Switching feed

[Bryce Thomas]

Hello everybody. I am considering changing my chicken feed to goat pellets. The reason I am doing this is many of my friends have said that their chickens have stopped laying eggs and they tried changing the food but nothing worked. They said goat pellets made their girls happy and they started laying again. Should I switch to goat pellets? I currently use Purina flock raiser, but have not bought a new bag in some time since mine dont each that much.

 

[EddieSalita]

Chickens can get by on almost anything short term.

I seriously doubt it will be good for their long term prospects. Goat feed is likely to be too high in fibre, too low in protien and calcium. As for the amino acid profile.... that will depend on the specific product. But chickens have different demands on certain amino acids than goats. So you may end up with some deficiency based health issues after a while. These are potential risks. Not guaranteed.

I think your friend is a bit dangerous. You should probably not be taking their advice on anything. Trying random stuff without understanding why, or without some sort of methodology, isn't conducive to improving one's knowledge and understanding of their animals needs.

Goats are ruminant, browsing herbivores. Their digestive system is about as different from a chickens digestive system as its possible to get within terrestrial homiothermic animals.

There is quite a lot of info here on the no egg feed debate that has occurred this year. Some have even have their feed lab tested. I highly recommend reading it. There are many other factors that could be at play.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feed-conspiracy.1561478/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-feed-conspiracy-hoax.1566111/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...en-feed-craze-posted-testing-results.1564737/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-to-the-“big-question”.1561874/#post-26504933

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feed-conspiracy.1561478/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/purina.1562054/

 

[Brooks_]

I am considering changing my chicken feed to goat pellets

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hello everybody. I am considering changing my chicken feed to goat pellets. The reason I am doing this is many of my friends have said that their chickens have stopped laying eggs and they tried changing the food but nothing worked. They said goat pellets made their girls happy and they started laying again. Should I switch to goat pellets? I currently use Purina flock raiser, but have not bought a new bag in some time since mine dont each that much.

It's a great idea if you want your chickens to lack several things they need to be healthy.

 

[Bryce Thomas]

thanks for the help, lol

 

[Sussex19]

It's a great idea if you want your chickens to lack several things they need to be healthy.

And get copper poisoning.

 

[Brooks_]

thanks for the help, lol

As sussex was alluding to above, goat feed isn't really that good for goats. FAR too much copper for birds.