Whole Dried Peas?

[Zanna]

Can/Should you feed chickens whole dried spring planted peas? I feed wheat whole, crack the corn in summer and leave it whole in the winter. The peas are larger than the wheat but smaller than the whole dried corn. I have a large electric crimper/cracker and it cracks super fast but is this necessary? Always looking for ways to make things easier!

 

[countrygoddess]

I feed whole grains, too, and dried field peas. I do crack those, though, because Harvey Ussery does (author of The Small Scale Poultry Flock). Maybe it isn't necessary--they gobble up the whole ones I sometimes throw down for them. BTW, what kind of electric crimper/cracker do you have? Mine is hand-cranked and nearly useless for cracking the peas and corn so I'm in the market for an electric one.

 

[Zanna]

I feed whole grains, too, and dried field peas. I do crack those, though, because Harvey Ussery does (author of The Small Scale Poultry Flock). Maybe it isn't necessary--they gobble up the whole ones I sometimes throw down for them. BTW, what kind of electric crimper/cracker do you have? Mine is hand-cranked and nearly useless for cracking the peas and corn so I'm in the market for an electric one.

We have late Grandpa's old crimper/cracker, I will have to look at the brand name but I don't think this particular one is available anymore. It works awesome but the rollors have gotten too smooth so we need to send those in and get them worked on. The peas crack in a heartbeat but it is starting to have a hard time with the corn. He used it for umpteen years on oats and corn for all of the farm animals.

I have read everywhere that the peas should be cracked but no reasons why. Always looking to make things simpler...............

 

[what did I do]

We feed a yellow field pea to our chickens. We have fed them whole and we have ran them through the roller/crimper. There is less waste with the ground feed but no difference in health of the chickens. I see nothing wrong with feeding whole peas, wheat, oats, barley or corn.

 

[countrygoddess]

We have late Grandpa's old crimper/cracker, I will have to look at the brand name but I don't think this particular one is available anymore. It works awesome but the rollors have gotten too smooth so we need to send those in and get them worked on. The peas crack in a heartbeat but it is starting to have a hard time with the corn. He used it for umpteen years on oats and corn for all of the farm animals.

I have read everywhere that the peas should be cracked but no reasons why. Always looking to make things simpler...............

I looked online today for used mills and good ones are SOOO expensive, even used! *sigh*

 

[countrygoddess]

We feed a yellow field pea to our chickens. We have fed them whole and we have ran them through the roller/crimper. There is less waste with the ground feed but no difference in health of the chickens. I see nothing wrong with feeding whole peas, wheat, oats, barley or corn.

I think as long as you provide enough granite grit for them, they'll consume what they need of that in order to be able to properly digest the whole grains and peas.

 

[what did I do]

I looked online today for used mills and good ones are SOOO expensive, even used!  *sigh*

Ours cost quite a bit too. It was about 100g but they threw in a chunk of land and some other buildings and junk.

 

[Zanna]

Ours cost quite a bit too. It was about 100g but they threw in a chunk of land and some other buildings and junk.

Actually sounds like a deal!!!

General consensus, peas are fine to feed whole. I got some responses on the "Old Timers Thread" as well. Thanks for all your opinions everyone, I will be feeding the peas whole!

 

[countrygoddess]

Ours cost quite a bit too. It was about 100g but they threw in a chunk of land and some other buildings and junk.

Haha, I meant electric or hand crank mills. Not grist mill buildings. ;-)

 

[Erica]

Hi Zanna,

have you thought of soaking/sprouting the peas? It makes them so much better nutritionally (lower levels of anti-nutritional compounds) and far easier for the birds to digest.

I sprout everything here: wheat; peas; corn; sunflower; you name it. Just soak 24 hours in a large water bucket then hang in a bag and feed out over the next 3-4 days. Works brilliantly and keeps birds in good health (along with other ingredients of course).

cheers
Erica