Feeding rice to my chickens

[chickenjohn]

Can i feed chickens cooked rice as a substitute to their layer pellet diet or should rice been seen as a treat?

 

[rooster-red]

Rice would be a treat, it doesn't have all the nutrients of the layer feed.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Cooked rice should never be a substitute for layer feed......just an extra treat....

 

[chickenjohn]

So I guess rice could not even be part of their weekly diet, just a treat like scratch. Layer feed is always free choice as is oyster shells for my chickens. I just did not know if I could feed them rice as part of there diet.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

If it was me I would limit how many times a week they got cooked rice...but thats me...it's not to be a sub for them having their layer feed which they might not eat as much of if given lots of rice or any treat....any treats or scraps can cause hens to stop laying if they are given too much from what I have read...
Don't get me wrong I do feed my chickens cooked rice too, just not often...maybe once every 2 weeks....

 

[chickenjohn]

Thanks you guys this really answers my question. Only on a treat basis because, I do not want them to stop laying. The only thing is I hate to waste table scraps. I guess i will just have to get more chickens to take care of them. One more question. If I feed them table scraps Should i hold off on the scratch grains? They only get treats every couple of days which probably consists of 20% of their diet. Is that to much?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I don't think thats too much....and I throw a few handfuls of scratch here too just in the evenings since the weather has turned cold...it helps them keep warm on the roost at night....

More chickens is always a good choice!!....LOL

 

[chickenjohn]

Well sounds great i have 16 chickens now and i think my wife would kill me if I got any more. I have 5 BO and 11 GLWs the BOs are my favorite. They are so sweet!! Well guess I'm off to work. Guess i will let them putter along with the diet they have now thanks.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

We feed our chickens steamed rice everyday. We will usually prepare the day before in the rice cooker. We add DE, some crumble, ground flax seed and rice hulls work well. Never had a sick chicken and they love it, it is great on a cold morning to give them some warm freshly cooked rice they love it with a little steam coming off it. In Asia that is the main feed for chickens they don't feed corn or grain and they have been doing it for 1000's of years, wild birds love it like it was ice cream. We also feed our chickens vegetables, watercress, greens, steam zuchinni and they free range.

 

[Barnyard Dawg]

I had for lunch today millet soaked in water and then cooked into what is a congee it is wonderful and again not utilized in the States but eaten widely in Asia. Chickens love it too. Millet muffins are also wonderful, if it is good for the birds it is good for us.