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- #1,751
Ok, I've said this before and gotten flamed for it, but I'm going to say it again. If you need to boost protein, if you want good animal sources of protein for your birds, the simplest and easiest way to do so is to feed them dry cat food, not much, but as a treat.
Now, there are folks who scream when I say this. Folks who have called me crazy. Folks who say they would never feed such a thing to their birds. But hello, chickens are not vegetarians! They are the farthest thing from it. They eat snakes and mice and all sorts of disgusting stuff in their search for good sources of protein.
And of course, you can find cat food that does not have chicken meal, or chicken anything for that matter, in it. There are seafood based cat foods out there, (I get mine at WalMart) that work very well in this regard. I feed about a cup of dry cat food per day per 20 birds. They adore it. They come running when they see me. It helps with good feather growth, and it contains the proper amino acids that chickens need that they'll never find in vegetable sources of protein.
You can believe me, or not. Some people can call me crazy (and I know who they are, I know they read this board.) But I've been doing it for seven years now, and was told to do it by a man who has been breeding poultry for over 50 years (he's in his late 80s.) He knows what he's talking about, I assure you.
It works. It's relatively cheap. And it gives the birds what they need. So, if all you feed is pellets, try adding in some seafood based dry cat food. You'll be amazed at the results.
Now, there are folks who scream when I say this. Folks who have called me crazy. Folks who say they would never feed such a thing to their birds. But hello, chickens are not vegetarians! They are the farthest thing from it. They eat snakes and mice and all sorts of disgusting stuff in their search for good sources of protein.
And of course, you can find cat food that does not have chicken meal, or chicken anything for that matter, in it. There are seafood based cat foods out there, (I get mine at WalMart) that work very well in this regard. I feed about a cup of dry cat food per day per 20 birds. They adore it. They come running when they see me. It helps with good feather growth, and it contains the proper amino acids that chickens need that they'll never find in vegetable sources of protein.
You can believe me, or not. Some people can call me crazy (and I know who they are, I know they read this board.) But I've been doing it for seven years now, and was told to do it by a man who has been breeding poultry for over 50 years (he's in his late 80s.) He knows what he's talking about, I assure you.
It works. It's relatively cheap. And it gives the birds what they need. So, if all you feed is pellets, try adding in some seafood based dry cat food. You'll be amazed at the results.
