RABBIT PELLETS FOR CHICKENS

[marymac]

Has anyone ever fed their chickens rabbit pellets in the winter? I just read about someone giving it to their ducks in winter. I'm assuming for the greens that they have a harder time finding in the winter months. So this got me to wondering about giving it to my chickens too. I don't even know if they would eat it or not. I would like to know if anyone ever gave some to their chickens.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Mine like them. Rabbit pellets are nothing more than compressed alfalfa.
(Check the ingredients to be sure that is what you have)

As a treat they are fine but as a nutritional source they are limited. Most
chicken feed is complete nutrition.

 

[marymac]

I wondered if they would be a good replacement for the greens they don't get in the winter and to help make the yolks a nice dark yellow.

 

[Akane]

Probably not. The ingredients are all dried. It's more like feeding hay than grass.

 

[redhen]

will ducks be able to eat them?..i know chickens can peck them apart or whatever..but , i wonder if my ducks will choke on them?..its a good idea though!..if its safe, i will feed mine some also..

, thanks for the idea!

 

[marymac]

REDHEN

Actually, the place I read about feeding rabbit pellets was on a site about eating duck eggs. I just purchased duck eggs from a neighbor for 2.00 per doz. and was wondering about eating them just like chicken eggs. When I checked out the site , it told about the people feeding pellets to their ducks. Thus the idea for giving it to my chickens. Probably more or less as a treat, like greens I think.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
As a matter of fact, the duck feed I've seen comes in the same pellet form so I don't think they would choke.

 

[rizq]

My banties don't like the rabbit pellets (I have my banties and grower rabbits together) and only eat them if I mess up and they run out of layer pellets. They really just aren't very interested in them.

My brahmas, on the other hand, will eat anything that doesn't eat them first.

Rabbit food really won't hurt them unless it is fed as a sole food. As was already mentioned, it is not a complete food for chickens. It is more than just dried, compressed alfalfa, but it is not anywhere near a complete or appropriate chicken feed ... like most of the treats we feed they should be fine in moderation.