More dog food talk

[raindrop]

Just keep in mind that chicken is a major protein and fat source used in dog food (the meat, chicken meal, chicken fat). Bad things seem to come of feeding animals to themselves... Think mad cow disease. Nothing like that is known in chickens, but mad cow hasn't been around forever. Check ingredient labels carefully if feeding chicken to your chickens would bother you.

 

[Kaneke]

also check that "chicken treats chart" for some notations about cat food particularly; one of the list-members has some concerns about ingredients in cat food which might impact chickens' health

I think it's a case of "read the ingredients" -- I know my cats seem happier and healthier eating NutroMax food, in contrast to the AlleyCat, MeowMix, and Friskies they used to eat --- no more emergency trips to the vet because of urinary problems !

also their coats seem glossier and they aren't getting occasional sniffles any more

Candy

 

[modenacart]

Low quality dog food is not recommend for dogs, which is basically anything you get at the grocery store, so I would not give it to my chickens. There are all kinds of fillers in there that are usesless and lots of dogs get kindney infections and all sorts of other things from low quality dog food.

 

[da-cajun-angla]

THE BRAND NUTRO IS WHAT I FEED TO MY DOGS AND TREAT TO MY GIRLS AND ROO...NUTRO HAS NO BY PRODUCTS AND NO CORN, WHICH CUTS DOWN ON THE POOING(WHICH WE ALL KNOW THEY DO A WHOLE WHOLE LOT OF! ALSO IT HAS COCONUT OIL IN IT THAT DOES WONDERS FOR THE FEATHERS AND SKIN AND THEY LOVE IT. CORN PASSES THROUGH THE DIGESTIVE TRACK IN ANIMALS THE SAME WAY IT DOES IN HUMANS...SO TRY TO GET A DOG FOOD WITH NO "FILLERS". AT 25.00 PER 50LBS, ITS ONLY A BIT HIGHER THAN THE CHEAPER ONES AND U WILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE IN THEIR SKIN AND FEATHERS. I GET THE SMALL BITES.

 

[lacyloo]

dog food made my hens start laying again after their "hen strike"

 

[cybercat]

What applies to dogs and cats does Not apply to chickens. Dogs and cats are carnivours they do not digest certain plant products. Also certain plant products are known alergy for them. Mainly corn, wheat, soy and chicken. The reason chicken is bad is comerical chicken is fed a corn based diet.

So food with these ingredients would not hurt a chicken. Most if not all of these are in chicken feed anyways. It is just that most chicken feed has a lower protein than cat and dog food. Since cat and dog food in the lower price range is still good it makes sense to use it in conjuction with regular chicken feed to supplement it.

One can find a inexpensive dog or cat food without alot of additives without paying a $1 or more per pound. Names like nutro and solid gold ect charge way too much for their product which is made in CA. Not that they are not good foods. They are but way to pricy for most.

I buy diamond naturals which is the closest to them at half the price. I know of some that buy a sam's club food that is the same as them also at more that half the price. Both of the have no by products or corn or wheat or soy. Heck I feed a lamb and rice food with no chicken to my dog. So yes, you can get a cheap dog or cat food that is good and better than grocery store bought.

BTW I got mine at TSC.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

There are many opinions on feeding our animals and none are wrong or better - whatever works and is within our comfort range as far as price and ingredients. My Dobes are fed a homemade, natural diet, mostly raw. One of their special treats is raw beef heart which is very lean and high protein. When the temps are really low I mince beef heart for my hens too. They love it and beef heart is the only thing they really fight over, I have to scatter it over a large area so everyone gets some. There are no fillers, additives or preservatives in beef heart, it is not altered by any kind of cooking or extrusion process and all pure protein. I get it at the local grocery store for 99 cents/lb. The girls are laying all winter and I think one of the reasons is their good diet.

 

[chcknrs]

Also good to keep in mind that commercial pet foods often have nasty chemicals in them! Our dogs were having skin problems and HORRIFIC gas! We switched them to an all natural, food grade pet food and their problems are gone. I wouldn't want to feed the animals things I wouldn't put in my own body....except for the bugs!

 

[Churkenduse]

I also buy nutro for my dog and cats. So I don't feel like I would be hurting my girls if I give them some once in awhile