can you feed chickn sweet feed as snack

[fatboys farm]

i mix my feed together. pellets crumbles @ scratch. if they can eat sweet feed ill mix it in to. i hate racoons. only good between the bisquits @ gravy.

 

[miss_jayne]

i think the question here is why?

scratch isn't a feed, but a supplement. and sweet feed is not chicken feed.

no treat should make up more than 10% of a chicken's diet.

scratch makes for FAT chickens. the fat builds up a pad inside that can lead to decreased laying and eventually to NO laying. a handful is what is intended.

sweet feed is way too high in sugar/carb content for chickens. cleaning up a bit after the horses is one thing, but mixing into their feed is another.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Well, I throw a wee bit of sweet feed to my favorite roo (he does bring a few hens with him). Not every day, but enough that he know when I call him I mean business (treats !!)

 

[txchickie]

Our chickens scratch through the horse poop for little bits of feed left...that was once sweet feed

 

[nursemeh]

dumb question: Is sweet feed corn?

I was just reading about the three feeder system: one of layer pellets, one of cheap whole grain, one of oyster shell.
I also allow daily free ranging.

I am thinking about switching to this three feeder system soon, as one of mine just started laying and I plan to put out oyster shell anyway.

The idea was to have the three feeders free choice, and the hens would eat what they needed...but I tend to wonder about the high carbs/sugar content- seems like they'd just gobble that up!

 

[Chris09]

You could use it as a scratch.
The "Sweet Feed" we get is 16% protein and my chickens love it I wouldn't use much more than 10% of there total feeding..

nursemeh: dumb question: Is sweet feed corn?

For the most part "Sweet Feed" is a mixture of corn, oats, a protein pellet and molasses.

Chris​

 

[DaKid]

Chris09
Today 7:34 am You could use it as a scratch.
The "Sweet Feed" we get is 16% protein and my chickens love it I wouldn't use much more than 10% of there total feeding..

nursemeh: dumb question: Is sweet feed corn?

For the most part "Sweet Feed" is a mixture of corn, oats, a protein pellet and molasses.

Chris​

Ok so I take it that Sweet Feed is a Horse type feed

I also read in another thread that someone ask about feeding some rabbit pellets to there chickens to..they say it was ok but not as a main diet for food .


Alan​

 

[Chris09]

DaKid: Ok so I take it that Sweet Feed is a Horse type feed

Yup..

DaKid: I also read in another thread that someone ask about feeding some rabbit pellets to there chickens to..they say it was ok but not as a main diet for food .

I wouldn't feed too much rabbit pellets it real high in salt.. If you want you could feed a Alfalfa Pellet or a Alfalfa Meal.. You should be able to get either one a the feed mill. Now if you have smaller chickens or your chickens wont eat the Alfalfa Pellet you can soak the pellets in a little watter till it gets soft..

( I like to add a little Alfalfa Meal in the winter just so they get some greens. I also like to wet the Alfalfa Meal so that it is not so dry.. )

Chris​

 

[Lizzy_Lane_Farm]

I feed mine 10% sweet feed as a treat. 1-2x a week, just a handfull.

I think for the cost of it and nutrition wise, chicken feed is better than trying to mix your own.

I also feed them the sweepings off the barn floor, a mix of sweet feed, dry cat food, hay and what ever may be in there. Not manure, but feed...They love it.

I also toss them flakes of hay to dig around in and they enjoy the seeds that may be in there as well as the smaller blades of grass.

 

[fatboys farm]

best i can tell, no for sure answer about the sweet feed. my chicks free range every day. if they dont like something they leave it behind. i guess time will tell. PS cotton seed mill is 48 % protein but they will not eat it. not even fat chickens. eat more possium.