Can chickens eat horse feed?

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

I keep my chicken and horse feed in the same feed room in the barn. The bags are next to each other and I set up their feed at the same time. Would it hurt if some of the horse feed got into the chicken feed. I feed Safechoice/Nutrina and Eggmaker.

 

[EggsForIHOP]

Sometimes we catch the neighbors birds (who free range totally) out at the barn 'cleaning up ' after the horses have eaten. i don't know if it's a great thing for them, but they seem to be healthy happy chickens. Mine attacked a bag of pig food one time and they lived (I was worried!). As long as it's not on the regular, I think they will be okay. The trick is once they learn it's tasty keeping them out of it! One of the neighbors birds got stuck trying to break into the tack room with the feed and almost hung itself, so make sure access is not only denied, but secure from any possible injuries.

 

[shopchicks]

It shouldn't hurt them, as it's just a mixture of different grains, soy product, and maybe some molasses (not familiar with the formulation of the feed). However, I would be careful if it is a "complete" feed or ration balancer that has added vitamins and minerals - still probably fine in small quantities, but you just want to know what you're dealing with.

 

[Egghead Jr]

a friend of mine has been feeding his birds all stock feed for 20 years...so im pretty sure horse feed won't bother them

 

[Guinea Goonie]

The hens know when it is feeding time for the minis. They are right there, pecking up the grains the horses drop.
We feed "southern stylle" which has a pellet formed feed. The feed also has a bit of cracked corn.

so far so good and believe me they come a running when the bucket is shaken for the mini mares.

 

[twentynine]

Yes!

Chickens can eat horse feed ---- from either end of the horse!

All joking aside, I ain't found anything on my 14 acres that they can't eat. Got a few weeds that they won't eat, but anything else is fair game.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Thank-you all for the input. It makes me feel alot better.

 

[dichotomymom]

I imagine it would be more an issue of nutrient content and not an issue of being safe or not. Like if they were to only get the horse feed and not get enough protein.....

 

[PortageGirl]

Mine always cleaned up any that got spilled though I wouldn't feed it to them exclusively as others have said. I looked at it as part of their free ranging ability!

Chickens are little gleaners as far as spillage goes, and they also get grain that the horse doesn't quite digest from the other end of the digestive process since horses are not efficient animals.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Quote:
Surprisingly the protein content is the same for Safechoice or Eggmaker