How do you feed OATS to chickens?

[Momagain1]

Considering I'm not a farm girl, was NEVER around chickens or any other animal persay other than cats...I had/have NO clue what to feed them, etc...

I thought...it doesnt hurt to ask and now feel a li'l bit stupid for asking..

I thought maybe it would swell up (I know it does tho - which helps us w/the fullness factor) and cause issues..
who knows..I didnt know...I had just finished reading up on where you give them hay etc..that it binds up inside...so I didnt know if there was something specific you needed to do..


my bad..will make sure I rethink questions from now on...

 

[Gypsy07]

Aw, don't feel bad, people were just funning with you. When you have concerns about something like that, like the oats swelling up and doing them damage, then you're always better to ask. I mean, you'd feel stupider if you DIDN'T ask and harmed your chooks. And I'm willing to bet that there are a whole lot of people on here that regularly serve up a hot breakfast in winter. I don't cook mine bacon and waffles, but I do pour hot water over their mash and mix it into a nice creamy paste for them. They love it!

 

[ChickieBooBoo]

I feed whole oats all the time, they love it

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Quote:
In spades.
I know lots of people who have chickens as PETS and treat them better than their kids or other pets. (after all they do feed us eggs)
It was many years before my kids fed me.
Cooking does change the molecular structure of food. The jury is still out on whether humans are better or worse off having discovered cooking.
IMO we haven't changed genetically since paleolithic man and should not cook OUR food let alone chickens.

Again.
There are no stupid questions but like many have said 'we make this stuff way harder than it needs to be'
Go with your gut. Use your common sense and imagine what a jungle fowl eats to get by and reproduce.
If you supplement what jungle fowl would eat with a balanced layer ration for layers or grower for young birds and clean water. They'll be fine whatever they get into.

 

[gettinaclue]

Don't let them get to you. It wasn't a stupid question.

 

[ginormous chicken]

In response to the OP. You can cook it, and awww.. that shows

to your chicken flock. Or you can just scatter it for them. Nutritionally, your chickens will get more out of it if you cooked it first. But, I am lazy... so I just spread it. Inccidentally, I ran out of starter a while ago and got a couple of chicks. You can grind it up and give it to chicks in a pinch!

 

[HHandbasket]

Quote:
We feed our girls cooked steel-cut oats and flaxseed almost every morning. Just cook 'em like regular oats. I add plain yogurt to them. The girls lap it up like a dog loves raw meat.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Rolled oats (from the feed store) have the hull attached and are flattened somewhat. They are what I feed my chickens in my recipe.

I have used whole oats and am planning to switch back to them since they are cheaper.

Oats are one of their least favorite things to eat in my recipe.

 

[donrae]

No one was implying you asked a stupid question. I think it was directed more toward some of the answers you got. You'll find a division on this board, some folks like to do extras for their birds and some are more business-like. You now have both sides' responses. When I tell you my thought, after looking at the thread title, was "on the ground", you'll easily guess which camp I'm in!

Please, feel free to ask questions. As stated, you'll feel worse if'n you don't ask and harm your birds. We ALL started somewhere, even those of us who forget that.

 

[tinychicky]

NEVER give chickens uncooked oats! they can expand in thier stomachs and cause all kinds of bad stuff to happen!


just my two cents