Can you feed baby chicks bread
Feeding Your Chickens Bread - Nutrition, Concerns & Recipes
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Chickens are amazing animals and often the garbage disposals of the small homestead or farm. Their unique digestive system is built to accommodate most types of foods. While they can usually be found stirring up the dirt in search of bugs and worms, their diet often includes other meats and vegetables as well. But what about bread? Is this something you should be feeding your chickens?
Can Chickens Eat Bread? Bread is safe for chickens to eat. They can eat fresh bread or stale bread of any common variety, however, they should not be fed moldy bread.
When I first started researching this topic, I found that there wasn’t very much information about it in one place. Luckily, I was able to gather information from a variety of different sources and compile it here for you.
Table of Contents
Bread is a Favorite Treat of Many Chickens
Most chickens absolutely love bread. They usually aren’t picky either. They will eat white bread or wheat bread, stale bread or fresh bread.
In fact, if you have whole grain bread, you know the kind that has all the yummy little seeds in it, your chickens will love you forever.
The thing about bread is it doesn’t have much in the way of nutrition for a chicken. That means that, while a great treat, it probably should not be fed as a sole source of food.
Limit the Amount of Bread Fed to Baby Chicks
Because of the low nutritional value in bread, you should avoid feeding it to baby chicks. Young chicks need a high protein diet in order to grow properly.
While bread is a great treat for adult hens and roosters, it lacks the protein they need. In fact, basic white breads typically only contain 2-3 grams of protein per slice. (source)
While chicks are typically fed high protein chick starter free choice (as much as they want) the protein differences between the two feeds are clear.
Using the table below, it’s easy to see that even though some bread varieties have more protein than others, they aren’t nearly as much as what is contained in chick starter.
| Feed | Protein Percentage |
| Chick Starter | 18 – 20% |
| White Bread | 7.3% |
| Wheat Bread | 9.1% |
| Multi-Grain Bread | 7.7 – 8.8% |
| Italian Bread | 9.6% |
| Wheat / Oat Bread | 9.6% |
Source: Bake Info – https://www.bakeinfo.
co.nz/Facts/Nutrition/Nutritional-Properties-of-Bread
Mycotoxins in Moldy Chicken Food
As a general rule, don’t feed spoiled or moldy bread. While many chicken owners report that they regularly do so without adverse effects, the risk certainly isn’t worth it.
Moldy food has mycotoxins that can cause issues with your chicken’s health. In fact, according to Mississippi State University, this toxin can cause a condition called mycosis or thrush in the crop. (source) While treatable, it is best not to cause the issue in the first place.
You also want to avoid chickens breathing in mold. Depending on the type of mold, it can create a serious infection in both chicks and humans. (source)
Decreased Egg Production
A 2018 study by Marisabel Caballero, the Global Technical Manager Poultry at EW Nutrition showed that mycotoxicosis could reduce egg production in hens after 3 weeks of continued exposure, even if that exposure was small. (source)
The researcher believes that the likely cause of the decreased egg production is a decrease in the ability of the chicken to utilize protein due to the degeneration of liver tissue.
Poor Eggshell Quality
In addition to being low in protein, bread is low in calcium as well. This can have an impact on the quality of the eggshell your hens are able to produce.
Good, strong eggshells require that hens have access to adequate calcium. Feeding too much bread can cause them to get full on bread and decrease their consumption of layer mash.
While a few days of bread shouldn’t pose any adverse health issues, long-term use of bread as the sole chicken feed source could result in eggs that are more brittle and easily broken than usual.
Incorporating Bread into Chicken Treats
Since bread is OK as a treat for adult chickens, it helps to think outside the box for ways that you can mix things up for your hens. Here are some cool ways you can incorporate bread, as a treat, for your chickens.
Warm Bread Mash
On really cold mornings, try making your chickens a warm bread mash. To do this, add bread into your normal feed and mix it with hot water.
Mix things up by adding other chickens safe foods like zucchini, cucumber, and pumpkin. If you want you can even add crushed eggshells for added calcium.
DIY Chicken Bread
Do you normally bake your own bread at home? If you love channeling your inner baker, consider making your chickens their own special loaf.
Try incorporating chicken safe veggies, crushed up eggshells for calcium, seeds, and grains. When your “chicken bread” is homemade, it is a treat you can feel good feeding and your whole flock will enjoy it!
