Oat groats for chicken?

[Agathe]

I'm not sure about the right terminology, but I got a bag of whole grain oats that is originally meant for horses. It has the chaff still on it. As far as I can find, whole grain oats are fine to feed chicken, but does that include when the outer shell is still attached? It's 25 kilos worth of food, so I want to make sure before I feed them any of it. Is it better to process it somehow?

 

[Perris]

are they grains awned? The awns can cause problems getting stuck in the crop according to old poultry handbooks. Whole grain oats available here and marketed for horses have been processed to remove the awns, though they miss a few of course. If what you've got is the same, it's relatively easy to spot any awns and snap them off.

 

[Agathe]

are they grains awned? The awns can cause problems getting stuck in the crop according to old poultry handbooks. Whole grain oats available here and marketed for horses have been processed to remove the awns, though they miss a few of course. If what you've got is the same, it's relatively easy to spot any awns and snap them off.

Is that the long hairs on the grains? I don't think it does. I'll try to get a photo of the grains to be sure.

 

[Perris]

yes that's right

 

[Agathe]

are they grains awned? The awns can cause problems getting stuck in the crop according to old poultry handbooks. Whole grain oats available here and marketed for horses have been processed to remove the awns, though they miss a few of course. If what you've got is the same, it's relatively easy to spot any awns and snap them off.

This is the grain. All I can see are some bits of straw.

 

[Perris]

yes that's de-awned oat grains. I soak/ferment it before feeding. This is the feedipedia page for it if you want to check out the nutritional values https://www.feedipedia.org/node/231

 

[Agathe]

yes that's de-awned oat grains. I soak/ferment it before feeding. This is the feedipedia page for it if you want to check out the nutritional values https://www.feedipedia.org/node/231

Thanks so much for your help! I'll soak them too before feeding them.

 

[Percheron chick]

Just feed as is. My chickens will feed on oat hay, baled oats still on the stalk, picking out the oats and leaving the stem. Just like any natural seed that they would pick up while out foraging. Oats definitely aren't their favorite but they do get eaten.

 

[Teresa D]

I'm not sure about the right terminology, but I got a bag of whole grain oats that is originally meant for horses. It has the chaff still on it. As far as I can find, whole grain oats are fine to feed chicken, but does that include when the outer shell is still attached? It's 25 kilos worth of food, so I want to make sure before I feed them any of it. Is it better to process it somehow?

I have fed my chickens oats but I put water over them to make it like mush. I am not an expert but they seem to like it.