What are chicken feeds made out of?

[AmyRey]

Please tell me they're not made out of other ground up chickens. Or ground up cows. Or horses.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

No, the main ingredient of chicken feeds is a grain, most likely corn. Read the tag on the bottom of the bag for a complete listing of ingredients. Remember that the more abundant ingredients are listed first.

 

[danielbrown]

Chickens are omnivore, opportunistic eaters.
Heres the tag for my feed.

I also give then a little fish meal.

 

[AmyRey]

See? "Protein products" is somewhat suspect. Is that cows? Chickens? Horses? Dogs and cats?

 

[cybercat]

Most fomulas are grain products(corn, wheat,rye) plant protien products(soy), proseesed grain by products(what is leaft from making flour hulls and such). This is the way feed is made portions will vary as in amoutns of each.

 

[cybercat]

Quote:
Amy dogs or cats what are you thinking. NO Cows to expensive. Horses not done anymore. Chickens most of that goes into dog food. Mostly animal protien is fish these days for it is real cheap or even eggs that do not pass insection to make it to the gerocery store.

 

[AmyRey]

Quote:
Our local newspaper revealed in an article a year or two ago that our animal shelter sold the remains of its euthanized dogs and cats to outside buyers in an effort to defray some of the costs. Surely, we aren't the only ones utilizing this practice.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

"Tankage" (animal remains, mostly the parts that cannot be sold as human food, so innards, skin, etc.) finds its way into many animal feeds.

Not to upset anyone, this is typically less of a worry in chickens as they naturally eat meat. Left to find their own way in the world, chickens will find and eat really rotten road kills or even more disgusting stuff. I avoid it whenever possible, but sometimes they can hide it in the labeling. Fish Meal should be ok in small amounts.

Tankage is more of a worry when it is put in feed for herbivores, as they were never meant to eat meat and it can spread disease.

I had no idea shelter animals could end up in feed. That is distressing. I cannot image how that even makes money for the feed producer.

 

[danielbrown]

Animal products in feed would listed like "animal by products" "pork by products" "fish meal" "bone meal"

There's no need to worry so much about it.
Very few brands of chicken feed have Animal by products in them.
The few brands that do, don't have much of it in them.
Chicken are not vegetarians, they like meat, they are omnivores.
They often pray on bugs, mice, moles, lizards, frogs, snakes, worms, and even another chicken if its bleeding. Anything they can catch and kill is food to them.

There is a reason people call them "yard sharks"

 

[sjh]

Quote:
JoAnn
The OP did not say the animlas were processed into food. They said they were sold. It could be for zoo carnivores. Most likely sold to school science companies. Wards natural science company buys cats from local pounds around me. I have family that works there. Thats how I know.