No oats for our chickens!!

[Ms Clucky]

I gave my hen that was sick oats. She loved them. It made her seem to feel better too. After that, if I was to fix me some oats, she would go crazy and want some. She was in the house at this time.

 

[CoChiChick]

This is oatmeal.... New Country Organics and other feed companies add oats in as part of their feed mixes. It's all about balance. There is not one single grain that provided chickens with all the protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that a chicken needs. That is why feed companies use a variety of different grains and mineral mixes. Offering as a treat is ok, esp with a balanced diet.

http://www.mofga.org/Portals/2/Fact Sheets/FS 13 Feeding Whole Grains to Chickens.pdf

 

[Kayla's Lunch]

Thanks for the article. It was very interesting.

 

[Mosey2003]

I don't like that woman.

I know a breeder that advocates keeping whole oats (like for horses) available free choice, as the fiber is beneficial. His birds aren't suffering or dying. I'm gonna add some ground up to the feed whenever I get around to it, too. But I know my feed is high protein and I know how to calculate the changes I'm making.

 

[CoChiChick]

I don't like that woman.

Some of her info in useful, but I don't agree with everything she has to say. I use what I find useful and move on or continue to research on the rest. No one's approach is going to be the same as another's.

I know a breeder that advocates keeping whole oats (like for horses) available free choice, as the fiber is beneficial. His birds aren't suffering or dying. I'm gonna add some ground up to the feed whenever I get around to it, too. But I know my feed is high protein and I know how to calculate the changes I'm making.

New Country Organics uses oats in their grower and layer feed, whole I believe. I think they grind them for starter feed. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

I am planning to mix my own feed once I get all of my chicks past the starter feed stage. I have been mixing a bit of whole oats and barley in with their fermented started feed now that they are all over 6 weeks. We feed Scratch & Peck so they get a lot of grains anyways. I have read and researched for hours and I think that I can mix a pretty balanced feed using Garden Betty's calculator and ordering bulk organic grains and minerals from Azure plus offering calcium free-choice once the pullets start laying.

 

[Ms Clucky]

Which woman don't you like? I hope not me

 

[ChocolateMouse]

@Ms Clucky, I think they were referring to The Chicken Chick. She's a 'lifestyle blogger', not so much a chicken expert. Some of her stuff is useful, some is nonsense, and all of it is there to generate traffic on her website. Take it with a grain of salt.

Yeah, if you feed any animal straight oatmeal they're probably gonna have problems. It's a bit of a silly article.

 

[Ms Clucky]

Oh. My Brownie girl was sick and we fed her oatmeal. She was ruling our house for a while so when we would fix oatmeal for us, she would try to jump up in my plate to get it.

 

[Mosey2003]

Which woman don't you like? I hope not me

The Chicken Fraud, not you

 

[mixedbreeds]

I feed my chickens cooked oatmeal witn some pumpkin in the winter for warm treats in the cold mornings. I have never had a problem and they love it. I also grind up a little and sprinkle over chick feed for pasty butt again never had a problem. You just don’t want to give it to them as a primary feed.