doctors girls Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 which cat food is the best for a source of protein for the chooks is there a particular flavour or brand we had a cat for 16 years and the advert said 8 out 10 owners say there cats liked it well my cat was number 9 or 10 it hated kit-e-cat any suggestions please or is there any other food that is a good source of protien Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Mine love the dry GoCat soaked in water, they go crazy for it and its easier than tins or sachets Alternatively try some of the better wet foods the ones in the foil trays are easy to serve! I choose fish based ones In saying that tuna is very good too (if its in brine rinse it first) but these all need to be fed in moderation as with all treats Chick crumb, growers pellets or breeders pellets mixed with the layers pellets will give a longer term protein boost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Don't forget that feeding cat food to chickens would contravene Defra's regulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I didn't think about Defra! I have a hen, around 2 years old now, she comes in the house through the kitchen and eats the cat food, and drinks the water. Even next to the cats sometimes! She likes Whiskers in Jelly and GoCat biscuits. When one of my Pekins was under the weather i also gave her soaked GoCat biscuits, as she was a Silkie and got the cat food all over her... Err.. Sorry, bit off topic there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 One of mine, now sadly deceased, worked out where the cat-food bowls were and used to come into the kitchen if she could - often the first I'd know was hearing her beak pecking on the stainless-steel bowl! sorry to say it, but my hens love sicked-up cat food if they can find it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenopolis Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Our girls are quite partial to a tin of Sheba Salmon and Prawn - but it has to be served in a china ramekin otherwise they won't touch it Also, if I am having a tuna sandwich for lunch, they sometime like to help me eat it - bread, butter and tuna as in a full on sandwich - they only get a bit, but the low level squeaking reminds me of Homer Simpson when someone mentions donuts! I only give this to them occasionally, but when Florence was coming to the end of her moult recently a small tin of Sheba seemed to spring her back into action, and she started egg laying the next day. She told all the neighbours about it mind you!! Haven't tried the GoCat crunchies, as that seems a bit odd to me, but then I am the one that spoon feeds them yoghurt and bokashi bran if we have runny poos! * **I'll get my coat.....whistles and walks off....***** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheekymonkey200 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Are you supposed to feed them cat food!? I've never even thought of this- I'm veggie so I try to trick myself that the chooks are too (i turn a bling eye when they eat worms and spiders...) Even the dog has to steer clear of meaty chunks... should I be giving my girls meat? I don't think I could stomach the eww-y cat food with jelly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Are you supposed to feed them cat food!? I've never even thought of this- I'm veggie so I try to trick myself that the chooks are too (i turn a bling eye when they eat worms and spiders...) Even the dog has to steer clear of meaty chunks... should I be giving my girls meat? I don't think I could stomach the eww-y cat food with jelly! See the comment above regarding DEFRA. Bear in mind that while chickens are naturally omnivores, DEFRA regulations don't permit them being fed any animal products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Are you supposed to feed them cat food!? I've never even thought of this- I'm veggie so I try to trick myself that the chooks are too (i turn a bling eye when they eat worms and spiders...) Even the dog has to steer clear of meaty chunks... should I be giving my girls meat? I don't think I could stomach the eww-y cat food with jelly! I'm veggie too.. But the cats still eat meat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Some tinned cat food may have a predominant flavour e.g beef but may still contain chicken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Some tinned cat food may have a predominant flavour e.g beef but may still contain chicken I think that is the point behind the Defra rules. The idea is that the food chain should remain clear. Wasn't the issue behind Mad Cow Disease that they were feeding beef extract back to cows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 Yes, I personally am not a fan of feeding any tinned cat food to chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandkymberley Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 No, not a fan either Chucky Mama, never thought of it but it revolts me , would never feed it to my girlies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 when I have, quite by accident, tripped while walking past the run and managed to spill the open tin of cat food that was in my hand at the time into the chook zone, the girls have unfortunately been so quick to eat it that I have been quite unable to stop them. sorry DEFRA a bit of extra protein is great during moults - did you know that feathers are 100% composed of protein? (keratin actually). however the protein you give them need not be of animal origin, vegetable proteins are just as good - its the amino acids you want. sorry, going off on a protein thingy, I'll get my coat.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 There are moulting rescue products on the market which contain amino acids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Chooks love and need protein but their sort of protein should really be bugs, grubs and slugs not cat food which could contain chicken. Canibalism is not a good idea not just morally but also because of the food chain thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 do you know, I cannot remember how many times I have read on this forum the suggestion that cat food provides extra protein as a quick boost. but I do know that its a lot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 I know BC, I give mealworm instead. I know that lots of people used tinned tuna. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollie333 Posted May 20, 2011 Share Posted May 20, 2011 Oh well.. Doesn't harm her as far as i'm concerned.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffypigs Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 I'm quite relieved to read this post, I thought it was just my chickens who battered the door down to try to get to the cat food bowls! Now I know they're not abnormal. After they all got ill I stopped them from eating it (plus I had actually thought over the whole mad cow disease business) but now I can't leave the kitchen door open without 2 chickens racing in to try to gobble some forbidden food before I can stop them They are quite grumpy with me for not letting them and they absolutely refuse to eat tinned tuna even if it's in a cat food bowl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 I must admit to feeding my cats on a separate cat only bit of work-surface ...and my chooks get meal worms..I buy mine dried from Asda, but as my son keeps lots and lots of snakes and lizards occasionally they get the hatched insects too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 They need to be live mealworms to have any protein value - the dried ones are almost protein free,I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 They need to be live mealworms to have any protein value - the dried ones are almost protein free,I think The packaging claims that they are protein rich. No actual breakdown as to how protein rich but that is the main point made on the labeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnandkymberley Posted May 21, 2011 Share Posted May 21, 2011 I'm quite relieved to read this post, I thought it was just my chickens who battered the door down to try to get to the cat food bowls! Now I know they're not abnormal. After they all got ill I stopped them from eating it (plus I had actually thought over the whole mad cow disease business) but now I can't leave the kitchen door open without 2 chickens racing in to try to gobble some forbidden food before I can stop them They are quite grumpy with me for not letting them and they absolutely refuse to eat tinned tuna even if it's in a cat food bowl. Fluffy pigs do you have any spare mesh etc? in the summer my back door is open always and the cat runs in and out as she pleases, but i dont like the hens coming in, so i use the door panel from my eglu - which isnt used atm to keep them out, cat just jumps over it, but the hens are alright cuz they can watch me! otherwise i get tapping on my back door! If the eglu is in use though i just the little door panel from the cube, as i bought the bigger door and just kept the small one, maybe you could find something like that to stop them? xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 They need to be live mealworms to have any protein value - the dried ones are almost protein free,I think The packaging claims that they are protein rich. No actual breakdown as to how protein rich but that is the main point made on the labeling. Mine love dried gammarus shrimps; they are 47% protein!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