Make At Home Flock Block
Bread can be a great addition to a make at home flock block. These hardened chicken treats are great for giving chickens something to peck at and browse on throughout the day.
Try mixing in chicken safe fruits and veggies. Flock blocks super hard chicken treats and are great for reducing boredom in chickens. Whether your chickens are penned in a small area or free-range, they usually all appreciate access to this tasty treat!
Final Thoughts
Fresh or stale bread, without mold, is a perfectly safe treat for adult chickens.
It should be avoided as the main source of nutrition for your flock but, the occasional addition shouldn’t cause any harm.
For baby chicks, it’s best to just stick to starter feed. The little ones shouldn’t fill up on this low protein treat. Once they are adults, they are sure to love it!
When you do feed it to your flock, keep in mind that it can be combined with other chicken safe fruits and vegetables to make the ultimate chicken treat. Mix things up for your girls (and guys) and experiment with your own concoctions. They are sure to enjoy it!
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Can Chickens Eat Bread? 3 Things you Should NOT Feed your Chickens
This post was most recently updated on April 23rd, 2022
Some people call chickens ‘two legged pigs’ and will feed them anything. It is actually the chickens natural behaviour to compete for fresh food and they will eat it quickly, no matter what you are feeding them.
One of the most commonly asked questions in the beginner chicken world is “can chickens eat bread?” Below we look at whether chickens should eat bread, as well as many other things that you should avoid feeding your chickens.
Please read: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prevent any disease. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions in partnership with a qualified health care professional.
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There are some common foods that you should not be feeding your chickens. What you don’t want is for the chickens to fill up their crop with low nutrient foods, and to miss out on all the goodness of the high nutrient foods.
Can’t be bothered reading? Watch it here:
Can Chickens Eat Bread?
Bread is a common food for well meaning people to feed to chickens and ducks.
The problem with feeding chickens bread is that it can easily form a ball in the crop which can lead to catastrophic blockages. A chicken‘s gizzard is not designed for large amounts of this kind of food.
Yeasts and sugars in the bread can ferment in the crop which increases the pH of the crop contents, if fed in too larger quantities, which changes the bacteria and other microbiome that grow in the chicken‘s gizzard and crop. This can then lead on to chronic cases of sour crop that are very hard to treat.
So, in short, no, ideally you would not feed chickens bread as it has very little nutritional value and in large quantities it can cause blockages or sour crop. Small volumes of stale bread can go to your chickens, but avoid giving them moldy bread as the mold spores can irritate their breathing passages.
If you do decide to feed bread to your chickens, try breaking it up and soaking it with some apple cider vinegar and water overnight.
This will both increase the acidity, making it easier to digest, as well as breaking up the fibres to help stop it balling up in their crop.
Ducks also should not have large volumes of bread to eat either. Small amounts of bread will not hurt a duck, but you should avoid making it the basis of their diet.
RELATED POST: Raising laying hens the right way
Here are 3 foods you should not be feeding your chickens
1. Milk and dairy products
Some people with an orphan baby chick mistakenly think that because baby chickens are small animals, that they need to have milk, however this is not true. Chicks should start on a specially formulated chick starter feed.
It turns out that chickens are lactose intolerant! Milk is high in protein and other minerals, but the lactose can give the birds upset stomachs.
If you do give milk products, try small amounts of cultured ones, think yogurt or cheese as they have a lot less lactose in them.
RELATED: How to make money with chickens
2. Porridge or oatmeal
There is nothing wrong with a small volume of porridge or oatmeal, but oats are very low in protein and fat, both of which chickens need.
However, porridge fills up a chicken‘s stomach, so they don’t have room for the high nutrient foods they need to be eating.
Oats have virtually no vitamin A, D or E and high in beta glucans that birds cannot digest. Too many beta glucans will form a sludge in the gut, causing blockages.
Commercial chicken feed does contain some oats usually as a bulking agent, but they are whole, uncooked oats that are crushed not cooked.
3.
Raw EggsYou should not feed your backyard chicken eggs back to your flock. Some people feed back the egg shells for calcium. However, to be safe you are better off using oyster shell grits as a calcium source.
This is for two reasons.
