Is it okay to feed chickens smelly/rotting/compost (along with other normal food/feed)?

Question

We have a chicken yard, plenty of roaming space and a group of households - some of which bring their kitchen waste (of varying ages) to the chickens. We have been discussing what is/is not ok to give the chickens. They appear to not have been harmed by compost as of yet - and it appears as though worms/sprouting seeds really enjoy the rotten compost and create a scratching playground for then hens. But, it would be good to know if anyone has had problems with killing/poisoning their chickens with rotten food.

Answer 1

Rotten compost carry sickness for animals this means chickens as well.

Charcoal ashes contain toxic compounds.

Herbicide/pesticides has a mix of chemicals

meat,bones grease,oils,and dairy  attract vermin and cause flys and odors and may be dangerous for chickens.

Plants can become a source for disease.

Slick papers color items can contain toxic inks.

Poisonous  harm animals.

When placing food or waste in pile you should make a hole 18-20 inches deep Empty into pile and cover completely. This may help to keep chickens out if the birds don't see they wont go after  and they may get sick from rotten foods . If have to make a fenced yard and keep chickens in and out of this pile.

Answer 2

Rotting and mouldy food WILL kill chickens. In fact, it is one of the golden rules when feeding chickens. When feeding food that isn't layers pellets, ask yourself if YOU would want to eat it. If so, then fine, it is probably ok to give it to them, if you wouldn't want to eat it then neither would they.

If you want to feed them something out of the ordinary, then give them some salad leaves or the occasional bit of cooked spaghetti.

However, if you feed anything other than layers pellets as their main diet to your chickens then they will simply not be able to lay as well as they can when they have the proper nutrition. It is just a false economy. Chicken feed is not that expensive either (even when you take into account the rising price of grain) and your local feed store will stock it.

Answer 3

My grandmother who lived on a real live farm with an outhouse etc had a small bucket in her kitchen where she put uneaten toast,bread,biscuits,potato peels,uneaten tomatoes,scraps off of plates etc and she fed it to her chickens daily.

   Those "scraps" that she did not feed to the chickens was put in another pile out behind the chicken house and they were not allowed to graze on that pile but only because that pile was not in the pen with the hens.

   If the scraps/compost were yours of your own making and you knew exactlly what was in it I see nothing wrong in feeding it to your birds but you would be amazed of how little people know about chickens and what they eat. The fact that it might be spoilage/rotted food would not make a difference. . . chickens will know what they can or can't eat. . . it would be the possible items that are exposed to insecticides/poisons could and would cause damage.(I would not allow such a system as you describe for my chickens/ducks.)

   I feed my chickens Scratch,Layer Crumbles and Oyster Shell but will supplement their food with leftovers,diced fresh veggies and or fruits.

   I don't care to feed them spicy leftovers or onions because I am not sure if it will cross over into their eggs and change the egg flavor.