Single hen

[Lynn]

Apologies; I know this has been asked on the Forum before, but I'm unable to find the answer, so I'm asking the question again...

 

Is it harmful for chickens to eat cat food?

 

Prudence and Hortence have taken quite a liking to it - fish flavoured, I hasten to add It happened when Prudence was broody for four weeks (thank you for the tips on ice packs etc, they worked a treat!) and Hortence became latched on to me like glue - I was her constant companion. She sat on the sofa and we watched television; she sat in the kitchen whilst I made dinner; came upstairs to watch me change the bedclothes. It was then that she realised that we fed our cats in the garage, and she wanted to be in there too. I didn't mind as it kept her out of the rain...and from under my feet, but it was then that she got a liking for cat food, and when Prudence was back on her feet she said "Come on Pru, let me take you out for dinner"

 

Now, when we get home from work and let the girls out to freerange, they come bombing out of the run, along the side path and stand outside the garage door squawking for all their worth until we open the door. They are still eating their own food and freeranging, but if we let them, they could polish off an entire pouch of food; and unlike our cats, they don't leave a s"Ooops, word censored!" - you'd think the bowl had been licked clean!!

[Tina C]

I am sure a bit of cat food won't do them any harm - but I wouldn't want mine to eat it. But its better than the cat LITTER, which is what my girls went for last time they came in.....

[Egluntyne]

I've seen it recommended as a source of extra protein for moulting chickens on another forum.

[hillfamily]

Given the chance, our girls make a dash for the kitchen at every available opportunity to steal the cat food. They always seem to know when I've accidently left the back door ajar or not fixed the gate across properly.

 

It dosen't seem to have done them much harm but then it's only been a few occasions that they've managed to steal the cat food.

 

They got quite a shock the other day......I dashed out to put the rubbish in the bin, didn't close the door properly so they dashed in throught the gap only to be confronted by the cat eating the cat food Well they weren't expecting that

[chocolatefudge]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one with a crafty hen. Pepperpot's favourite trick is waiting until I go to hang out the washing (not much at the moment) and nips in while i'm not looking! I'm usually quite good at shutting the door but sometimes I forget and it's a real pain in the summer when you want to leave the door open. Pepperpot is sitting on eggs at the moment so it is nice and peaceful and I am able to come and go as I please, what bliss.

 

Mind you, having said that we have two new girls and I'll bet before long they will cotton on to doing the same thing. Three hens in the kitchen, fantastic!

[KTee]

How on earth do you cope with them in the house? Have you got them to wear nappies?!

[Gallina]

I was told by a chicken breeder to feed my chickens beef cat food if they stopped laying. But cat food is raw, isn't it? I couldn't do it myself -- not raw meat.

 

I think it needs to be said that DEFRA do not allow chickens to be fed meat. Not that the chickens follow this rule (especially if worms are considered meat): they love it.

[aliski]

I have to admit when one of my exbats was really poorly and would not eat I gave her a pouch of cat food over a few days - I basically hand fed her. It was the only thing she would eat and I even had to syringe water into her beak!

She is still going strong although does not lay but as an exbat who has had freedom for 18 months I dont really mind.

I think the odd bit of cat food will not hurt given the rubbish the eat in the garden especially when they free range

 

aliski

[xScrunchee]

I was told by a chicken breeder to feed my chickens beef cat food if they stopped laying. But cat food is raw, isn't it? I couldn't do it myself -- not raw meat.

 

I think it needs to be said that DEFRA do not allow chickens to be fed meat. Not that the chickens follow this rule (especially if worms are considered meat): they love it.

 

I think that cat food is actually cooked.

I haven't given my girls any but that have nicked some Pepperami and LOVED it. They went crazy and all started chasing eachother!!

Naughty girls

[Gallina]

I never knew that tinned cat food was cooked! (I didn't think that it was good for cats to eat cooked food: I thought it had to be raw.)

 

I still don't quite fancy feeding it to my chickens, however.

[Jules.]

My girls love to get into the kitchen whenever they can and eat the dry cat biscuits & drink the cat's water

[Egluntyne]

I never knew that tinned cat food was cooked! (I didn't think that it was good for cats to eat cooked food: I thought it had to be raw.)

 

I know that cats can't be vegetarian as they need a protein called Taurine which is only found in muscle.....Maybe that is hat you were thinking of Gallina.