1 – It can encourage the chickens to seek out and eat their own eggs.
2 – Chickens can carry salmonella, raw eggs from contaminated chickens will spread the disease amongst your flock.
If you do want to feed your chickens eggs, you can scramble the eggs and cook them and heat the shells in a hot oven for at least 20 minutes to kill any bugs. Then you can crush the egg shells so they are unrecognizable to the chickens in the coop.
Here are some other foods that you should avoid giving your chickens:
- Onions and garlic can give the eggs an off taste
- Fresh potato peels, especially those tinged green, contain a toxin called solanine.
- Avocado pits and skins both include a potentially fatal toxin called persin.
- Avoid feeding your flock rhubarb and citrus.
- Undercooked or dried beans contain an avian toxin called hemaglutin.
Generally speaking, a well fed chicken will not attempt to eat toxic foods as their only taste buds are ones for bitter food, bitter foods are usually toxic, and they are quite good at not eating them!
The best advice is to feed a balanced, commercial feed first, then let the chickens eat their other food, treats or forage later in the day.
This will ensure they are getting all the nutrition they need for growth and egg production.
RELATED POST: The Ultimate Guide to feeding your chickens
Treats that you CAN feed chickens
This list is largely taken from the backyardchickens forum.
| Apples | Raw, cooked and applesauce |
| Asparagus | Raw or cooked |
| Bananas | Without the peel |
| Beans and green beans | Well-cooked only, never dry |
| Beets | Greens and cooked root |
| Berries | All kinds |
| Breads | Only in small amounts, preferably soaked in ACV |
| Broccoli & Cauliflower | |
| Cabbage & Brussels Sprouts | Whole head |
| Carrots and tops | Raw and cooked |
| Catfood | Wet and dry- Feed in strict moderation, perhaps only during moulting |
| Cheese | Including cottage cheese |
| Cooked Chicken | |
| Corn | On cob and canned, raw and cooked |
| Crickets (live) | Can be bought at bait or pet-supply stores. |
| Cucumbers | Let mature for yummy seeds and flesh |
| Eggs | Hardcooked and scrambled are a good source of protein, and a favorite treat. |
| Eggplant | . |
| Fish/Seafood | Cooked only. |
| Flowers -Marigolds, nasturtiums, pansies, etc | Make sure they haven’t been treated with pesticides, such as florist flowers might be. |
| Fruit | Pears, peaches, cherries, apples |
| Grains | Bulgar, flax, niger, wheatberries,etc. |
| Grapes | Seedless only. For chicks, cutting them in half makes it easier for them to swallow. |
| Grits | Cooked |
| “Leftovers” | Only feed your chickens food items which are still considered edible by humans, don’t feed anything spoiled, moldy, oily, salty or unidentifiable. |
| Lettuce / Kale | Any leafy greens, spinach collards, chickweed included. |
| Mealworms | Available at pet supply stores or on the internet |
| Meat scraps of any kind. | Not too fatty, A good source of protein in moderation. |
| Melon | Both the seeds and the flesh are good chicken treats. |
| Oatmeal | Raw, fermented or cooked |
| Pasta/Macaroni | Cooked spaghetti, etc. |
| Peas | Peas and pea tendrils and flowers |
| Peppers (bell) | . |
| Pomegranates | Raw |
| Popcorn | Popped, no butter, no salt. |
| Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes/Yams | Cooked only—avoid the green parts of peels! |
| Pumpkins/Winter Squash | Raw or cooked seeds and flesh |
| Raisins | . |
| Rice | Cooked only |
| Scratch grains | Scratch is cracked corn with grains (such as wheat, oats and rye) mixed in, not a complete feed.  |
| Sprouts | Wheat and oat sprouts are great! |
| Summer Squash | Yellow squash and zucchini |
| Sunflower Seeds | Sunflower seeds in the shell are fine to feed, as well as shelled. |
| Table scraps | Avoid forbidden foods and fish bones, but otherwise safe. |
| Tomatoes | Raw and cooked. |
| Turnips | Cooked. |
| Watermelon | Served cold, it can keep chickens cool and hydrated during hot summers. |
| Yogurt | Plain or flavored |
Commonly asked questions from a chicken keeper about what you can feed chickens
Can chickens eat grapes?
