So, Can Pigs Eat Chicken Bones?

Did you know that pigs eat meat? It’s true, they do, and though they aren’t purely carnivores like some other animals pigs really like to tuck into any meat they can get. And, believe it or not, pigs have even been known to eat bones. I mean eat them entirely, not just gnaw on them!

For homesteaders who own chickens, leftover, cleaned carcasses often go to the pigs. But this practice is very contentious among pig herders, and it’s hard to figure out whether or not it’s truly okay. Let’s get to the bottom of it: Is it safe for pigs to eat chicken bones?

It is reasonably safe for pigs to eat chicken bones. Pigs can crush, swallow, and digest bones but they can be hazardous. Raw bones can cause foodborne illnesses, and cooked bones may splinter and cause internal injuries, not to mention this is tightly restricted in many places.

I know it’s a grim topic, but wild boars will sometimes even eat other animals, particularly fresh carcasses, and leave nothing behind but some clumps of fur and maybe some teeth. They are that voracious! So naturally our domestic pigs can at least theoretically handle the eating of bones.

The question is, are bones really good for them? This is a nuanced question and one we’ll need to explore in-depth for you to make an informed decision. I’ll tell you more in the rest of this article…

Do Pigs Normally Eat Bones?

Yes, they do. In the wild or left to their own devices, pigs will happily eat any bones they can find, especially if they are already hungry.

Do Pigs Even Like Them!?

Yes, they do, I’ve seen it plenty of times, and anyone who’s ever raised them knows how quickly they will devour them.

Are Bones Digestible by Pigs?

Yes, they are. Pigs have surprisingly powerful digestive systems, and a pig’s stomach is able to digest bones and extract some nutrients from them. It turns out they aren’t eating them for no reason! On the other hand, they can’t typically digest all of the bone, as this 2023 study shows. They were able to find lots of bone fragments in the pigs’ feces…

Are Chicken Bones Good for Pigs?

Yes, generally speaking. Chicken and fish bones and their by-products, if properly cooked and processed can be a good source of nutrients as this study shows.

Looking at the nutritional content of chicken bones and their benefits, they can provide lots of nutrients that they need on a daily basis. Bones are typically a good source of calcium and phosphorus, and also the marrow inside is extremely dense with fat and other nutrients they need.

But the real question is whether or not these benefits are worth it in light of other, safer, and less troublesome options. That’s for you to decide, but we’ll explore all of the factors in detail as we go on…

What Sorts of Vitamins and Minerals Do Chicken Bones Have?

Assuming we’re dealing with just chicken bones, ones that don’t have very much meat left on them, you can depend on them to give pigs a big dose of calcium but also a good shot of other macronutrients they need in the form of protein and fat.

Then you have the super-nutritious marrow locked away inside the bone with even more nutrients, particularly fat. The marrow actually has a huge assortment of other vitamins and minerals that can benefit your herd even though they are in small amounts: Vitamins B1, B2, and B12, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E, along with plenty of phosphorus and iron.

Are These Bones Harmful to Pigs in Any Way?

Yes, they definitely can be. How likely this is depends on the preparation, and the size of the bones. Probably the first and most serious concern with bones is associated with feeding them raw ones. Pigs are capable of eating raw animal protein, of course, but that doesn’t mean that they should.

Eating any kind of raw meat or other raw animal product, including chicken bones, is associated with higher instances of foodborne illness and infestation by parasites and bacteria, particularly Salmonella.

The other hazards associated with bones are:

• ❌ choking,
• ❌ internal laceration,
• ❌ and gut impaction.

Bones, of course, are very hard, and even though chicken bones (like those of most birds) are way less dense and quite brittle by comparison, they still have a nasty tendency to get stuck when swallowed.

Sometimes, they will splinter and stick internally in soft tissues! An internal puncture or laceration can lead to blood loss or infection and subsequently death.

