, to my mind, an ideal additive to their diet to compensate for any trace elements they may miss in their normal given diet.

It makes you wonder that if you can eat salami from the supermarket, why shouldn't a chicken have it?

[Chaffinch]

Well, I'm certainly not going out in the dark to get back the bread pudding I gave the girls earlier, I'd just hate to disturb their sleep!!! ;)

[woofgang]

I would never touch supermarket salami....