Yes, chickens enjoy eating grapes and if you throw them to your flock you will find that they rush after them and argue over them. Grapes are very sweet and mostly contain water and sugar so they should be kept as a special treat for your flock rather than a basis of a nutritionally complete chicken feed.
Can chickens eat uncooked rice
Uncooked rice is hard to digest and it will expand and absorb quite a quantity of water in the chickens gullet. Rice flour will congeal together and can cause a blockage. Rice is low in nutritional value, and high in simple starches so it is not an ideal chicken food. If you are going to feed your chickens rice, it is best cooked, or at least crushed (but not powdered) and mixed in with their other grains to dilute it.
You can feed your chickens small volumes of cooked rice, this is unlikely to cause any issues in your flock. But it is best to keep this as an occasional food, and give it after they have eaten their usual grain feed so that you know they are getting their full nutrition.
Can chickens have bananas
Chickens enjoy eating bananas and they will even eat the banana peels. Very nutritious, they are high in vitamins B6, C & A also contains niacin, iron and magnesium plus other trace elements.
Can chickens eat chocolate
No, chickens should not eat chocolate or coffee.
There are toxic substances in chocolate called theobromine and caffeine. The higher the cocoa content and the darker the chocolate, the more theobromine it contains and the more dangerous it is to your chickens.
Can chickens eat strawberries
Strawberries are healthy and nutritious for chickens to eat on occasion. Strawberries are low in sugar and high in nutrients. Chickens will also eat the leaves of strawberry plants, so if you have free ranging chickens it is best to fence off your garden if you want your strawberry plants to survive.
Can chickens eat broccoli
Chickens enjoy eating both the heads (florets) of broccoli as well as the leaves. The stems of the broccoli plant are too hard for your hens to peck at unless they are cooked. All parts of the broccoli plant are healthy and nutritious for chickens to eat.
Can chickens eat cabbage
Cabbage makes a wonderful distraction for bored chickens. Hang a head of cabbage from a rope in the chicken coop and watch the chickens peck and play with the cabbage while eating it all.
Cabbage is healthy for chickens and they enjoy all parts of it raw or cooked, only the hardest part of the stem will be left. All varieties of cabbage are fine, Chinese cabbage, red cabbage, pak choi and normal green cabbage.
Can chickens eat raisins
In small volumes, the occasional raisin is ok for your chickens to eat. However, large volumes of raisins can cause renal failure in many animals, chickens included. The high level of sugar in raisins is not good for the chickens either.
Can chickens eat oatmeal
Oats are fine to feed chickens in small volumes. Large quantities of cooked oatmeal can cause a build up of a glutenous sludge in the chickens crop which can lead to sour crop. It is best to mix any oatmeal with other foods and avoid large one-off servings of cooked oatmeal.
Can chickens eat blueberries
Yes, chickens enjoy eating blueberries and will strip a blueberry bush very quickly. Blueberries are a nutritious, low sugar snack that your hens will love.
Don’t be surprised at the change in the manure colour after eating blueberries.
Can chickens eat raspberries
Raspberries, raspberry leaves and raspberry seeds are all safe for chickens to eat. They enjoy eating these fresh berry snacks and if you want any harvest for yourself then you will have to put up a chicken proof fence.
Can chickens eat avocado
Generally chickens are pretty good at avoiding eating what they should not eat. Avocado pits and skins are toxic to chickens as they contain a toxin called persin, and chickens will not eat these, however, the flesh of the avocado is fine for chickens to eat.
Can chickens eat watermelon
Chickens enjoy eating excess watermelon and they will eat both the fruit and the rind. Watermelon is mostly water, and it is a good way of getting your chickens additional water on particularly hot days.
Can chickens eat tomatoes
The fruit of the tomatoes are good for chickens to eat, they are full of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to the.
The leaves and stem of the tomato plant are toxic and should not be fed to chickens. Green tomatoes and green potatoes are also not safe to feed chickens.
Can chickens eat cherries
Excess cherries can be fed to chickens, they enjoy the fruit either raw or cooked. Be aware that the dark red cherries will change the colour of their manure, this will not harm them, but may stain your pathways and patios for a while.
Can chickens eat cilantro
Cilantro also known as coriander greens can be fed to chickens. This plant is rich in vitamin A and K and has several useful antioxidants and it is beneficial to feed to your chickens.
