When learning how to take care of chickens, you will ask yourself all kinds of questions, including “Can chickens eat cat food?” Chickens can eat many things so if you have a cat, you might be wondering if your two favorite animals can share their evening meal.
Are you wondering if chickens can eat cat food?
If so, you’re not alone.
Many people have the same question when it comes to taking care of their feathered friends.
In this article, we’ll discuss why chicken should be fed cat food in moderation as well as provide tips on how to ensure your flock gets all the nutrition they need for optimal health.
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Can Chickens Eat Cat Food? (Including Dry Cat Food and Wet Canned Cat Food)
The answer is yes—chickens can eat cat food, but only in moderation. Cat food, including wet cat food and dry cat food) is a great source of protein and other nutrients that chickens need; however, they also require calcium and other vitamins that are not found in cat food.
Therefore, it’s important to feed your chickens a balanced diet that includes more than just what your cats are eating!
To ensure that your flock is getting all the nutrition they need, we recommend supplementing their diet with a mix of fruits, vegetables, and other treats as well as providing them access to fresh water. You can also throw in some grains and spices for extra health benefits!
Additionally, you can give them occasional treats like mealworms or scratch grains to keep them happy and healthy. Or you could purchase traditional commercial chicken feed if you prefer somebody else did all the thinking and mixing for you.
With the right balance of nutrition, your chickens will stay healthy and active while they provide you with delicious eggs!
In short, chickens can eat dry cat food and chickens can eat wet cet food – they just need to do so sparingly. So go ahead – feed your chickens cat food once in a while – they’ll go crazy for it! Just be sure it’s not the only thing on their menu.
(Read also – Can chickens eat dog food?)
The Difference Between Cat Food and Chicken Feed
What is the difference between cat food and chicken food? The main difference is the nutritional content. Cat food contains significantly more protein than chicken feed as well as less carbohydrates.
Cat food also has a higher fat content than chicken feed so it’s not suitable for chickens as they don’t need all of those extra calories.
Chicken feed, while often containing a pretty decent protein content, needs to have a very high percentage of grains and other carbohydrates to keep birds healthy and their energy levels high.
Cat food also lacks many vitamins and nutrients that chickens need to be healthy, including but not limited to calcium, which is crucial for hens who are laying eggs.
Don’t Chickens Need Extra Protein?
If you spend a lot of time on social media or on what we call “chicken Tik Tok,” you have probably heard that chickens need a lot of protein in order to stay healthy. So if that’s the case, wouldn’t cat food be great for chickens?
Yes and no.
There are certain times of the year when chickens do need an extra boost of protein content. This is especially true when your backyard birds are molting.
Losing and growing chicken feathers requires a lot of extra protein so giving your birds a protein boost by feeding them cat food is a great way to support molting chickens. However, the high levels of protein that cats require are a bit overkill for a regular chicken’s diet.
Read Also – The Best Chickens For Cold And Hot Weather
Additionally, if you are raising meat birds or are trying to fatten your birds up for butcher day, high protein foods will help them to bulk in quickly. Just don’t allow your birds to maintain this kind of high protein diet all year long.
Stick to feeding a little cat food as an occasional treat throughout the week. Satisfy your birds’ complex dietary requirements by feeding a layer feed that is rich in carbs, vitamins, nutrients, minerals, grains, and of course, healthy amounts of protein.
Can I give My Chicken Too Much Protein?
Can you give your chickens too much protein? The answer is yes, it is possible to overfeed your chickens with protein-rich foods such as cat food.
While a little bit of cat food can be beneficial for molting or fattening up meat birds, an exclusive diet of high-protein foods can actually be detrimental to the health and well-being of poultry.
Chickens need a balanced diet with plenty of grains, vegetables, and fruits to ensure they maintain their energy levels and stay healthy. Feeding too much cat food or other high protein foods can cause your chickens to become overweight and can also lead to poor egg production.
To ensure that your flock gets all the nutrition they need for optimal health, it’s important to understand the difference between cat food and chicken feed and how much protein each should get in their diet.
More Resources For Feeding Chickens
Still want to learn more about what chickens can eat? Check out these articles!
- Simple Homemade Chicken Feed Recipes
- DIY Chicken Feed
- Will Chickens Eat Hay?
- Emergency Chicken Feed Tips and Tricks
What Other Foods Should I Avoid Feeding My Chickens?
While chickens have unique dietary requirements, there is not much these backyard birds cannot eat, at least in moderation. However, there are some toxic foods chickens should avoid.
What Can Chickens Not Eat List
Avoid feeding your backyard birds these potentially harmful foods.
- Green Potato Skins
- Tomatoes (in excess)
- Chocolate
- Caffeine
- Onions (in excess)
- Raw, Dry Beans
- Avocados
- Alcohol
- Moldy Food
- Spoiled Food
- Rhubarb Leaves
- Apple Seeds
- Uncooked Rice
- Excessively Salty Foods
Foods Chickens Can Eat List
Feel free to give these delicious treats to your feathered friends!
- Sunflower Seeds
- Cat Food (in moderation)
- Dog Food (in moderation)
- Leafy greens
- Carrots
- Apples (not the seeds)
- Berries
- Melons
- Pumpkins
- Cantelope
- (Pretty much all fruits and vegetables with very few exceptions)
- Cooked Grains
- Seeds and Nuts
- Dairy Products (milk, yogurt, etc – although many birds do not like cheese)
- Meat (preferably cooked)
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Most Chicken Scraps (dinner leftovers)
Charlene has been dabbling in and learning about the homesteading lifestyle for almost 20 years. She recently started a real-world homestead with her extended family and is excited to share 20+ years of knowledge and experience with the world!
While she certainly doesn't know everything about homesteading and is learning more every day, she is excited to learn and grow along with YOU!
Charlene blogs about about homesteading at https://secretlifeofhomesteaders.com/.