Can I feed rabbit pellets to chickens?

[jarcoo0153]

I was wondering if I could feed rabbit pellets to chickens, because they are a higher protein? I would mix it with the layer pellets.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

It probably could be 10% of their diet to supplement protein. But the layer pellets really are supposed to be nutritionally balance for laying chickens.

 

[jarcoo0153]

any other suggestions to increase protein?

 

[ShanCarl1971]

Chick starter or Game bird starter..... if you want to stay with commercial feed.

The Game bird starter is higher in protein, so you would have to feed less to get the same benefit....more bang for the buck!!

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Quick way of getting protein.

1) Get a bucket with a tight lid.
2) drill holes in the sides and lid and bottom on the bucket.
3) wrap some meat or left over diner ( meat ) in some leaves or new paper. put this in the bucket.
4) hang the bucket from the ground so that it is high enough for a chicken to walk under it easily, without getting down.
5) Flies will enter the holes ( make the hole big enough for flies to get in ), they will lay eggs in your meat and then the maggots will hatch, the maggots will wiggle their way through the holes of the bucket in search of ground in which to bury into. They will fall onto the ground, then INTO YOUR CHICKENS BEAK!!!!
6) at night put a bowl under the bucket so that when the chickens are not around the maggots can't escape. Then in the morning the flock have a nice full bowl of maggot/ protein.
7) refresh your meat when it get's to smelly ( shouldn't get to bad ) or it has been eaten up!

You could also have a meal worm farm, meallies are packed with protein as well!
I know the whole maggot thing sounds a bit...well...ewww! But it really isn't as yuck as it sounds and it doesn't attract extra flies, in fact you kind or control them as they don't have time to re populate.

Good luck, hope this helped!

 

[donrae]

I don't know what else the add to the pellets to make them rabbit pellets vs just alfalfa, but I mix plain alfalfa pellets in with my feed in the winter. The birds aren't very thrilled with them, they're usually the last thing in the feeder, but they do eat them. I feed them for something green to keep the yolks pretty and rich.

 

[humphrey farms]

I was wondering if I could feed rabbit pellets to chickens, because they are a higher protein? I would mix it with the layer pellets.

I mixed rabbit feed 18% with my layer pellets all winter. Rabbit feed is made w/alplfa(SP) and helps keep the yolks real dark. We live in a snowy area so they dont get enough greens during the winter.

 

[danahud]

Quick way of getting protein.

1) Get a bucket with a tight lid.
2) drill holes in the sides and lid and bottom on the bucket.
3) wrap some meat or left over diner ( meat ) in some leaves or new paper. put this in the bucket.
4) hang the bucket from the ground so that it is high enough for a chicken to walk under it easily, without getting down.
5) Flies will enter the holes ( make the hole big enough for flies to get in ), they will lay eggs in your meat and then the maggots will hatch, the maggots will wiggle their way through the holes of the bucket in search of ground in which to bury into. They will fall onto the ground, then INTO YOUR CHICKENS BEAK!!!!
6) at night put a bowl under the bucket so that when the chickens are not around the maggots can't escape. Then in the morning the flock have a nice full bowl of maggot/ protein.
7) refresh your meat when it get's to smelly ( shouldn't get to bad ) or it has been eaten up!

You could also have a meal worm farm, meallies are packed with protein as well!
I know the whole maggot thing sounds a bit...well...ewww! But it really isn't as yuck as it sounds and it doesn't attract extra flies, in fact you kind or control them as they don't have time to re populate.

Good luck, hope this helped!

This is gross as all get out, but hey. Im already growing mea lworms. why not maggots too! Also I put a plastic bag over my compost to help seal in the heat. I noticed not too long ago little maggots laying on top of the plastic. I just take the plastic and lay it out in the run for the chickens and they have a field day!

 

[danahud]

Also what size holes do you drill in the bucket?