# chicken feed and dogs?



## VA Susan

My dog likes to eat the chickens' feed, both the layer mash and the starter/grower. Can it hurt her?


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## Cyngbaeld

Little low in fat, but otherwise very similar to "dog food". Cheaper too. When I was feeding processed feed to the birds, I just made sure the dogs had another source of fat and let them eat as much "chicken feed" as they wanted.


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## suelandress

Could hurt her if a ticked off hen lets her have it


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## Suzyq2u

LOL, my basset licks my muck boots if I leave them inside *gag* .... I'm sure she'd happily eat chicken feed, nice to know it'd be safe


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## JJFarmer

My chickens and dog barter food.


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## lauriej57

My dogs love the chicken feed, and it's never hurt them. I've learned to keep the food up high so they can't get at it when I feed them. Same as my eggs, when I'm collecting eggs, I have to really careful where I set my basket down, my older girl will steal an egg right from under my nose. My younger girl will steal them right off the counter, if I set my basket down on the counter for a bit. 

The only thing I've had a problem with, is when I'm cleaning the coop, and, hmm, someone decides to let the dogs out, and they eat the crud before I have it picked up. Only bothers one of my dogs though, probably because she is the most piggy one!


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## COSunflower

I don't dare leave a bucket of chicken feed down on the floor or my dogs will have it gone lickety split! It has never hurt them.  I've had chickens for almost 50 years.


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## Bearfootfarm

I specifically buy dog food that has no corn, and my dogs will eat the corn I feed to the sheep :shrug:


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## Faithful

VA Susan said:


> My dog likes to eat the chickens' feed, both the layer mash and the starter/grower. Can it hurt her?[/QUONit
> No it will not hurt she may not be getting everything she needs from her food , or the other animals may be chasing she from her food ,I feed dog chow and have to make sure mine get there share of food. my goat like dog food.


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## Faithful

Oh you may want to no what dog I have Anatolian Shepherds.
we also have puppies ready to go .


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## Dutchie

Dogs eat turds and chicken poop. I don't think chicken feed will hurt her. Don't feed it to her exclusively, though ..... she needs more and different nutrition than chicken food contains.


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## Renae

My cats use to eat my chickens feed, but they only ate it when I bought Purina Chicken feed. When I bought Co-Op food they didnt touch it. I knew there was a big difference in smell, appearance and how much dust was in the bag but of been a big difference in the taste too. They faired pretty well. (They did get cat food too)


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## Mainelyhappy

I hate to disagree with you good people... but I feel I must. Dogs are carnivores. Chickens are omnivores. Commercial chicken food is made up at least partially from corn and soy. Neither of these are appropriate for the canine carnivorous diet. If your dog; chews its feet, tail or under belly, has chronic ear crud, red spots on it's skin, yucky teeth/breath or digestive issues, an unpleasant or "doggy" odor, look at the diet. Dogs are designed to eat MEAT, not corn or soy or fillers. This being said I have an older dog which I recently rescued that LOVES to snack on chicken food. I try my best to keep her away from it. 

Daryl in Maine


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## VA Susan

Dutchie said:


> Dogs eat turds and chicken poop. I don't think chicken feed will hurt her. Don't feed it to her exclusively, though ..... she needs more and different nutrition than chicken food contains.


She gets her RDA of chicken poop too!


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## Bearfootfarm

> Dogs are carnivores.


Primarily , yes

Strictly , not so much

They will eat vegetable matter quite often.

If it weren't natural to them, they wouldn't do it at all unless they were starving


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## Cheribelle

Chickens will also eat meat if available..... 
Mine turn their noses up at Nothing, and will happily gobble the dog food if I feed the dogs before the hens go to bed.


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## WstTxLady

@ Mainelyhappy, they OP was asking that IF the dog/dogs got into some of it, would it hurt. Not asking as if it is the sole food for them.

And to the OP, no it won't hurt here & there.


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## Caprice Acres

Our dog has eaten TONS of our chicken food. Nothing 'bad' has happened per se, but he is now fatter than before.  We always ask HIM when his puppies will be arriving. 

I, too, believe meat is best for dogs diets. They are carnivores, and in a 'wild' setting they only eat plant matter sparingly and normally do not digest it well. They are not made to eat regular, large amounts of plant products like corn and soy, I agree. 

We recently gated off the poultry food, much to our dog's discontent. Here's hoping the poultry feed bill will reduce a bit.


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## Ravenlost

My dogs like the horses' sweet feed and they LOVE fish food (the kind you throw in the pond). They have never shown an interest in chicken feed. But then, I keep it in a garbage can in the chicken pen so the dogs have never gotten a chance to try it.

Don't see how it would hurt them though.


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## margoC

My doggies are kind of fat, I don't want them eating the chicken food. Plus I have layer rations for them now. 

I'm thinking of putting crushed red peppers or something in the chicken feed. Has anyone ever tried that. 

I got a new pup a couple months ago and I don't want her eating the chicken feed either. She's a beagle pup, like my others. They're eating machines! Surprizingly enough, they have not interest in the chickens. I don't think I'll be raising rabbits though.


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## Ravenlost

I have a rabbit and my beagle has never shown any interest in it. Of course, the rabbit is in a cage and the beagle prefers to run around with his nose to the ground. He has no interest in the chickens and ducks either.


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## suelandress

margoC said:


> My doggies are kind of fat, I don't want them eating the chicken food. Plus I have layer rations for them now.
> 
> I'm thinking of putting crushed red peppers or something in the chicken feed. Has anyone ever tried that.
> 
> I got a new pup a couple months ago and I don't want her eating the chicken feed either. She's a beagle pup, like my others. They're eating machines! Surprizingly enough, they have not interest in the chickens. I don't think I'll be raising rabbits though.


 
I had a dog who LOVED spicy hot food


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