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Is it possible to feed chickens and broilers with bread
When keeping chickens, farmers know that not all food is suitable for birds.
Some products should be treated with caution. Black bread is not contraindicated for chickens, but bread should be fed carefully and in small portions. The stomach of a bird does not digest fresh bread well, the product begins to sag and causes indigestion. The best feeding option is a dry piece of bread without a crust. Can laying hens be fed bread? You can feed laying hens with white or black bread, but in minimal quantities. The product can also be given to broilers and chickens. nine0003
[table of contents]
Can chickens be given bread? Most of the data is based on average weight, but it happens that chickens have a very small or vice versa large weight. A domestic laying hen weighing up to 2 kg, with a productivity of 100 eggs per year, must be given 125 grams of feed per day and a maximum of one piece of cracker. If the bird weighs more than 2 kg, then you can give 130 grams of combined feed and 1.5 crackers. Next comes the calculation that for every 250 grams of weight, 10 grams of food and half a cracker are added.
The increase in eggs should be appropriate. nine0003
Article content:
- 1 Why can fresh bread be dangerous?
- 2 What foods should not be given to chickens:
- 3 Preparation and storage of the product
- 4 How often can bread be given to chickens?
Why can fresh bread be dangerous?
Because the product contains salt, which can worsen the condition of chickens and reduce their immunity. If chickens feel bad, this will affect egg production, especially in egg breeds of chickens. With a decrease in immunity, chickens may suffer, since for full development, they need to be given vitamins and minerals. Fresh bread is able to increase, a lump forms in the stomach, which gradually swells. nine0003
Black bread is the most dangerous, because the dough contains a huge dose of yeast, and it has a strong acidity. Some substances can cause fermentation in the body, which will adversely affect the general condition of pets.
Note: On hot days, the product will mold faster.
Such bread is not suitable for feeding birds.
Do not give spoiled product. Since the chicken may not digest it and her metabolism will worsen. If dark-colored mold is visible on the bread, then such bread is not suitable for feeding. To get rid of mold, you can carry out steam or heat treatment. To do this, the raw material should be placed in the oven. It is not recommended to feed laying hens and roosters with pastries. Any sweet products contain fillers or dyes. High sugar content can cause digestive upset. nine0003
Foods not to be fed to chickens:
- biscuits
- sweets
- pies
Product preparation and storage It is best to store bread in a dry and warm place so that mold does not appear on it. When you have unused bread left, you can dry it in the oven to crackers.
It is not worth harvesting a large number of crackers. Ready crackers can be packed in paper bags. Before giving the cracker to chickens or laying hens, it should be soaked in warm water or milk.
nine0003
If there is a lot of bread left and it is nearing the end of its shelf life, it can be mixed with any other product. You can make a mash of sprouted grains and bread. Such a mixture, the birds must eat immediately, otherwise the dish will turn sour and may deteriorate. What the chickens have not eaten must be put in the refrigerator.
Please note that if you are going to slaughter a rooster, then 10 days before slaughter, it should be fed with such a mash to make the meat tender and tasty. nine0003
How often can bread be given to chickens?
The product is recommended to be given infrequently, but only as a reward. It will be enough to give the product several times a week and less often. Dried white bread croutons are the best choice. It is enough to give the birds 1-2 small crackers. Previously, they do not need to be sprinkled with spices and add oil during drying. The right time to introduce a new product is autumn, winter.
At this time, chickens are in great need of additional food, energy and a source of heat. To make bread not only satisfying, but also healthy, you can mix it with additives. If you periodically give such a mixture to laying hens, then this will not affect the number of eggs. When keeping birds in cages, bread should not be given at all. nine0003
Is it possible to feed chickens with bread - I want ours
Is there a place for bread in the diet of laying hens
Many even novice poultry farmers are aware of the modern variety of possible types of food for their birds. But how often have you thought - is it possible to feed laying hens with bread? You can read about the properties of this product in the diet for laying hens below.
Why bread is useful for laying hens
We all know that in addition to energy value and saturation, depending on the type and breed of chicken, there should be useful elements in the diet.
