Which of these three whole grains suits best chickens?

[Thomas Lamprogiorgos]

Hello.
I want to choose only one between three types of whole grain.
I am between whole barley, whole oats and whole rye.
I am going to make a mix containing soy mash, alfalfa pellets, oyster shell, grit, diatomaceous earth and a type of whole grain.
This will be given as a treat, as an asstition to a commercial layer feed containing 14,5% protein and 3,6% calcium.
I want to make protein, calcium and fiver higher.
Please, help me choose between barley, oats rye!!!

 

[yakitori]

i don't know much about grains, but for calcium, if you provide the oyster shell on its own, they will take as much as they need. Same with the grit. Chickens know instinctively when they need these things...

 

[007Sean]

I would feed whole barley or parched barley as a treat.

 

[swampfox440]

Barley is good .

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

I voted barley.

 

[PioneerChicks]

I vote barley. But they shouldn't be eating Diatamatious Earth, it is for exterior use only. Eating it could be deadly. I once had a chicken take a mouthful while I was treating her, she was fine but I wouldn't purposely feed it to them.

 

[aart]

Eating it could be deadly.

It's not deadly to chickens, I've put a bunch in feed infested with grain mites....
...but it won't deter or kill internal parasites.

 

[centrarchid]

I would prefer a mixture.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I vote barley. But they shouldn't be eating Diatamatious Earth, it is for exterior use only. Eating it could be deadly. I once had a chicken take a mouthful while I was treating her, she was fine but I wouldn't purposely feed it to them.

Feed/food grade DE is added to almost every grain product in the USA to deter bugs and as an anti caking agent for humans and animals. It's also used to prevent bugs on crops in organic farms. Chances are you've eaten lots of it and so have most of the animals in the USA.

OP, any reason not to do a mix? They all have slightly different nutritional values and micronutrients...

 

[PioneerChicks]

It's not deadly to chickens, I've put a bunch in feed infested with grain mites....
...but it won't deter or kill internal parasites.

Feed/food grade DE is added to almost every grain product in the USA to deter bugs and as an anti caking agent for humans and animals. It's also used to prevent bugs on crops in organic farms. Chances are you've eaten lots of it and so have most of the animals in the USA.

OP, any reason not to do a mix? They all have slightly different nutritional values and micronutrients...

I did not know this. Thank you for informing me!