Whole oats? Soaked oats?

[GypsyChick89]

I have been mixing whole oats with my chickens feed ( layer ) along with some black oilers and other little seeds they can pick through and they seem to love it. I read on her a while back about how whole oats can cause trouble in their crop? Someone had said that they soak their oats and let them ferment.. I was just wondering what other people do and if you soak your oats what are the benefits to it for the chickens...

 

[centrarchid]

I soak them when feeding birds in extreme cold. Soaking makes some nutrients more available. Also makes so I can get water into birds when fluids freeze. No more than 25% of diet by dry weight is any given feed stuff. This approach used for birds that are not bred for intensive production. Intensive production birds need more nutrients and may not be able process coarser materials fast enough to meet those needs.




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[KeriT]

I soak them when feeding birds in extreme cold. Soaking makes some nutrients more available. Also makes so I can get water into birds when fluids freeze. No more than 25% of diet by dry weight is any given feed stuff. This approach used for birds that are not bred for intensive production. Intensive production birds need more nutrients and may not be able process coarser materials fast enough to meet those needs.




i

I am curious about this too. What about rolled oats? Are they any better for their crop? I don't know if I can find shelled oats, where might I find them? What about Quaker type oats (like you make oatmeal with-long cook or instant) are they ok for a little treat? I had some (instant type) that was a little stale and I gave my (backyard mixed) group of 15 a handful every other day as a treat. Is that ok?

 

[GypsyChick89]

My oats are not shelled they are home grown from one of the pastures and we had BUNCHES of extra so I thought I would put them to use. I have givin them oatmeal before for a nice warm treat on these cold Minnesota winter days and they LOVE it. Its all organic oatmeal with dried fruits in it, I have also added flax to their oatmeal also.

 

[KeriT]

My oats are not shelled they are home grown from one of the pastures and we had BUNCHES of extra so I thought I would put them to use. I have givin them oatmeal before for a nice warm treat on these cold Minnesota winter days and they LOVE it. Its all organic oatmeal with dried fruits in it, I have also added flax to their oatmeal also.

Great idea! Thanks!

 

[centrarchid]

I have played around with the processed oats (milled / rolled / cut) for fun but have too many birds to do such on a regular basis. Such was offered as a treat an included other items such as greens, chunked fish, cut rotten fruit, freeze dried mealworms, and paprika.



I have not noted crop issues of any sort involving oats although my birds may not be representative of most back yard flocks. Very limited crop issues with American Domniques involved consumption of fibrous grass after a prolonged absence of such from diet. Free-choice access to grit seems to resolve that issue. Whenever feeding the birds something new, start them out slowly so they can acclimate to it. Even superior foods may require acclimation.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote:

I have played around with the processed oats (milled / rolled / cut) for fun but have too many birds to do such on a regular basis. Such was offered as a treat an included other items such as greens, chunked fish, cut rotten fruit, freeze dried mealworms, and paprika.



I have not noted crop issues of any sort involving oats although my birds may not be representative of most back yard flocks. Very limited crop issues with American Domniques involved consumption of fibrous grass after a prolonged absence of such from diet. Free-choice access to grit seems to resolve that issue. Whenever feeding the birds something new, start them out slowly so they can acclimate to it. Even superior foods may require acclimation.

Anything that a chicken eats must first spend time in the crop. Here it is softened by moisture and predigested before being passed on to the rest of its digestive track.. Whole oats or race horse oats are good in this respect as is whole kernel shelled corn and other grains. A close observation will show that when a chicken is supposedly eating grass that more times as not it is just stripping the seeds off the grass' seed head.

A little quiz.

Q: If Noah had chickens onboard the Ark then why is there no mention of him buying a rolling mill with which to process his chickens' oats?


A: Chickens are more than capable of milling their own vittles.


Put only as much feed in a good strong metal bucket as can be consumed in one day.

Pour small amounts of boiling water over this amount of feed until the grain and pellets has absorbed all the hot water they can. Keep up with the total volume of boiling water so that you can easily replicate the mixture. let cool then feed on the ground, in troughs, or in feed cups.

I also like to feed my poultry soaked feed during very hot and extremely cold spells. All the better to insure that they have enough water in their systems.

 

[KeriT]

Quote:

Anything that a chicken eats must first spend time in the crop.  Here it is softened by moisture and predigested before being passed on to the rest of its digestive track.. Whole oats or race horse oats are good in this respect as is whole kernel shelled corn and other grains.  A close observation will show that when a chicken is supposedly eating grass that more times as not it is just stripping the seeds off the grass' seed head. 

A little quiz.

Q:  If Noah had chickens onboard the Ark then why is there no mention of him buying a rolling mill with which to process his chickens' oats?


A:  Chickens are more than capable of milling their own vittles. 


Put only as much feed in a good strong metal bucket as can be consumed in one day.

Pour small amounts of boiling water over this amount of feed until the grain and pellets has absorbed all the hot water they can.  Keep up with the total volume of boiling water so that you can easily replicate the mixture.  let cool then feed on the ground, in troughs, or in feed cups. 

I also like to feed my poultry soaked feed during very hot and extremely cold spells.  All the better to insure that they have enough water in their systems.  

You make good points
There are probably a lot of things not mentioned in the story of Noah like the fact that he didn't get an egg a day from his chickens. Over time nutrition for many animals has been studied and improved upon to increase production. I like the idea of fermenting feed.