Horse Oats? --- updated, WHOLE oats with hulls?

[GoodEgg]

Thanks for the suggestion, PineGrove. I think I will soak these.

I did feed some straight from the bag to see if they would eat them. They are WHOLE oats, which wasn't what I was expecting. Normally I feed the flakes (old fashioned) from the grocery store that you would use to make oatmeal.

I wasn't sure if they could handle these, so I fed just a small amount. They snapped them up. With the hulls and all I'm not sure I should feed too much though? (I do feed whole flax seed too, but they are much smaller.)

The ducks ate them too. That surprised me ... they are a picky bunch and don't like much of any kind of feed except chick starter.

Still, $10 for 50 lb is a whole lot better than what I was spending. I think the cheapest I got before was about $2 for 2lb.

But I wonder if I should have asked for something different, and if whole oats are ok? Maybe I should crush them or grind them or something ... ?

Thanks everyone,
trish

 

[Standard Hen]

Horse oats are are great economical treat for the chickens! If you go to a regular feed store they sontimes have 25lb bags too. I did buy the big cans of oatmeal which my chickens gobble up for treats and then said what the heck am I doing when I can just give them horse oats! I do not feed my horses oats as they are on a pelleted feed but it hit me one day when I was in the feed store. Duh. Now that winter will be here soon I will switch to scratch feed for their treat as it has corn and oats. I do make sure I give them the corn for extra warmth in the winter.

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I don't feed whole oats to horses or chickens. I use crimped or steam rolled oats.

I have been told that the hull of the whole oats can pierce the lining of the intestines & stomach of horses.
Even growing up on a farm in Minnesota,where we raised our own feed, we always ran the oats through a crimper for the horses.

This is just my opinion, others may & probably will disagree.


Jean

 

[Standard Hen]

Rafter I was going to suggest that but once I got writing I forgot as there are a few types of oats. I am almost positive that the scratch feed I give them for a treat in winter has whole oats. Or maybe they are crimped because now that I think of it I do see hulls left over. I will have to do some research here!
I myself have never heard that about the hulls peircing the stomach lining but that does not mean I disagree, just never heard it. I have always fed my horses feed pelleted and when I have seen them fed oats it is usally the crimped or rolled.

 

[GoodEgg]

I wish I had a camera ... ok, I did a photobucket account. Hopefully one day I can get a camera and I will have actual pics to share.

The oats look kinda like this:

I worried about it when I saw them (after I opened the bag!) ...

They look sharp on the edges, and I was afraid they might not be safe to eat, puncturing as you mentioned. But then I thought of the way the crop works, and I am HOPING that what they do is eat foods and then it is ground up?

I know, probably some stupid questions, but I'm still learning about chickens' digestive processes. I'm a lot more comfortable with parrots and finches in that.

So if anyone can tell me they are NOT safe to feed like this, I would appreciate knowing it. So far I am feeding in small amounts, and they do not seem to ever crack the hull. The flax seeds they eat whole as well. Even the ducks are eating the oats whole.

I'm setting some in to soak, seems this would be safer? If I have to I will crush them with a rolling pin, or sprout them (do they sprout?) or whatever I need to do. They are just treats, so I don't mind doing that with a small amount. And $2-3 per week from the grocery store for rolled oats was getting to be too much! (Especially since I feed them other stuff too ... they were supposed to be "composters" for us, but now I realize that we don't generally have enough leftover to offer them much.)

Thanks SO much!

trish

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I'm not sure about the whole oats in chickens. I don't know if the sharp points on the hulls would pierce the crop or not.
I would think that soaking them would make them soft enough not to do any damage.

Just feel them after you soak them, if they are soft, then go for it.

Like I said, I don't feed them to my chickens or horses. Since I feed the crimped oats to the horses, that is what my chickens get.

I do know of people that feed the whole oats to chickens, & they have not had any problems. My Dad told me not to feed them to my horses when I was little, so I just don't do it, even now.

Do what you feel comfortable with. Some brands of whole oats are "cleaner" than others. Some will have barbs on the ends of the hulls, some will have cracked hulls which should not be as sharp as others.

Jean

 

[Pine Grove]

Whole oats are completly safe for chickens. But even better soaked for 3 or more days, You can even add acv or vitamins to the soaked oats, sprouted oats are good too

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks so much for the info.

They are fine so far after eating them several times, small amounts. I also have a largish container of them soaking in water. I'll put some in acv too. I have enough oats to spare, LOL.

Thanks again, everyone.

trish

 

[seminolewind]

Hi, I had a rooster that ate textured horse feed (lots of oats) for 5 years and loved it. However, I think for layers, they need higher protein, and calcium, I guess you can supply calcium separately. Karen

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks, Karen!

I'm just giving a few handfuls of oats now and then, to give them something to search around for in the run and to keep them occupied when I have to come in the coop and I *don't* want them all streaming out the door. I'm starting to wish I'd gotten them used to coming out of the run instead of the coop.

But buying the oats, and having my boss suggest alfalfa (I said a couple of mine are smaller and she suggested alfalfa to increase their appetite ... most of them don't NEED any increase in appetite!) ... I've been thinking about it ...

If the co-op starts to deliver here, or if I can find stuff I like the quality/price of at the local mill here, I might start mixing my own feed once they are a little older. I like the idea of knowing more exactly what they are getting. I'd have to do a lot of research first though.

We have a lady locally who raises various poultry for meat and eggs, and she mixes her own feeds. She adds fish meal and flax and I don't know what-all and her eggs are FANTASTIC!

Thanks again for the reply.

trish