BOSS and Omega 3's

[Chickens R Us]

I have a neighbor that buys eggs from me and we were talking about my chickens and the different treats I give them. I told her that I give them sprouted BOSS, she said that then there is probably Omega 3's in my eggs. I told her I just give it as treats but I would look on the internet and check. The only thing I can find is on horses and there is some Omega 3 and more Omega 6 but they were talking about BOSS as a regular part of their diet and not sprouted. So now for my question is there Omega 3's in sprouted BOSS and would giving chickens a 5 qt' pail of sprouted BOSS to 34 chickens be enough to put omega 3's in the eggs. I don't give them the BOSS for that purpose but it does make their feathers look nice. Just curious.

 

[sourland]

I'll be following this - hopefully someone has factual information.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Below in red find this from www.whfoods.com on the availability of omega 3 fatty acid in black oil Sunflower seeds. Aka BOSS. You should also remember that Whole Foods is not an uninterested party in this food fight. At some level either known or unknown to Whole Foods they have a chefs knife to grind as it were with every other grocery or food producer on Earth.

“Virtually all egg yolks contain omega-3 fats. However, the amount of omega-3s varies with the amount of foods containing omega-3s that are eaten by the hen. In recent years, a marketplace trend has witnessed the development of omega-3 enriched eggs through the addition of omega-3 oils to the hen's feed. These oils have included menhaden oil, krill oil, flaxseed oil, and algae oil. Not surprisingly, the amount of omega-3s in an egg yolk can be increased by three to five times through supplementation of the hen's diet with these oils. Eggs with as much as 250 milligrams of omega-3s per yolk have been produced in this way. While these omega-3 benefits are clearly substantial, what we have been more excited to see in recent research studies is the ability of a hen's natural diet to increase the omega-3s in her eggs. Unlike some approaches to omega-3 enrichment that might involve the addition of processed oils to an already unnatural diet, pasture feeding approaches that offer the hen a generous amount of legumes rich in omega-3s—like clover and alfalfa....”

Here in blue is a post from some of our friends at www.horseforum.com Yes I know this doesn’t exactly clear up the muddle over a chickens' diet but it goes to show that Sunflower seeds are high in calories and I suspect that is why as a girl my grandmother grew Sunflowers in my Great Grand Daddies garden and dried the seed heads to supplement her and my Great Grand Mothers free range hens' diets during the Winter.

BOSS are packed full of vitamins and minerals. Here is a look at a nutritional profile for sunflower seeds for human consumption:General Nutrients:
NutrientAmount
(per 1 lb)NutrientAmount
(per 1 lb)Calories2588.40 Protein103.50 g Carbohydrates85.25 g Fiber
(dietary)47.74 g Sugars15.03 g Fat225.46 g Water24.38 g Omega-3
Fatty Acids0.25 g Omega-6
Fatty Acids148.40 g Lysine24.5 mg Vitamins:
VitaminAmount
(per 1 lb)VitaminAmount
(per 1 lb)Vitamin A222.48 IU Thiamin10.36 mg Riboflavin1.14 mg Niacin20.46 mg Vitamin B63.54 mg Vitamin C6.32 mg Vitamin E340.50 IUFolate1033.90 mcg Vitamin K12.25 mcg Pantothenic Acid30.69 mg Minerals:
MineralAmount
(per 1 lb)MineralAmount
(per 1 lb)Calcium527.43 mg Copper7.96 mg Iron30.82 mg Magnesium1609.57 mg Manganese9.22 mg Phosphorus3205.50 mg Potassium3132.75 mg Selenium270.53 mcg Sodium13.64 mg Zinc22.99 mg They are also high in amino acids...which are very important for muscle building and maintenance....
Black Oil Sunflower Seeds have two visible positive effects on horses:

1. Great SHINY coats
2. Weight gain

When fed in smaller amounts, they will give your horse a nice shiny coat (and improve hooves, according to some owners) without the weight gain. However, at 2500 calories/lb. They can also be fed at higher levels to add some calories to your horse's diet and assist with weight gain. They are preferred by many owners over oil due to the fact that they provide fat along with other nutrients.

Now this in green from our friends at www.horsetopia.com, again not exactly the number one authority on chickens.

Yes, sunflower seeds were used by many in the past, and still are by some, to supply Omega fatty acids to horses. However, in light of new research info, Sunflower seeds have too much omega 6 to omega 3, thus is not recommended to be fed by latest equine nutritional standards, Omega 6 is inflammatory, while omega 3 is anti inflammatory Therefore, the only sources of fats for horses, with ratios of omega 6 to 3 in the right range, are flax, fish oil (not very tasty ! ) and canola oil

Now it's your turn.

 

[Chickens R Us]

Interesting read. I'm going to just assume that the little bit I feed them is good for their feathers but not enough to add any Omega3's in any amount. The real reason I feed them sprouted BOSS is because they go crazy for it. That's all I care about.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Interesting read. I'm going to just assume that the little bit I feed them is good for their feathers but not enough to add any Omega3's in any amount. The real reason I feed them sprouted BOSS is because they go crazy for it.

INMO this is the best philosophy. "Everything in moderation and moderation in everything." In this way you create no damage. But like during a gold rush, we humans are always looking for a quick fix for all of our problems, both personal and financial. This irrational rush to easy answers gives the snake oil sales men time to pluck and cook the goose of every pigeon in sight. Sorry for all the metaphors. But heck, its CHRISTMAS, and that means that it is time now to brew a fresh pot of Joe, and unwrap the rum soaked fruit cake.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!