Chicken Treats -feeding oatmeal to chickens

[Chickenlover425]

Just read article on chicken treats which included hot oatmeal. In winter, I used to make it every morning for my feathered family along with Kefir, which I make and give them everyday. However, I read an article, posted in one of your forums, which stated that hot oatmeal is too glutenous for them to digest properly and is more harmful than helpful to their digestive tract and absorption.

Now I'm not sure what to do, because they did love that warm tasty breakfast in the cold weather.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

If you didn't notice any nutrient deficient problems in your flock when you where feeding it I would continue to feed it occasionally. It reminds me of people that say don't give babies/kids this or that, I did it and guess what ; they are alive and well.

 

[TooCheep]

Don't believe everything you read, including on BYC. Both eggs and chicken meat are gluten-free, so even the gluten-sensitive can eat them so long as no gluten-products (breading, etc) are added.

As for the chickens themselves, I've never seen a reaction from my flock other than to love their small hot oatmeal treat on cold days, particularly when topped with dried meal worms. Yummm...

 

[Ebony Rose]

There was a big push when I was growing up to say that margarine was healthier than butter. We all know better now. Only believe half of what you read, and only believe THAT after you've done your own research.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

There was a big push when I was growing up to say that margarine was healthier than butter. We all know better now. Only believe half of what you read, and only believe THAT after you've done your own research.

Unfortunately not everyone knows now. People in America are drinking Almond "Milk" nut juice which is 99% man made 1% Almonds and think it is healthier than Whole Cow's Milk. Drink whole cows milk and whole almond nuts and do themselves a favor.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Unfortunately not everyone knows now. People in America are drinking Almond "Milk" nut juice which is 99% man made 1% Almonds and think it is healthier than Whole Cow's Milk. Drink whole cows milk and whole almond nuts and do themselves a favor.

First ingredient list that I found for "almond milk" with a google search: (Filtered Water, Almonds), Cane Sugar, Contains Less Than 2% Of: Vitamin & Mineral Blend (Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Acetate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2), Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Sunflower Lecithin, Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum, Ascorbic Acid (To Protect Freshness)... Mostly water, sugar and almonds with some mix of vitamin/mineral and stabilizers & thickeners added (all those gums).

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

There are lawsuits going on about the actual amount of almonds in the products.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

There are lawsuits going on about the actual amount of almonds in the products.

Also about referring to it as “milk”, I believe?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Drink whole cows milk and whole almond nuts and do themselves a favor.

My lactose intolerant gut unfortunately disagrees with this. Though thankfully lactose free dairy is now easier to find.

 

[NatJ]

Now I'm not sure what to do, because they did love that warm tasty breakfast in the cold weather.

I've been known to serve "chicken meal mush." It's just the usual chicken food (crumbles or pellets) plus water. The chickens seem to love it.
I serve it warm but not hot, which means I use either warm or hot water, depending on how cold the dry feed starts out. Crumbles soak up the water faster than pellets, but either will work.