All My Animals Eat Everyone Else's Food - Should I Worry?

[BigTimeMoe]

I have 3 EE hens (18 wks) that are free range with Purina Start & Grow available at all times, 3 Goats that are fed Dumor Sweet Feed, a dog that is fed Chicken Soup for the Soul and a cat that eats Call of the Wild. ALL of these animals eat each others food! They all start with their own but rotate into everyone else's bowls. Do I need to worry that my chickens are eating goat, dog and cat food in addition to yard pickings and chicken feed? While it is pretty cute to see their 3 little butts up in the air while all three are in the goat's dish at the same time, I wonder if it's going to cause them any troubles down the road?

 

[sourland]

Variety is the spice of life. Way back when I was a kid 'farm' chickens were fed nothing and did great raising brood after brood of chicks that made their way into the freezer each autumn. Basically they will 'balance' their diets on what they eat.

 

[sawilliams]

Our vet said (for the cats and dogs) its not a big deal as long as they aren't preferring the wrong food and Their weight doesn't change. We did finally have to separate the cat food from the dogs after one of the cats got sick and had to be on a really expensive rx food for a while. My big dog likes the chicken feed a little to much so I do have to keto her away from that too.

 

[Choco Maran]

I have heard that molasses is not good for chickens and dogs should not eat cat food for intestinal reason. I would separate them as soon as possible, goat food is made for goats and has trace mineral that other animals should not be getting and the other pet food has mineral the goat should not be getting.