Is feeding oatmeal to chickens ok???

[Bear1978]

Oatmeal?? Ok.. interesting.

All I know is that I have a big rubber storage tote in the backyard about 20ft from the chicken run. I move it off the spot it’s at about every other day bcs crickets love to hide under it. The chickens have learned that when they see me moving the tote, good tasty squiggling treats aka crickets are on their way so they all line up at the fence waiting for their turn to get a cricket. Those things have nothing on oatmeal. Blah! they will
Literally tackle one another to the ground trying to get the cricket away from the other chicken! Who needs oatmeal! Lol. Interesting thread tho.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I posted my thoughts (at length) in another thread. Here's a link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...meal-to-chickens.1339256/page-4#post-21942543

Short answer, I have a very low opinion of that article (poor quality research/expert, footnotes that are no good.)

I think that oatmeal is not particularly bad for chickens, but I also think it is far more sensible to just serve the usual chicken feed, wetted with warm water (in cold weather) or cold water (in warm weather.) The chickens like it just as much, it's easier and usually cheaper, and it is properly balanced nutritionally.

Yeah, 100% agree. The chicken chick has some good and some real garbage on her site, take it all with a grain of salt.

Oatmeal is totally fine for chickens, it's super high in protein compared to other grains, just go for it.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Got some expired baby oatmeal from my local food pantry to save it from landfill. Been feeding it to the flock little-by-little (still have lots left). The flock loves it and seem healthy and happy.

 

[nao57]

That oatmeal is beautiful.

 

[MagnusT]

Can we give them just the oats in the "uncooked" form, or does it need to be cooked into oatmeal? We have a huge box of rolled oats we sometimes use for making porridge/oatmeal, or for baking oat cookies. I'd love to give some to the flock but not sure whether it has to be cooked or not.

 

[NatJ]

Uncooked is fine.

 

[MagnusT]

Uncooked is fine.

Thank you! ♡

 

[nao57]

Thank you! ♡

But you get more gas mileage with cooked. And its the same with sprouted grains getting more gas mileage than unsprouted also.

 

[Sonya9]

Can we give them just the oats in the "uncooked" form, or does it need to be cooked into oatmeal? We have a huge box of rolled oats we sometimes use for making porridge/oatmeal, or for baking oat cookies. I'd love to give some to the flock but not sure whether it has to be cooked or not.

Rolled oats are already cooked (steamed and rolled). You can eat them without cooking too with cold milk like any other cereal.

 

[MagnusT]

You guys are so helpful, thank you!