Chicken Feed Eating Horses

RealFolkBlue · 09-07-2008, 08:59 PM

Yep, my horses will eat chicken feed.

Haven't been at the barn for a couple of days because of work. My mother was kind enough to feed the guys for me. She told me that I was out of grain yesterday, so I got more today after work.

We went out to the barn together and fed the horses. Of course after feeding my guys, the chickens came running up to me looking for food. I had a bag of scratch grain for the chickens at the barn. Went and looked in my feed can, and the bag chicken grain was gone.

I ask my mom about the chicken grain, and she knew nothing about it. Sometimes, my can lid doesn't get shut all the way. I figured that maybe one of the goats got into my can and helped themselves. Not much was left in it anyways, a little more 1/4 of the bag was left.

On the way home, my mom starting talking about the horses and said that they were happy to have there usual amount of grain. I asked her how much grain she gave them. She said that she had to mix the two bags of grain together, but there was more then enough to give them each a scoop. I only feed my guys one type of grain.

"What two bags" I said. "The two bags in the feed can" she replayed. "Was one of the bags yellow?" I said. "No". "Was it yellow and brown?" She got wide eyed and said "I thinks so". That was the chicken grain bag.

She thought that it was the horse grain, even though there is a giant chicken silhouette on the bag

She couldn't believe that she feed them chicken grain. I don't know how you can miss that giant chicken silhouette on the bag

So I know where my chicken feed went

Now I gotta go back to the store tomorrow to get a new bag!

**taelesean** · 09-07-2008, 11:16 PM

Check your chicken feed bag for ingredients - alot of chicken feed has arsenic in it - good for chickens, very bad for horses.

I hope this doesn't scare you too much, and that your horses are OK

RealFolkBlue · 09-07-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taelesean

Check your chicken feed bag for ingredients - alot of chicken feed has arsenic in it - good for chickens, very bad for horses.

I hope this doesn't scare you too much, and that your horses are OK

Didn't know that chicken feed contains arsenic

However, they seem fine. The feed that I got for the chickens is just scratch grains. Cracked corn and rolled oats is all.

rm185western · 09-07-2008, 11:39 PM

I don't want to be a scare monger either, but I would feel better if you just double checked that bag to make sure that there are no added ingredients. I know that your situation is completely different, but I lost 2 horses last year because they ate chicken feed.

Now what they had was a medicated feed, that contained either Monensin or Narasin. I'm sure that yours will be fine, but you can understand why it makes my blood chill

Jean Genie · 09-07-2008, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm185western

I don't want to be a scare monger either, but I would feel better if you just double checked that bag to make sure that there are no added ingredients. I know that your situation is completely different, but I lost 2 horses last year because they ate chicken feed.

Now what they had was a medicated feed, that contained either Monensin or Narasin. I'm sure that yours will be fine, but you can understand why it makes my blood chill

Oh dear, I remember that tragic story. Better double check the bags, to be on the safe side, RFB.

RealFolkBlue · 09-07-2008, 11:51 PM

This is what I got
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/...stingPage=true

So far they seem fine. Its been at least 24 hours since they had some of the feed. I will check the ingredients tomorrow before work. I wouldn't think that chicken feed would make them sick

Horselessnomore · 09-08-2008, 11:20 PM

My goofy TWH will make a bee line for the chicken coop if he is out and not tied up, he will pick up the chicken feeder and shake it around so the feed falls on the ground and then eat it. I only had to watch him do this once before I put a stop to it. I had read somewhere that chicken feed was not for horses and could harm them.
On a funnier note -- picture a large 15.2 h TWH trying to squeeze his body into the rather small chicken pen so he can get at their food

Hope your horses are OK

BabyMay · 09-09-2008, 05:02 AM

Ok, when I read the topic line, I thought to myself, "What kind of feed are you giving your Chickens that can eat a horse?". Than when I got to reading, I figured it out. Its the horses eating the chicken feed, not the chicken feed eating the horses. Ya, I know, but it is early. LOL

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09-07-2008, 08:59 PM
RealFolkBlue Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bowling Green, OH Posts: 746	Chicken Feed Eating Horses Yep, my horses will eat chicken feed. Haven't been at the barn for a couple of days because of work. My mother was kind enough to feed the guys for me. She told me that I was out of grain yesterday, so I got more today after work. We went out to the barn together and fed the horses. Of course after feeding my guys, the chickens came running up to me looking for food. I had a bag of scratch grain for the chickens at the barn. Went and looked in my feed can, and the bag chicken grain was gone. I ask my mom about the chicken grain, and she knew nothing about it. Sometimes, my can lid doesn't get shut all the way. I figured that maybe one of the goats got into my can and helped themselves. Not much was left in it anyways, a little more 1/4 of the bag was left. On the way home, my mom starting talking about the horses and said that they were happy to have there usual amount of grain. I asked her how much grain she gave them. She said that she had to mix the two bags of grain together, but there was more then enough to give them each a scoop. I only feed my guys one type of grain. "What two bags" I said. "The two bags in the feed can" she replayed. "Was one of the bags yellow?" I said. "No". "Was it yellow and brown?" She got wide eyed and said "I thinks so". That was the chicken grain bag. She thought that it was the horse grain, even though there is a giant chicken silhouette on the bag She couldn't believe that she feed them chicken grain. I don't know how you can miss that giant chicken silhouette on the bag So I know where my chicken feed went Now I gotta go back to the store tomorrow to get a new bag! __________________ Owned by Diego and Moontahr

09-07-2008, 11:16 PM
taelesean Administrator Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 5,677	Check your chicken feed bag for ingredients - alot of chicken feed has arsenic in it - good for chickens, very bad for horses. I hope this doesn't scare you too much, and that your horses are OK __________________

09-07-2008, 11:39 PM
rm185western Greenbroke Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Saskatchewan,Canada Posts: 3,690	I don't want to be a scare monger either, but I would feel better if you just double checked that bag to make sure that there are no added ingredients. I know that your situation is completely different, but I lost 2 horses last year because they ate chicken feed. Now what they had was a medicated feed, that contained either Monensin or Narasin. I'm sure that yours will be fine, but you can understand why it makes my blood chill __________________ ________________________________ Okay, who put a stop payment on my reality check?

09-07-2008, 11:51 PM
RealFolkBlue Yearling Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bowling Green, OH Posts: 746	This is what I got http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/...stingPage=true So far they seem fine. Its been at least 24 hours since they had some of the feed. I will check the ingredients tomorrow before work. I wouldn't think that chicken feed would make them sick __________________ Owned by Diego and Moontahr

09-08-2008, 11:20 PM
Horselessnomore Long Yearling Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 1,343	My goofy TWH will make a bee line for the chicken coop if he is out and not tied up, he will pick up the chicken feeder and shake it around so the feed falls on the ground and then eat it. I only had to watch him do this once before I put a stop to it. I had read somewhere that chicken feed was not for horses and could harm them. On a funnier note -- picture a large 15.2 h TWH trying to squeeze his body into the rather small chicken pen so he can get at their food Hope your horses are OK

09-09-2008, 05:02 AM
BabyMay Coming two Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,906	Ok, when I read the topic line, I thought to myself, "What kind of feed are you giving your Chickens that can eat a horse?". Than when I got to reading, I figured it out. Its the horses eating the chicken feed, not the chicken feed eating the horses. Ya, I know, but it is early. LOL __________________ Animals don't need a reason to love.