How do you feed OATS to chickens?

[Sterkfarm]

Think of it this way...there are parents in this world that would never dream of letting their kids go through the day without a home cooked meal...and others are happy to let their kids self serve cap'n crunch and fast food on a regular. and ne'er the twain shall meet. But you can bet the cap'n crunchers are making fun of the raw foodies and the pie-baking mamas...farmers and BY flockers are likely no different! No offence intended to anyone here...It just happens to be a relatable example about how passionate we all are about our feather kids! (Ironically I'm a meal cooker yet an oat scatterer). And I think sometimes noobs are occasionally taken aback by that passion! LOL

 

[LBejaran]

I was just looking up how to feed whole oats, too, because I've been meaning to up the protein I feed my flock. I think this was a valid question, considering how different everyone's methods are. My chickens, so far, have eaten everything I've fed them before. I figure that they'll take to oats just as well. I might soak some of their feed anyway, though. It looks like some of them aren't getting all that they can out of their feed. Soaking/fermenting their feed in apple cider vinegar is probably the next step for me. It also will probably lower feed costs, considering soaked feed takes up more room in their crops. I bet they'll love it!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I was just looking up how to feed whole oats, too, because I've been meaning to up the protein I feed my flock. I think this was a valid question, considering how different everyone's methods are. ...

Oats are higher in protein than corn and wheat but still much lower than chicken feed.
Sunflower, amaranth, quinoa, flax and pumpkin seeds are high in protein.
Seeds/grains are limited in the number of amino acids that make up that protein content. This is why poultry feed ingredients include either soy/peas or fish/porcine meal to supplement the amino acids of grains.
Chickens don't assimilate as many amino acids as humans so more are essential to their diet than humans.

 

[MelissaTXRn]

I had some organic, raw hot cereal mix from the herbal store.(for humans) It had oats, flax, wheat bran, and a few other things I can't recall. I fed it to the girls and they went at it like it white in rice!!! I didn't cook it, just tossed it out like scratch. Not a morsels left and none of them had problems.

 

[LBejaran]

Oats are higher in protein than corn and wheat but still much lower than chicken feed.
Sunflower, amaranth, quinoa, flax and pumpkin seeds are high in protein.
Seeds/grains are limited in the number of amino acids that make up that protein content. This is why poultry feed ingredients include either soy/peas or fish/porcine meal to supplement the amino acids of grains.
Chickens don't assimilate as many amino acids as humans so more are essential to their diet than humans.

I was just planning on using it as a supplemental addition to our existing feed. I understand that they need more than oats for a balanced diet, but I think it'll be great with the feed we have now. It's also an inexpensive filler that I know they'll enjoy. I can also sprout some oats, woot! It's just a daily treat for them alongside their current feed. I feed them their scraps when I dish out the normal feed. Might as well just mix in the oats and save time.

 

[kilby]

I agree with Chickencanoe,
If you want easier digestion though You can make softened which is just like sprouting but you can give them the next day. I pour the nutritious juice from the soaking into the compost. Next time I might try giving it to them as a drink though. Sprouted seed with a little extra rinsing every day will get you 10 times the nutrition of just the grain. I have done this for my budgies and lovebirds for decades and now I do it for the hens. They go crazy for those man. My Americauna, who I treat special because she is so stressed from the others she quit laying and she has lost weight and feathers, (They wont let her alone.) She wont sleep or get up unless she gets those sprouts till she cant eat no more

Sprouting legume like lentils for them is still a question mark for me since the uncooked state is poisonous. Any thoughts?

 

[Michael Apple]

I don't soak oats. Known lots of people who do and they wonder why their birds have diarrhea, likely from fermentation or getting sour. The fermentation process is the result of bacterial action, so anything fermented is a perfect environment for bacteria and germs to grow. If people want to soak them, that's their choice. I wouldn't do it so long that they ferment. When I feed oats, I feed them split and dry with the husks still on them, which are beneficial in preventing cannibalism in younger fowl, and improve feathering in older fowl. I saw a research paper from Ohio University once. It mentioned soaking of oats versus not soaking, and found the results received didn't justify the time and trouble spent soaking them.

 

[LBejaran]

I'm not sure what the catalyst was, but my flock has been significantly calmer ever since I changed their feed to a mix of layer crumbles, whole oats, and a small portion of scratch grains. I'd like to think it's the more balanced diet, but I'm starting to think it's the addition of oats. They absolutely love them! My flighty game hens are starting to not mind being snatched up, a young cockerel, who normally wouldn't come within ten feet of me, hopped into my lap today. It was absolutely surreal. The only ones who don't care much for them are my turkeys, but they are only sneaking bites of the flock feed before I feed them their crumbles.

Other than that, all is well. I'm surprised by how much they enjoy their feed now, considering they were hesitant the first time I fed them oats. Looks like I have a new combination that works!

 

[waldeneffect]

We've been experimenting with planting oats in one of our chicken pastures.

Here's a blog post on a break down of how it went and how it's going.

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/Annual_chicken_pasture_with_oats_and_peas/

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

We've been experimenting with planting oats in one of our chicken pastures.

Here's a blog post on a break down of how it went and how it's going.

http://www.avianaquamiser.com/posts/Annual_chicken_pasture_with_oats_and_peas/

I like your website- I have been to it several times.