There’s nothing more disgusting than watching another animal eating another animals poop. And to be honest, is not really a subject most of us enjoy talking about on a regular basis.
But what if you witness your chickens eating dog poop. Why in the world would they do that and what, if anything should you do about it?
Read More: Can Chickens Eat Dog Food? (Is It Safe?)
Chicken Eating Dog Poop
Believe it or not, but there is actually a good reason your chicken is showing interest in your dogs fecal matter.
In the natural world, it’s not uncommon at all for some animals to dig through the waste of other animals. What they’re looking for are seeds and other little bits of food that haven’t been destroyed by the digestive system of the animal that left it there.
While I can’t say for certain this is why your chickens are eating dog poop, I’d venture to say it probably is.
If you watch a flock of free range chickens, it’s absolutely normal to see them peck through fresh horse manure. And at times even hang around the horses waiting for more to fall.
The same is true in cow pastures. It’s common practice to rotate chickens through pastures after cows have had their turn in it. What’s left is a lot of cow pies. And that’s exactly what the chickens will spend time digging through.
Will Chickens Get Salmonella From Eating Dog Poop?
You might have heard from other chicken owners that you don’t want to allow your chickens to eat dog poop because the chicken might get salmonella from ingesting the dog’s fecal matter, then in turn transmit the salmonella to you via the eggs that you ingest.
I was able to do some research on the topic, and what I found pretty much coincides with what I thought would be the case.
The answer is to follow the CDC guidelines and to always cook your eggs so you don’t get salmonella poisoning. The fact is, you should always consider the possibility of contracting salmonella from any raw chicken eggs, regardless of where you get them from…including store bought eggs.
Final Thoughts
If your chickens are eating dog poop, it’s my opinion that you shouldn’t be too worried about it. Talk to any long time chicken owner and you’ll quickly find that it happens all the time to many, many chicken owners.
With that said, I wouldn’t make a habit of collecting dog poop and throwing it into the coop on purpose. But if your chickens find the occasional doggy doo-doo and decide to peck at it, don’t worry too much about it. Gross? Yes. Safe? Yep.
Read More:
- My Chicken Ate Styrofoam! (Should I Be Worried?)
- Do Chickens Eat Mice (Does It Make Them Sick?)
- Can Chickens Eat Oranges (And Orange Peels?)
- How To Store Chicken Feed (For Long Term and Short Term)
- Can Chickens Eat Bananas? (The Good and The Bad)
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