Dog/Cat Food?????

[ChrystalGail]

Anyone know about feeding chicks crushed dog or cat food? I've heard it from a few local people, but I'm not sure it is a good idea. What's your input?

Thanks

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Chrystal in Arizona
Our Flock: 2 Black Australorps, 2 light & 3 dark Americaunas, 3 Barred Rocks, 2 Buff Somethings, 2 RIR, 1 Dorking, 1 Partridge Rock and 1 White Lace Red Cornish

Not to mention 2 horses, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 Holland Lop (Bunny), and 2 fish tanks! We live in a zoo!!!!

 

[Cheri]

I heard giving soft cat food. My ducks love cat and dog food.

 

[speckledhen]

Mostly, it's the cat food and it's given when the birds need a real protein shot, like when they're molting. There is some concern that there is too much salt in it to give it regularly, but I do give a handful from time to time when I feel they need a real boost, like my Sunny who hatched out chicks a month ago and had plucked out all her breast feathers, plus had lost weight.

 

[lakecountychick]

I always read what you write. Cynthia,I've noticed how much you know about our chickens. I've heard canned dog and cat food as a once in a while treat is okay, The chickens love itl I don't know if the fish would give the eggs a taste like they lived on the coast of New Zealand. The eggs smelled a wee bit fishy. i don't think it was noticed by the fair citizens though. Micaela[

 

[speckledhen]

I'm no expert on chickens, by any means, I just spend alot of time with mine. I do adore my Girls and now my young men as well. I don't know about the fish, but you probably shouldn't give it to them often enough to really transmit the taste into the eggs. I've never noticed anything except good taste in mine, but as I said, I dont feed them catfood every day, only occasionally. They do love the stuff, though. I feed a stray tomcat that lives in the woods after the chickens are put up for the night and if he skips his meal, I will sometimes find them eating his food the next morning, if I forget to check before I let them out to range.

 

[allen wranch]

Why do you want to feed the chicks cat and dog food ?

 

[ChrystalGail]

It's not that I want to feed it to them, I've just heard that they do very well on it and it helps them grow faster. I just wanted people's input, since I've heard this from more than one person. I just want what's best for my babies. I have them on Chick Starter/Grower crumble right now and I am just fine with them staying on that.

 

[silkiechicken]

My hens like to go raid the cat dish when we feed the cat. I had to put the cat dish on her house to keep them out of it

 

[allen wranch]

Baby chicks don't really need anything extra to help them develop. Their starter/grower is formulated for what growing chicks need. Some books even suggest slowing down their growth by cutting their feed with oats. I don't believe in this though.

Usually dog or cat food is given when you need to increase protein level because of molting, broodiness, illness or accident.

If you want to give them some cat food as a treat every now and then, that should be OK, but as suggested, the salt content is too high for a steady diet.

 

[ChrystalGail]

Thank you all for your input. I had a feeling that those people didn't know what they were talking about. They were doing it to cut costs, but at about $8 a 50lb. bag chick feed isn't the most expensive thing out there. It's funny what people will do.
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Chrystal with the Eloy Zoo! What do you guys think about charging people to see my crazy "herd" of random animals?!?! HeHe....

Our Flock: 2 Black Australorps, 2 light & 3 dark Americaunas, 3 Barred Rocks, 2 Buff Somethings, 2 RIR, 1 Dorking, 1 Partridge Rock and 1 White Lace Red Cornish

Not to mention 2 horses, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 1 Holland Lop (Bunny), and 2 fish tanks! Plus, we are getting two pigs in a month or so... Oh yeah, and my human family: Sweet Hubby, 3 1/2 year old son, 1 1/2 year old daughter and a 2 month old daughter! It gets a little crazy around here sometimes!