These elements include: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins. A balanced and enriched diet of laying hens ensures not only the well-being of the individual, but also strengthens health, immunity and increases egg production, which is especially important for egg breeds. nine0003
White bread itself is very rich in carbohydrates, which in turn are sources of energy. Also a good option for feeding laying hens would be a rye type of product, which, in addition to a large amount of carbohydrates (40-45%), contains B vitamins and some amino acids.
When can bread hurt?
There are two parameters by which both white and rye bread can be harmful to pets - this is quantity and quality. If we talk about the amount of flour products eaten by laying hens, then the main thing here is not to overdo it. White in various forms can be given no more than 40% of the total feed fed to birds. nine0003
Black is best consumed no more than once a week, as this type is more difficult to digest and assimilate.
In addition, it has high acidity, so frequent eating of rye bread can adversely affect the stomach and egg production of laying hens. It is absolutely forbidden to give chickens sweet or filled baked goods! Such products in the digestive system of chickens cause fermentation, disorders and thicken the blood.
The second criterion is quality. It is clear that fresh good pastries have not harmed anyone yet, but few people give them to animals. Basically, pets are given already stale leftovers and other kitchen waste, which, if properly served, dilute the diet of their birds very well. nine0003
Laying hens should not be fed moldy foods. Some fungi, which are mold, can have a very negative effect on the stomach and intestines and lead to disorders, a weakened immune system, which is especially dangerous in winter, and poisoning. Especially harmful is the mold of white and black color. Do not put yourself and your pets in danger, it is better to get rid of the spoiled product, throw it away in a place inaccessible to all animals.
Many poultry farmers with small manifestations of green mold sometimes cut off the damaged part, and the rest is subjected to heat treatment in the oven or steam. Later, no negative effects were observed in chickens, but still it’s not worth the risk once again. nine0003
How to give bread to laying hens
The best time to give bread to hens is winter, as this product is an excellent source of energy, which is so necessary in winter to warm the body. In addition, it is very satisfying and nutritious, especially in combination with cereals, millet and various useful herbal supplements in dry or mushy form. Such nutrition will help you easily overwinter and not lose weight and maintain health. You can give stale bread after soaking in different mixers or just finely crumbled as you like. But rye should not be soaked much, it is better to serve it in a crushed state. nine0003
The rest of the year is also a good bread supplement, especially for active free-range chickens.
For birds living in closed enclosures or cages, it is better to give it the very minimum, since due to the lower expenditure of strength and mobility, vascular blockage and obesity may occur, with all the negative consequences.
As mentioned earlier, the best ratio of a white product to the total amount of food eaten per day is about 1 to 2. More than 40% is not recommended, since not only egg, but also meat breeds of chickens may show signs of obesity, which is contraindicated for them. It is recommended to give rye bread no more than 2 times a week, even 1 time is better, in an amount slightly less than white. It is best to dry it in the oven if possible. After that, crushed cooled pieces should be given separately or added to liquid types of feed. nine0003
Video "Chickens eat bread"
In this video you will see that chickens love to eat this product.
prokyr.ru
Can chickens be given bread?
Can broiler chickens be given bread?
Chickens can be given bread, but only when they are 7 days old.
Bread should be soaked and added to boiled cereals, and you can also give white bread crumbs.
And from 10 days of age, you can give boiled non-salted fish, boiled softened potatoes mixed with soaked bread, grated raw carrots, chopped nettle leaves and eggshell powder (1 teaspoon per 10 chickens a day), steamed compound feed. nine0003
This diet should continue until the chicks are 2 months old.
The digestive system of hens (chickens) is designed in such a way that their food must be crumbly, otherwise the food will clump into a dense, tight lump and get stuck.
Bread in its usual form should not be given to chickens , it must first be soaked.
You can give them bread in the form of dry crumbs (dry and crush), but it is better to give millet, ground grains: oats, barley, corn.
Very young chickens should be given chopped boiled eggs.
You can give bread to chickens. But only after the chickens get stronger.
Bread should be taken slightly stale. Then soak it in slightly warm water and add quite a bit of millet. The resulting porridge can be included in the diet of the chicken.
The main thing to remember is that the nutrition of chickens must be monitored in order to avoid any serious consequences. They should eat in your presence, so that if something goes wrong, you are there. In general, the answer to your question is the following - you can give bread to chickens. nine0003
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Is it possible to feed chickens with bread?
