Feeding treats

[Cathy Roberts]

I have what is probably a couple dumb questions. Is it alright to give my chickens wheat bread instead of white? Is it healthy to give them any bread at all? I read somewhere not to feed them bread as treats.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm trying to think of a nice way to say this so please bear with me. Would it hurt you to eat a piece if wheat bread a day? Would it hurt you to eat a splice of white bead a day? Some people will say yes to both, some maybe will say yes to one or the other. You can always find someone to say that you should not do something. And they will have their own reasons for saying that. Yet many people eat two slices of white bread or two slices of wheat bread practically every day of their lives as a sandwich and do not think they are harming themselves.

Would it hurt you to eat a couple of loaves or more of white bread or wheat bread every day? I'd say probably, constipation if nothing else. In my opinion, if you feed your chickens wheat bread or white bread in moderation it will not hurt them. If you feed your chickens a huge amount of sunflower seeds so they are a major part of their diet every day it would probably not be good. But fed in moderation sunflower seeds are a good source of protein and the oil in them will make the feathers look really nice. If the only thing you fed your chickens every day was cabbage there would be consequences, but fed in moderation cabbage is a great treat.

 

[Acre4Me]

Bread isn’t the first thing I’d feed as a treat to chickens, but not likely to hurt anything (white or wheat) if fed as a treat. Treats should make up 10% or less of their daily intake of food. So, I think it’s about 1/3 Cup (80 ml volume) of feed a day per adult bird. 10 percent is just under 2 teaspoons (10ml volume) of treats per bird -assuming that my 1/3cup is correct (going from memory). So, keeping that in perspective, you’ll be giving them very little bread.

My birds think wet feed (feed+ water to batter consistency) is a treat! I sprinkle some seeds on top or mix in scrambled egg with shells and they are happy but still getting complete nutrition.

 

[Cathy Roberts]

Bread isn’t the first thing I’d feed as a treat to chickens, but not likely to hurt anything (white or wheat) if fed as a treat. Treats should make up 10% or less of their daily intake of food. So, I think it’s about 1/3 Cup (80 ml volume) of feed a day per adult bird. 10 percent is just under 2 teaspoons (10ml volume) of treats per bird -assuming that my 1/3cup is correct (going from memory). So, keeping that in perspective, you’ll be giving them very little bread.

My birds think wet feed (feed+ water to batter consistency) is a treat! I sprinkle some seeds on top or mix in scrambled egg with shells and they are happy but still getting complete nutrition.

Thank you!

 

[Cathy Roberts]

I'm trying to think of a nice way to say this so please bear with me. Would it hurt you to eat a piece if wheat bread a day? Would it hurt you to eat a splice of white bead a day? Some people will say yes to both, some maybe will say yes to one or the other. You can always find someone to say that you should not do something. And they will have their own reasons for saying that. Yet many people eat two slices of white bread or two slices of wheat bread practically every day of their lives as a sandwich and do not think they are harming themselves.

Would it hurt you to eat a couple of loaves or more of white bread or wheat bread every day? I'd say probably, constipation if nothing else. In my opinion, if you feed your chickens wheat bread or white bread in moderation it will not hurt them. If you feed your chickens a huge amount of sunflower seeds so they are a major part of their diet every day it would probably not be good. But fed in moderation sunflower seeds are a good source of protein and the oil in them will make the feathers look really nice. If the only thing you fed your chickens every day was cabbage there would be consequences, but fed in moderation cabbage is a great treat.

Thank you!