Beet Pulp (Hen eating horses feed)

[katrinag]

I have a lone hen(flock hates her) that has taken the company of my horse.
In the morning I let the birds out and go feed the other animals.
The hen goes running to my horses bowl and starts eating the crumbs from the beet pulp mixture that we feed.
Will the beet pulp hurt her?

Even if I feed the horses first then let the chickens out she still comes running to where the bowl is and eats the little bit that is left on the ground.

Beet pulp is high in fiber, it's what is left after the sugar has been taken out of sugar beets if that helps.
Thanks

 

[Norman]

Im also interested in the answer to this question. I feed my horses out in the paddock from buckets hanging off the fence and they are messy eaters. My guy always waddles over and eats the bits of spilled beet pulp. Hope its ok...he doesn't get much because the dogs usually beat him to it, but still. Any thoughts?

 

[greyhorsewoman]

One the 'jobs' my free ranging chickens have is cleaning up after our horses. They go through every stall, every day, and get any/all grain crumbs, beet pulp. Then they go through the manure. This results in a reduced rodent and fly population in our barn.

We've had mothers w/chicks set up residence in my stallion's stall. (He loves the chickens.)

All I can say, is their eggs taste GREAT!

 

[seminolewind]

I think horse grain is a whole lot healthier for chickens than scratch. I wouldn't worry about it. I had a roo who ate horse grain for the 4 years we had him. We moved after that, and found him a safe home. But he kept things clean as well.

 

[12 Acres]

Sounds like you've got a nice little "maid" there!

 

[EweSheep]

No harm in horse feed for chickens. I used to have horses on Purina 100 and chickens clean that right up where the horses slop it about.

 

[ozark hen]

I have a bunch of mixed breed chooks and now the German Spitz and the hamburgs all fighting over who gets what is spilled for the pig starter. They don't seem to be hurting any from it and in fact, seem a bit chubbier. So I do hope the answer to this question of beet pulb, horse feed and pig feed is a good one............