molting chickens

[chickens it is]

How can I get my hens thru their molting. I was told to feed them cat food. What kind, dry, or wet and how much?

 

[Percheron chick]

What you are looking for is more quality protein. You can feed cat food. I just toss out a handful of dry cat kibble as scratch once a day. You can also just switch to a gamebird feed (about 26% protein) and put oyster shell on the side for the ones that are still laying. You could also add meal worms, roasted soybeans, flaxseed, hamburger...

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Percheron chick X2, often the easiest (and cheapest) thing to do is to just feed them a poultry food with a higher protein content. Other things people have mentioned, Some people raise meal worms or black soldier flies for their birds, shelled sunflower seeds are another popular high protein treat (though high in fat), any kind of meat, fish food (you can get game fish food at most feed stores), high protein dog food etc

 

[Michael OShay]

Welcome to BYC. Glad you decided to join our flock. You've been given some good advice by Percheron chick and Kelsie2290, and I really can't add anything more so I'll just say, please feel free to ask any questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck in getting your hens through their moulting period.

 

[calichicken]

Hello

and Welcome To BYC! Percheron chick X2, often the easiest (and cheapest) thing to do is to just feed them a poultry food with a higher protein content. Other things people have mentioned, Some people raise meal worms or black soldier flies for their birds, shelled sunflower seeds are another popular high protein treat (though high in fat), any kind of meat, fish food (you can get game fish food at most feed stores), high protein dog food etc

I also get poultry food with higher protein in it

 

[drumstick diva]

Cat food tends to have a lot of salt in it, you may want to go another route. The easiest is getting them chick feed with higher protein leverls.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

You can feed them nearly any type of cat food. Just toss them a handful or so each day. X2 on drumstick diva, though, that cat food is rather salty, and it might be better to try another protein supplement. I personally give my molting birds some scrambled eggs and a higher protein gamebird grower feed when they are molting.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

X2 on Bantamlover21's advice.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

I like to cook up some ground turkey or beef and feed this too them several times a week for the extra protein. They love it and it is loaded with all kinds of B vitamins and amino acids along with the high proteins. But as Kelsie has said, offer them a higher protein feed. You can add some gamebird food to the layer feed. a 50/50 mix of layer and 26% gamebird food will up the protein and they are still getting lots of vitamins and minerals.

Good luck with your molting birds and welcome to our flock!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X2 on the above advice.