Why would a chicken eat dog food? How does this effect the eggs they lay?

Question

These are pets...

Answer 1

Chickens are omnivore scavengers and will eat almost anything if allowed access. Mine are free-run and I've seen them eat frogs, grasshoppers, worms, maggots, dead mice -- all kinds of icky things. It doesn't affect the eggs in terms of safety, because the foods are broken down into basic proteins, etc. in the chicken's crop and stomach, so you are not going to find dog food or bugs inside the egg! You will probably notice that the yolks are a richer, darker yellow that store-bought eggs. I find this to be a plus -- and one of the reasons I prefer free-run eggs to factory farm eggs. Not only are my birds treated well, their eggs taste better!

Answer 2

Chickens scavenge on bugs when they are outside. They will eat dog food for protein. Don't let them have too much or they'll get sick. Not sure what it would do to eggs, but if their diet is wrong it'll reduce production, fertility, or prevent them from forming correctly and may kill the hen.

Answer 3

I have a pet Muscovy duck that practically lives on cat food, I wouldn't eat the eggs, they may pick up and odd taste from the dog food but I don't believe they would hurt you.

Answer 4

Chickens will eat just about anything they find on the ground.

They even take in small stones (I think).

Probably won't effect the eggs.

Answer 5

chickens will eat damn near any kind of feed, it shouldn't have a negative effect on taste, not so sure about production though.

Answer 6

Chickens eat anything. You will not notice. Could make their feathers shinier or something I guess.

Answer 7

to get to the otherside of the ..no no wait wrong joke.
its food, is why they would eat it, and it wont affect their eggs