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Is it possible to feed chickens with expired bread, can they partially replace grain? Part of the chicken's grain is collected from the grain scattered by the cow, there are three of them per cow, the cow's oats (crushed grain) pour out of the mouth in large quantities, but they are skinny, I began to supplement them. How much bread per head? Ornithologists do not advise feeding birds with bread, they say, there will be fermentation in the goiter, and we know from biology that yeast dies at 40 °.
nine0003
I also read in the farmer’s handbook that there is a method of fattening with boiled potatoes with grass - it is not described in detail there, but, as far as I understood, you need to buy pea potatoes for 3-4r / kilo, mow the grass (in a large farm, from 100 chickens - a gasoline scythe, because you don’t need much - chickens are not geese, for a small one you can just pick), pass potatoes with grass through a garden waste chopper, pour boiling water (in a large saucepan / vat), mix and wait a long time until it cools down, if necessary, take out small ones and medium portions. I have a feeling that it is so cheaper than purchased grain, what are the pitfalls? nine0003
I used to feed chickens with bread for a while, but I refused. 3-4 pieces died, I don’t know if they are from bread or not, but now they don’t die. You have a strong problem with potatoes. I can’t afford this, I usually have 300-400 heads, I feed it with a crushed mixture.
Ok’, I’ll hand over the bread to the cow.
Why is it confusing with potatoes? I don’t have broilers yet, but the crusher is small, enough for a cow-goat-horse, chickens are also only for myself, but crushing is more annoying than cutting, and raw materials are cheaper, in theory, you can add grains without grass. nine0003
It's easier for me to crush)
My son gives me food - I sip.
Chickens eat grass on the street, we give a little fish from the pond, sometimes vegetables, crushed mixture in feeders.
Broilers, unfortunately, can be grown quickly and cheaply only on compound feed. For meat I leave from 100 heads in each conclusion.
We have kk expensive, like grain.
In short, you need to eventually get to Moscow and buy an unfortunate chopper, and then train on a cow.
She made a large feeder for the chickens and gave them two ladles of oats. I will fatten until I see muscle among the feathers and bones. Potato will appear today, chopper on Tuesday, I will experiment.
nine0003
Who feeds the chickens with oats. These are not horses! Buy wheat, barley - do not mock the bird.
My YouTube channel
For the third year I have been feeding poultry with breadcrumbs from the bakery. I soak in patches for seedlings. Yeast, of course, is not there, but it turns sour quickly, especially in the heat. Therefore, it is necessary to give less, so that they eat it in a couple of hours, but this is in the heat. Now you can do it all day long.
#6, what is the fundamental difference? Should it be crushed?
#7, I will do that, I will feed a little bit, mixing with wheat. nine0003
I often have chickens sitting on bread for a long time. Do not die, egg production is not reduced.
I recommend giving oats as part of a grain mixture (wheat, barley, etc.) 5-10%.
My opinion about oats is not the same with all poultry farmers. You decide.
The Kuriles are our land!
Now I crushed their corn. Is it possible not in a grain mixture, but separately, from a separate dish? Piggy (cow) scatters a lot, they graze there with a gopstopic look.
I will try to germinate wheat with it. nine0003
Just crushed their corn. Is it possible not in a grain mixture
It is possible, only if they eat only corn, they will get fat quickly.
I'll try to germinate wheat with it.
I wouldn't bother with this in the summer. There are many more herbs.
fermer.ru
Is it possible to feed chickens with bread
Most ordinary, average villagers believe that any waste that is in the house can be given to the chicken. That is, nutrition, in this case, is beneficial for the owners, since they do not have to throw away food leftovers, because chickens eat them up.
A chicken is a bird that will gladly eat any food, but whether this food will be beneficial remains to be seen.
In order for chickens not to be deficient in vitamins, it is required to give them greens, so there is only a positive answer to the question whether it is possible to feed chickens with cabbage.
It is advisable to hang a head of cabbage so that the birds have to jump up and down. Excess gymnastics is useful not only for people, but also for animals. nine0003
Smart farmers first try to find out what to feed chickens and what is not recommended. Among such poultry farmers, the question is popular, is it possible to feed chickens with bread? It turns out that chickens do not tolerate bread well, because it becomes sour and because of this, a digestive disorder occurs, leading to diarrhea. As an exception, black bread can be given, but in very small quantities.
