Please help

[FF]

Hello. Will my eggs taste like catfood if I give my chickens a few pounds of this? I have 50 and they are 21 weeks old. They look like they are 10 weeks old. i have no clue why. they are not bantams. I have some that look like baby bantams. I am giving them scratch and 16% dumor. But anyways I am going to give them some catfood for about a week and see if that boost anything. thanks for all the help! Dusty

 

[Pet Duck Boy]

I don't think they would. 1 1/2 weeks ago I gave my 5 a can of catfood. So far their eggs have tasted fine since then.

 

[BeccaB00]

I dont think so. But I have heard cat food is not a good thing to give alot of. maybe just a
little bit in the winter.

 

[justbugged]

Cat food can be as high as 40% protein. Most chicken feed is 16 to 24%. So I would think that some is okay but not as the only thing that they are eating. And no the eggs will taste like eggs not cat food. I would look for a better chicken feed. Find the best you can. I would look for something with around at least 20% protein. But that is just me, and I am no expert. I am also not a beginner either.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
I agree. While on one hand the eggs will be fine no matter what you feed them, it just might be the chickens won't be as healthy. Cat food is created for cats, not chickens. Get a better formulated chicken food and feed that to your birds.

 

[ranchhand]

Quote:
Scratch is a treat only. Dumor 16% is layer feed. Is that what they have had since the beginning? If so, that might be the problem, since chick starter is 24% protein.

IF that's the situation, I'd put them on the starter for a few weeks to boost the protein and encourage development.

 

[Alabama ee]

Quote:
You might want to stop giving them the scratch. Did you start out with grower first?

Where did you get the birds? Are they feathering?

Are they all getting enough food? Some of them might be getting more than others.

 

[FF]

Ok. Thanks you all for posting. I have no clue what i am doing. Like I said its 21 weeks and they are still very small and no eggs. I have one bantam cochin and shes bigger than the EE I got and shes supposed to be double her size. I was just planning on giving them a weeks worth of cat food. One of those 10lbs bags and feed 2lbs a day on top of the Dumor. I usually feed 5lbs of laying pellets a day and they usually always have some left over when I go out to feed more. Plenty of water also. I have already bought 2 bags so they will have to finish it off. then I will just go with Layena. I don't know why Dumor isn't working. It's just regular Laying pellets. But anyways thanks for the help and hopefully I will be seeing eggs or they are going to see the freezer.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/livest...umor-reg-poultry-layer-16-feed-50-lb--2422907

 

[FF]

Quote:
You might want to stop giving them the scratch. Did you start out with grower first?

Where did you get the birds? Are they feathering?

Are they all getting enough food? Some of them might be getting more than others.

Hello. I can stop giving them scratch if you tell me I need too. I usually give them scratch for the heck of it because its cheaper than teh pellets and they can get a little of both. Something different. And grower, I used the chick starter up until about 12 weeks. I bought more than i though I was going to need. the they went with a diet of scratch and the finisher. Then 15 weeks they seen pellets, scratch and oyster shell. I got the birds at Hoovers hatchery. And yes they are feathered completly but their combs are very tiny. The WL roosters combs are huge like they are supposed to be. I have a few hens that are really big and a few like I said that look like smaller bantams. I have Black Australorps, EE, WL, Production Reds and red sex links. I ordered 3 sex links and all 3 are very small. Maybe 4lbs. I ordered some at McMurrays and they weighed 6-8lbs at this age. I ordered 2 from them. I don't know. Its really nerve racking whatever it is. thank you. dusty

 

[FF]

Quote:
Scratch is a treat only. Dumor 16% is layer feed. Is that what they have had since the beginning? If so, that might be the problem, since chick starter is 24% protein.

IF that's the situation, I'd put them on the starter for a few weeks to boost the protein and encourage development.

Hello Ranchhand.They were started just like they were supposed to. Starter up until 12 weeks.I forgot to put in the other post that I did start giving them some scratch at around 8-9 weeks but never stop giving them starter. I let them out of their house and threw some scratch on the ground for them to peck at. I might juts do the starter thing again. All I want is eggs. Don't mater what i have to do. Thanks ranchhand for the help. Dusty