Feeding grains to chickens

[A V Davidson]

One of my questions is the same as that which another poster asked: "Can you feed chickens uncooked rice?" It was pretty well answered on that thread with a good deal more 'food for thought'.

I am very new at this -- we got our three baby chicks just two days ago. I have scads of wheat grain stored in the garage that I will never use on our table. I have been wondering if chickens (adult) are able to digest these hard grains...both red and white. Can wheat, like the suggestion for rice, be cooked to soften the outer shell and then presented safely to the chickens? I'm not talking about processed foods like Minute Rice or Cream of Wheat.

Are other whole grains like rye, barley and oats OK?

I will appreciate any applicable answers, and it certainly isn't a must that I use these grains. I can easily afford to purchase chicken scratch/feed from the store. It is just that that question came to my mind and I am completely a novice with chickens, except that I well know to keep them away from our ferret kids.

Thanks

Frogstomper

 

[adkhunter1590]

They can eat wheat no problem. I work at a flour mill and bring home wheat all the time for them to eat. They love it.

 

[A V Davidson]

Is the wheat you refer to the grain? or has the outer shell been cracked? Thanks

 

[redsix]

One of my questions is the same as that which another poster asked: "Can you feed chickens uncooked rice?" It was pretty well answered on that thread with a good deal more 'food for thought'.

I am very new at this -- we got our three baby chicks just two days ago. I have scads of wheat grain stored in the garage that I will never use on our table. I have been wondering if chickens (adult) are able to digest these hard grains...both red and white. Can wheat, like the suggestion for rice, be cooked to soften the outer shell and then presented safely to the chickens? I'm not talking about processed foods like Minute Rice or Cream of Wheat.

Are other whole grains like rye, barley and oats OK?

I will appreciate any applicable answers, and it certainly isn't a must that I use these grains. I can easily afford to purchase chicken scratch/feed from the store. It is just that that question came to my mind and I am completely a novice with chickens, except that I well know to keep them away from our ferret kids.

Thanks

Frogstomper

If it will sprout. Might want to feed it that way. It is more nutritional. There are instructions on how to do it on this forum..

 

[shortgrass]

Absolutely they can eat wheat; I use more wheat in my mix than corn

I also use oats, sorghum, millet, BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds), rye, and Buckwheat...at times known to use flaxseed or hempseed too (I'm in Colorado).

Really, they can digest any and all grains; they have a gizzard to grind it up.

And in all actuality, fresh whole grains are better for them, because they don't lose nutrients as fast as pelleted feed.

Fermenting or growing fodder is an excellent way to get even more bang out of fresh grain, and they waste less; you can certainly sprout the wheat berries and feed them shoots

 

[A V Davidson]

Thanks to all. Very helpful information and I appreciate every word of it.

Frogstomper