Which Proteins can I feed, without making the eggs taste funny?

[arienwolf]

I have been reading through all the information on this site (thank god for you chicken lovers!

) I would like to give my chickens more protein than they get. (which is probably a very low % right now) But I'm really confused, some posts say cat food is great, others say not cat food do dog food. Others state a can of tuna every week or so. Other people have tried the meal worms and/or crickets. (but some say they're too expensive to keep up same with the tuna (?) ) And from what I understand, these things can make the eggs taste funny. I do not want tuna flavored eggs... Do not imagine that would taste good in a cake

.
What works for you without compromising the taste of the eggs?

And what is it about the cat/dog/and tuna that's not good? or I should say could you give me the pros/cons?

(The chickens are kept completely as a suburb type chicken.)
They do not free-range as I'm afraid hawks or neighbor dogs will get at them if they leave my little fenced in backyard. (which is surrounded by 4ft fence and neighbors 6ft privacy fence) Even if I let them loose there is very little for them to forage at other than my garden (which I am making more hen friendly as we speak) as the rest of the yard, is pebbled.
They have a run and coop. And I go out there every-other day pull up weeds and throw them in their coop/run. (enough to cover half the run when possible but Im running out of weeds lol) I know they cannot be getting all the protein they need/want.

I feed them Purina Layer feed which they can free range on all day. Plus house scraps. From bread, to summer squash, melon, crackers, Sweet potatoes cooked, bananas etc etc.( I stopped giving them cracked corn due to the heat lately)
I have been getting the beginnings of eggs.

Thanks!

 

[sumi]

Bugs like crickets and mealworms are good. You can also scramble their eggs and feed that back to them. Some green foods have plenty protein in, so give them lots of greens. Spinach is good and alfalfa (lusern) if you can get some. Or kale. I've hard the cat food argument and I understand giving it to them in small amounts won't harm them. But personally, I'll stick to greens and bugs. I've yet to meet a chicken that doesn't love a cricket.
Tip: place a corrugated sink sheet flat on the ground near where the chickens roam. After a few weeks call them over a flip the sheet. We caught many, many crickets this way and the chickens had a wonderful time. And us, watching the fun!

 

[Vicky2479]

I give mine cheese, eggs, cooked mince and any veggies that are abit far gone for me, I have given them a tin of sardines once which went down a treat but from what I have heard strong flavored thing can give the eggs a different flavor (I know a woman who gives her hens Brie cause she reckons the eggs taste great) personally I wouldn't give them cat or dog food it is not designed for them so I can't see it being good for them and I try to give my animals as well as my family as little processed stuff as possible. I have started a mealworm farm (not sure how it is going yet as it has only been a few weeks) hopefully I can get them to reproduce cause my hens love them but they cost a bomb.
If you are giving them a complete layer feed though then I wouldn't worry to much as they will be getting the protein they need from it, I only feed these things to my hens every now and then because I know they enjoy it and the feed I give them has no animal protein in it. I also do something similar to sumi and leave things in the garden or run that bugs can get under then I call the girls over and lift up it up, they have a ball catching all the little nasties.

 

[arienwolf]

Thank You both for the reply.

I will definitely try the Tip:Idea. I have cats and two dogs (only one is really mine the other is my brothers) I thought about giving them a handful of dog/cat food but couldn't that make the eggs taste like cat/dog food? Or is the funny taste in eggs achieved after prolonged use of the guilty food? Can it alter the taste of the eggs right away or does it take time to change the taste?

I wouldn't mind giving them tuna and sardines. I just don't want to taste tuna/sardines in my breakfast.

Thanks!!!

 

[mickey328]

They'll eat lots of stuff that provides protein...some cooked hamburger (well drained) as Vicky said (mince), and cheese..mine LOVE cheese...american, cheddar, cottage...you name it. I also give mine cooked dried beans which also contain a lot of protein. I'm going to be starting a mealworm farm here in the near future...they're excellent and the girls love 'em. Yogurt is also a fave treat for mine. I've also given them leftover bits of chicken or the hard pieces around the edges...kinda grim, I know, but they scarf it up.

 

[Vicky2479]

only 2 of my hens actually ate the sardines, the others didnt notice till it was to late and I can't say that their eggs tasted any different after that 1 tin.