Wet COB okay as treat?

[lilbirdee]

I feed my alpacas wet COB. It is a combo of rolled Corn, Oats & Barley with a bit of molasses added.
Lately when putting out the COB for the alpacas I have been throwing a few handfuls out to my 14 (full grown) chickens. They go crazy over it! Follow me around for more and make quite a chatter when it's all gone.
As well as their regular layer pellets they get a bit of 5 grain scratch in the early morning and some of my kitchen scraps but seriously, I have never seen my chickens love anything as much as this.
Is this treat okay?

 

[lilbirdee]

Bump

 

[fiberart57]

Chickens have a sweet tooth and it's likely the molasses in the feed that grabs them. I give mine raisens as a treat and they go nuts for them. However, I don't do it often because of the high sugar content. I'm not sure what the research says about sugar but there's plenty of problems with fat laying hens.

As a rule the ingredients in sweet feed, or COB, that we feed to horses is lacking in the protein that chickens need and the extra calories may make them fat but not necessarily well-nourished. Probably a little every now and then won't hurt them, but I wouldn't make it a regular part of their diet. It's like junk food or dessert, so you'll have to use your own judgement as to whether or not to keep feeding it to them.

Mary

 

[PromiseLand]

Wet COB is good for a treat once and a while but its also great for chickens that have been bitten by mites and other (Blood Sucking Insects) the mites deplete the blood in the chicken, this may lead to sickness and / or death. Molasses help build iron which in-turn builds blood back in the chicken. I use it when I notice that my chicken(s) may be anemic from mites. This year was the worst infestation of mites I have ever had we now have it under control and the chicken just love the Wet COB. Winter is coming so they deserve a little plumping up. Oh yes I also feed my chickens Garlic granules they love this as-well, insects don't like Garlic.

 

[Michael Apple]

Just be careful of giving too much molasses. It can cause diarrhea, and is used in laxative solutions to treat poultry for ingestion of toxins.