Oyster shells are a better calcium source as they stay in the gizzard longer for better absorption.
I've put just a few pieces of oyster shell on top of pullets feeder to get them used to eating them, after that they ate them out of the separate dish.
Read a neat trick today, to put just a bit of scratch grains in the oyster shell dish to attract them to it.....just at first, not as a long term thing.
Cat food has other stuff that's not really great for chickens....I would not recommend it.
I like to feed a flock raiser/grower/finisher 20% protein crumble full time to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat. I do grind up the crumbles (in the blender) for the chicks for the first week or so.
The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer. I adjust the amounts of other feeds to get the protein levels desired with varying situations.
Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.
Animal protein (a freshly trapped mouse, mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided once in while and during molting and/or if I see any feather eating.
I've put just a few pieces of oyster shell on top of pullets feeder to get them used to eating them, after that they ate them out of the separate dish.
Read a neat trick today, to put just a bit of scratch grains in the oyster shell dish to attract them to it.....just at first, not as a long term thing.
Cat food has other stuff that's not really great for chickens....I would not recommend it.
I like to feed a flock raiser/grower/finisher 20% protein crumble full time to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat. I do grind up the crumbles (in the blender) for the chicks for the first week or so.
The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer. I adjust the amounts of other feeds to get the protein levels desired with varying situations.
Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.
Animal protein (a freshly trapped mouse, mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided once in while and during molting and/or if I see any feather eating.
