CAT food for your chickens - YES or NO & why?

[tiffanya]

I agree with the comment above. I feed my flock a handful or two a couple times a week during the winter. They love it and have never had a problem with the size. They laid great through the winter with the extra protein too.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

We do not ordinarily eat pets so pet food ingredients are not regulated the same as they are for animals intended to be eaten. Sometimes things are allowed in pet foods that are not allowed in animal feed (to be fed to food producing animals). There are other ways to boost protein besides cat food and they are usually cheaper. Many gamebird starters are in the 20-30% protein range and are much cheaper than even cheap cat food.

 

[BarefootMom]

my chickens eat with my cats and vice versa...

yes my cats are weird- they like to eat the layer pellets...

so I mix it all together.

 

[kano]

x 2

 

[CaroleW]

I have 4 farmer raised chickens that were never socialized to be ladies-- they keep feather picking off each other so I give them a little cat food to make sure it isn't protein related (also gave them BOSS- they didn't know what to do with it).

I think they pick each other a little less but I think it is more of a bad habit they developed under the conditions they were raised because my other 3 that were hand-raised do not feather pick each other.

I only give them maybe a couple of tablespoons (for 7 hens total) soaked in water or milk kefir and mixed with layena pellets/crumbles in either the morning or evening feeding. It is better quality dry cat food- not the cheapest stuff. I don't like giving it to them so will try adding BOSS again or a higher protein feed.

I've only had them since May so I'm still learning by trial and error.

 

[BookWorm243]

Quote:
x2

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

My chickens eat cat food at the time, they cats also eat chicken feed all the time

everyone is fine

 

[mcjessen]

My cats eat the chicken food too, then proceed to puke it up. I don't give it to them, they will clean up what has spilled outside the run. I think when the chicks were little they got into the cat bowl but the food was too big for them to do anything with it. I guess I don't understand the logic of feeding chickens cat food if you already have chicken food. *shrug*
I would imagine it wouldn't hurt though.

 

[thwoody28]

Quote:
Can you tell me about your homemade flock block and how u make it?

 

[tiffanya]

Quote:
My dogs like the pellets as well!