Feeding yogurt as a first snack

[lorain's fids]

Today I'll be giving the girls their first snack-yogurt. I'm wondering how much to put out for 6 chicks, that are 3 wks old. And do I just put it on a plate or in a bowl, and let them all share it. I'm guessing they will be walking through it also.LOL!!!

 

[Judy]

They'll probably walk through it and then eat it! You may find they accept it better if mixed with something, a bit of feed or a scrambled egg or whatever. I'd just give 2 or 3 tablespoons.

 

[emrys]

Tuna cans work well. I like a little depth so they can get their beaks in there and get a good taste. Sprinkle some of their regular food on top so it will look familiar.

 

[TrystInn]

Please don't give them yogurt - chickens are lactose intolerant. Find a treat better suited to their digestive system than something designed for mammals.

 

[GatorChickenRanch]

Quote:
I've given all of my birds plain yogurt with no adverse effects whatsoever. It should be safe.
Try putting out about 1/2 to 3/4 cup, it should be enough

 

[TrystInn]

Despite anecdotal evidence (and there's a lot of it), the dairy issue with birds is well known and researched. Please do not recommend it to others because you've been fortunate enough not to kill yours with it.

 

[lorain's fids]

Quote:
Actually all birds are lactose intolerant-BUT yogurt is benefical to their digestive systems. I have 2 parrots- a B&G Macaw, and a Love bird, they have plain yogurt all the time -( all the time meaning a tespoon full ever other day or so.) Their avian vet had told me it helps with the bacteria in their gut. Yogurt is fermented so it is not like other dairy/lactose products.

 

[TrystInn]

Sources:

http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/dairy.html
"Lactase (the enzyme necessary to digest and process lactose) is encoded by a single genetic locus on chromosome 2.[12] It is expressed exclusively by mammalian small intestine enterocytes and in very low levels in the colon during fetal development" - Wikipedia.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14519787
Chickens do not possess the necessary enzymes to efficiently hydrolyze lactose into glucose and galactose.

http://4hembryology.psu.edu/c-biology.html

If you can, get access to your extension office's reports on poultry. There's a lot of great information out there.

 

[OwensMom]

Quote:
TrystInn-during the process of making yogurt lactose is consumed. You are very right that birds are lactose intolerant but yogurt by its nature does not contain lactose, I make at least 1 gal of yogurt to feed to the chickens every week. It is good for them(and you) and has never made them sick. As a matter of fact, the first food my babies get is yogurt and I believe that it may prevent pasty butt.

 

[TrystInn]

I have no idea where this stupid myth was started about yogurt not having lactose, but it is incorrect - a 200g serving size of plain yogurt has roughly between 9 - 12 g of lactose. This information is readily found from reputable sources:

The American Dietetic Association states that a 6-oz. container of plain yogurt has about 12 g of lactose. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 6 oz. of low-fat skim milk yogurt has 13 g, and whole milk yogurt has 8 g of lactose. Tofu yogurt, from soymilk, has only 2.4 g of lactose; however, it does not have the same vitamin and mineral content as dairy yogurt.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/299216-the-amount-of-lactose-in-yogurt/#ixzz1SVS2iPuY