Author Topic: Lambs eaten chicken food- advice please! (Read 3935 times)

twizzel · « **on:** April 24, 2014, 10:54:08 am »

I worked late last night so asked OH to feed the lambs that are still in the garden. There was a new bag of unopened creep in the shed along with a bag of opened layers pellets. Guess which one he fed them $:-\$ is there anything toxic in layers pellets that would be a cause for concern? They seem ok this morning and ate their creep and are now grazing on grass and hay. WIll keep a close eye on them and ring vet if any issues, just wondered if there's anything I need to look out for?

FiB · « **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2014, 10:59:03 am »

Watching... I have the issue both ways.... Sheep and lambs will do anything to get to the chicken food and the chickens watch me like hawks for sheep feeding time! Even buying the bigger ewe rolls doesn't put them off! I feed the chickens grain, but remeber reading recently that layers have 4 % calcium... What are ewe nuts (cause the lambs will nibble that). Don't KNOW, but my gut would be not to worry as a a one off....

twizzel · « **Reply #2 on:** April 24, 2014, 11:10:28 am »

It's a massive worry especially as I've got them this far- they are 8-10 weeks old now. I read somewhere chicken feed can cause bloat but hopefully now they've made it through the night they should be ok?

trish.farm · « **Reply #3 on:** April 24, 2014, 11:10:59 am »

One thing to take note of. Chicken food often has bone meal in it. Cattle and sheep food should not get contaminated by chicken food. I had a defra visit where they took samples of all my feeds as i keep chicken, sheep and cows. If your cattle or sheep are going into the food chain they cannot have eaten any chicken food. I am assuming this is because of BSE. Dont worry about them eating the food, it wont do them any harm, but its worth storing chicken food in a different building just incase you ever get an inspection.

twizzel · « **Reply #4 on:** April 24, 2014, 11:14:56 am »

Okey doke point taken, it's normally stored down with cow feed but whilst they are in the garden it's in our shed. Will make sure it's separate from now on

Treud na Mara · « **Reply #5 on:** April 24, 2014, 11:21:17 am »

As far as I am aware it's only dangerous if they have free access to it and eat themselves silly. We keep our chicken feed in a bin with a tight fitting lid held on with a bungee in case our pygmies manage to get at it.

They can be so naughty. I would be happier if we had a locked area for all our feed but there are many things on that wish list.

Womble · « **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2014, 12:10:46 pm »

Does anybody have a link to the actual rules and regs for feed storage, segregation distances etc?

We're in the process of reorganising things here, so it would be easiest to get it right from the outset! Thanks!