How do you feed OATS to chickens?

[Gypsy07]

Quote:

Surely if uncooked oats going to expand anywhere and cause problems it would be in their crops, not their stomachs?

 

[Stacykins]

Snopes disproves that rice, for instance, explodes in the stomachs of birds. It would be the same for all other grains. It is a myth that has been spread over, and over again. If whole, uncooked grains were such a problem, sparrows, songbirds, and all manners of birds would explode after feasting on a field of grain, wild grains, etc.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

I'm a practical sort of chicken farmer and my scratch consists of BOSS, plain raw oats, wheat, cracked corn and some wild bird seed thrown in too. The whole oats are the ones left in the bottom of the feeder. ( Yes, I have layer pellets always there!)
BUT... search some BYC threads on sprouting!
I found that sprouting the oats turns them from the least favorite to LET ME AT IT!
Just soak about an inch or two of raw oats in water for a few hours and then let them sit for a few days till you see sprouts. When the sprouts are as long as the grain, give it to the chickens and step back quickly.
Sprouting is supposed to increase the protein and I found that during the winter sprouted oats really helped with condition and egg production. So there: a practical reason to feed oats in a special way!

 

[ladybug99]

I did not think your question was dumb at all...I enjoyed reading all the wide range of answers it got

 

[X2Farm]

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Um.... all my birds are healthy lil heathens... I don't cook any of thier feed before giving it to em! Oats included!

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
This is as untrue as rice expand in there stomach!
Where did you get this information?

Think about it for a minute, most whole grain feed and scratch grain has Oats in it and it is uncooked and nothing bad happens to the birds when you feed it.
Another way you can look at is that chickens have a gizzard that grinds up there food before it even gets into the stomach.

It might be a typo but you wrought, "stomachs and cause all kinds of bad stuff to happen"
Chickens have only one (1) stomach.

Chris

 

[fishnet1971]

oh please please PLEASE dont get mad at us, we are all just funnin with you! yea, that was actually a photo ofmy roo Bird and YES he was eating quaker oatmeal off my spoon. and YES it was apples and spice. ( I found it at a flea market for pennies). yes, some of us treat our birds like others would a familiy dog, or like. we mean well here. We really do. Dont stop asking questions, that how those of us that dont know things learn!

 

[Jabbok]

So being new to this chicken stuff as well, quick oats are ok, too? I've been giving mine some as a treat and they seem to love them and have had no ill effects. I was thinking about buying some whole oats from tractor supply. My chicken love cracked corn and they get layer crumbles (they hated the pellets).

 

[vfem]

I think it was a GREAT question... I sure as heck didn't know the answer to it myself! Now I know!

...and knowing is half the battle! LOL

 

[Mogli]

i feed my hens winter wheat WHOLE i just always sprinkle grit in with so the have grit with it they love wheat