Adding wheat to chicken feed?

[Lesalynn]

What are your arguments for or against adding wheat to your chicken feed? Are there any benefits to it? Is it harmful in any way? Have any of you tried it?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

What is the purpose for adding the wheat? To make it cheaper? Increase the nutrition or what?

If your feed is in the usual 15-16% protein range then adding more than a very little wheat will simply serve to dilute the birds protein intake which would be counter-productive. If the protein content is higher, say in the 18% range, you could add a fair amount of wheat and not lessen the overall protein intake too much but if they are not also free ranged it may well serve to mess up the amino acid profile of what they are taking in which could then throw off their egg laying.

If you're feeding a decent protein content complete ration then a half a handful of wheat per bird per day will not hurt anything. More than that just might depending on your circumstances.

 

[Lesalynn]

We use a layer pellet with 21% protein content. I have been letting them free-range several times a week. We recently filled a covered barrel with wheat to take to the deer camp for planting. Well, there was some spillage, and the chickens found it. They loved it. It just got me wondering if I should give them some from time to time as a treat.

 

[SebrightLuver]

I throw down all kinds of whole grain, wheat, oats, canola, corn... anything. They love it.

 

[Tracydr]

Wheat is high in riboflavin and methionine. Sprouted wheat is even better.

 

[thewobsers]

We have been given free wheat from a farmer it is good and clean. SO we feed it to the chickens and let them run out of their commercial layer feed, now they are laying less and we wondered what to give them to help resume egg laying. Should we use a game bird layer feed since it is higher in protein or would any layer feed do? We have buckeyes and comet hens and a couple buckeye roos. What ratio should the wheat be to other feed?
oh and they get kitchen scraps too. Any one have a sucess in this?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

We have been given free wheat from a farmer it is good and clean. SO we feed it to the chickens and let them run out of their commercial layer feed, now they are laying less and we wondered what to give them to help resume egg laying. Should we use a game bird layer feed since it is higher in protein or would any layer feed do? We have buckeyes and comet hens and a couple buckeye roos. What ratio should the wheat be to other feed?
oh and they get kitchen scraps too. Any one have a sucess in this?

Your wheat is probably around 12-14% protein. It is good for them. Yes, I agree it doesn't have enough nutrition or protein by itself. See my BYC page as I use it in my mix too.

If you want to mix it with a commercial feed, that is fine...I would go for the 20% range such as FlockRaiser feed, so that you end up somewhere near the 16% range in the end, which is what layer feed usually is.

If feeding FlockRaiser you need to supply oyster shell on the side for sure. Also make sure they have access to grit or are free ranging (size #3 at the feed store for adults).(This is so they can properly digest whole grains.)

The following website if you scroll down will help you in mixing it...but I like to use pounds instead of parts, as learned here on BYC.
http://www.lionsgrip.com/protein.html