Gut impaction occurs when enough debris manages to lodge in a pig’s stomach or elsewhere in the intestinal tract and then blocks the flow of food. This, likewise, is a significant medical emergency.

Out of all of the things that a pig might eat, bones are some of the very worst offenders concerning the above conditions. Something to keep in mind before you decide to give them chicken bones…

The Legality of Feeding Scraps to Pigs

You might be surprised to hear this, but feeding hogs not just scraps is tightly regulated not just in the U.S. but in other parts of the world.

In the U.S., you have the Swine Health Protection Act, which gives some leeway to states to regulate this, but most states don’t allow feeding of scraps unless it’s your own pig living in your household and the scraps belong to you. Looks like they though about homesteaders for once!

U.K. laws are more strict, they just don’t allow it, and they extend this restriction to pet pigs, too. E.U. laws are just as strict, prohibiting any type of food scraps from being fed.

Should Pigs Eat Raw Chicken Bones?

Pigs can digest raw chicken bones but shouldn’t have them because raw bones are far more likely to infect a pig with bacteria such as Campylobacter – than if you fed them cooked.

The recommendations are clear, you should cook the bones, with WOAH extending this advice to food scraps and kitchen waste in particular, saying they should all be boiled for 30 minutes prior to feeding them.

Should Pigs Eat Cooked Bones?

Yes, assuming you plan on serving chicken bones to your pigs. Cooked bones have a higher tendency to snap and splinter, but they’re also much brittle and easier for pigs to digest to say nothing of much safer because some of the bacteria and other harmful microorganisms will be taken care of.

I know plenty of folks who give their pigs leftovers, cooked bones from a chicken dinner or rotisserie chicken and don’t have any issues. There are various guidelines to cook the bones, but here’s a quick summary:

• here they recommend cooking for at least 10 minutes at 90ºC for 60 minutes
• U.S. guidelines requires all scraps given to pigs to be cooked for 30 minutes at 212ºF, and you need a license to do it

Caution: Feeding Pigs Chicken Bones Might Give Them a Taste for Live Chickens

Now, there’s something else you need to know before you give your herd chicken bones. This is another contentious topic, but from my observations, I’ve noticed there’s definitely a tendency for pigs to start developing a taste for whatever animal produced the bones if you get my meaning.

Said another way, your pigs might start looking at your chickens, if you have any, or those of your neighbor as a live food source. This is especially likely if you give them raw chicken bones.

How Often Can Pigs Eat Chicken Bones?

I prefer to only give my pigs bones as an occasional supplement to their usual diet. They aren’t nutritionally complete for them, and they are a choking hazard whether or not you cook them.

So I would advise giving them bones no more than once a week. This will prevent pigs from growing too eager for bones, and also reduce the odds of negative outcomes from internal injury or gut impaction. But this isn’t an authoritative recommendation, it’s based on my experience and on that of other farmers.

How Can I Feed My Pigs Chicken Bones?

Always cook any chicken bones you’re going to give to your hogs. After that, I strongly recommend you use kitchen shears or a sturdy cleaver to process them down into smaller sections that are far less likely to stick in their throat or in their gut.

Can Piglets Have Chicken Bones, Too?

No. Even when piglets have finished weaning and are on solid foods, I’ve found that bones are just too problematic for them. Wait until a baby piglet is fully mature, physically, before you allow them to try chicken bones for the first time.

On the other hand, if you can find a commercial product specifically formulated for them that includes chicken bones, then by all means!

Frequently Asked Questions

No, chicken bones are not safe for potbelly pigs, even if they are cooked, because, unlike regular hogs, they are more prone to choking due to their smaller digestive system.

Are chicken bones safe for mini pigs?

Again, no, do not feed chicken bones to mini pigs, neither raw nor cooked. The choking risk is greater for them given their small bodies.

Are chicken bones safe for kunekune pigs?

No. Do not feed raw or cooked chicken bones to kunekunes.