Vegetarian fed chickens?

[Cuban Longtails]

Oh, you can feed them whatever you like. As long as you're feeding them and watering them, chickens tend to not care. I just don't agree with the whole vegetarian thing because I seriously doubt you can keep a chicken from eating bugs or even picking their own feathers out and eating them. So the whole "vegetarian" chicken thing is a bunch of crock to me.

You'll know by their appearance and behavior if they're getting all of the nutrients they need.

 

[digitS']

Purina Mills SunFresh Recipe

". . . grains and plant proteins . . . plant-based ingredients FREE of all animal proteins and fats . . . all the quality nutrients laying hens need . . ."

Steve

 

[TXmom]

I'm just wondering...why do you think a chicken SHOULD be vegetarian? I am NOT trying to start an argument, please don't attack me for this. I just wonder why this is an issue???? Would you expect a cat or a dog to be vegetarian? How about a lion or tiger? Isn't the best thing, what nature intended? Nature intended chickens to be omnivores.

 

[digitS']

Gracious. Is there something wrong today?

Someone with their first post asks a question . . . the question was:

"Is it possible to raise vegetarian chickens?"

The answer is a simple one: yes.

Steve

 

[CovenantCreek]

It is possible to keep hens and only feed them vegetarian chicken feed. As others have mentioned, it's not the best choice because they are omnivorous and really should have a diet that includes all types of food sources to get balanced nutrition and produce top quality eggs.

If you must insist that the animals in your care follow your dietary choices, then you need to do a lot of research to find a producer of vegetarian layer feed or a recipe to mix your own (and possibly a mill to put it together for you). You should also thoroughly research the side effects of using soy protein as the primary source of protein for your hens and their eggs. Soy contains a lot of phytoestrogen which can play some unpleasant games with your own hormones -- and possibly a hen's. Ultimately, of course, the choice is yours.

http://www.lionsgrip.com/chickens.html :

...The new "all vegetarian" chicken is a convenience to the mass-producer, who thus doesn't have to worry about the potential of latent animal diseases in poultry feed. Mass-producers of poultry are certainly leery of disease, which might bring about the destruction of their entire laying flock.

But, strictly vegetarian-fed chickens are potentially undernourished...​

 

[Kelpie]

I am a vegetarian chicken owner and I think you can spend extra money on fancy feeds but they will never be vegetarians unless you deprive them of freeranging where they get all the bugs, worms, snakes, mice, ect.... I think that defeats the purpose of having vegetarian hens for the point of the self gratification you could get from eating "humane" eggs as they will not be humane if the hens are deprived of their hunting activities. If you are concerned about it from an ethical standpoint you might consider not eating eggs as there no such thing as an egg that is also humane from a vegetarian hen, IMHO. People go veggie for all kinds of reasons though, so I won't assume you are a vegetarian for ethical reasons.
I do pay quite a bit to avoid animal byproducts In My pets' food but I still expect there to be meat in there (there better be for the price). I think it's always a no no to feed an animal it's own kinds and with animal byproducts you can't tell. If the animal ingredient is named I will feed it as long as I'm not feeding chicken to chicken, ect.

 

[sandypaws]

i am NOT bashing your choice to be a vegetarian..

. dogs/cats and chickens are ment to be omnivores and feeding them anything else will make them unhealthy...there are just somethings in meat that can not be replaced by soy....
if you dont like feeding them "animals by-products".. i understand!!! that stuff is gross..and you dont know who or what is in it. i WONT feed it to my dogs,, my dogs get whole named meat(chicken, beef ,lamb)
but to stop a chicken from eating BUGS!!??? thats just wrong...

can i ask WHY you can eat eggs from a vegie chicken but not from an omnivor chicken... i am just really curious... dont understand the differance??.. an egg is an egg,, if the chicken does not consume what it needs to build that egg her system will steal the nutirents from her own body,, or just shut down the production of eggs..

and again.. i am not bashing or upset with you... i am GLAD you are taking the time to do the research beforehand..