As for cereals, people believe that they should be fed to any bird in unlimited quantities, but this is not entirely correct. When asked if it is possible to feed chickens with oats, the exact answer will be that it is possible, but in limited quantities. Oats should make up ten percent of all bird feed, because they contain a large amount of fiber, the digestion of which the gastrointestinal tract will not have time to cope with.
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But is it possible to feed chickens with buckwheat, there are different opinions. It is believed that buckwheat is undesirable for chickens, but many recommend it for growing meat breeds. It is contraindicated for small chickens, as it can be too toxic for their body.
Poultry problems arise from farmers who do not know if millet can be fed to chickens. In general, you can feed them with millet, but you need to give it either quite a bit if it is in a dry form, or boil it (cooking can be completely replaced by steaming). Birds like chickens like to quickly gather food and swallow it in unlimited quantities. In the gastrointestinal tract, millet swells greatly, and the digestive system is not able to cope with such an amount of food. nine0003
Feeding chickens with only one feed will lead to metabolic disorders and other diseases, so it is recommended to mix different grains. In grain mixtures, wheat should occupy the most part, and all other cereals - from five to ten percent.
For normal development and life, any bird needs a properly composed diet.
With the wrong approach to feeding and maintenance, hens stop laying eggs or eat the eggs they have laid. In more severe cases, serious diseases occur, sometimes leading even to the death of a bird, therefore, when compiling feed, one should listen to the advice of experienced poultry farmers. nine0003
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Bread in the laying hen menu: benefit or harm?
Even a gray-haired old woman cannot live without a piece of bread, says an old Russian proverb. And the chicken? Which of us has not seen how smartly a chicken herd eats bread crumbs! And yet, is it possible to feed your laying hens with bread? And is it necessary? Read about it with us!
It is logical to assume that if a bird eats grain, then bread, as a grain product, can also be included in its diet. Both grain (wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc.) and products from it are valuable sources of energy: they contain a lot of carbohydrates.
The latter, as the sweet tooth is especially well aware, give a charge of vivacity. In addition, grains contain vitamins, proteins, and some beneficial amino acids. nine0003
Of the vitamins, we should especially mention group B, which are especially useful for the normal functioning of the nervous system of laying hens. It is not for nothing that those of us who consider ourselves to be lovers of a healthy lifestyle are looking for bread with bran saturated with vitamins of this group in the bread departments of stores. However, there are several “buts” in the issue of feeding chickens with bread. They must be taken into account when taking out the humpbacks and bread crumbs left after the family dinner to their laying hens.
The first “but” is that modern bread is baked using thermophilic yeast. Their ambiguous influence on a living organism has long been known. For several thousand years, agricultural peoples have used a variety of starter cultures to produce soft cakes or bread, which are both healthy and safe for the body.
Yeast is a product of the man-made 20th century. nine0003
The second “but” is mold, which often affects bread that has been lying for a couple of days. It is impossible to feed chickens with such slices, since mold is dangerous for their body as well as for a human. If you have a dog at home or an unpretentious cat, you know very well that even if they are hungry, they will not eat a moldy product. Animals feel its harmfulness with all their guts.
We once had to observe how even sparrows, regularly eating leftovers in a dog bowl, refused from moldy bread for several days. Although usually they carefully peck at all the crumbs remaining after dog meals. nine0003
And the third "but" - cakes, buns and other sweets should not be given to chickens in any case! These delicacies are not always useful for humans either - they are simply dangerous for birds, causing digestive disorders and thickening their blood. We don’t even stutter about beautiful cakes with cream and other additives that you can immediately poison chickens with.
Fresh or dry: how to give?
It is still possible to feed chickens with bread. The bird loves it, considering it, probably, as a delicacy - as in the video from FowlWeatherFarm. nine0003
But you can be careful when giving chickens different slices. First of all, do not feed chickens with fresh bread. Although the bird can swallow it, the consistency is such that the lump can get stuck in the beaks of chickens or stick together in their crops. To drink water in such a state, she, you understand, will not guess.
It is best to give leftover bread to chickens after crumbling. So you will not only protect the chickens from unpleasant consequences, but also avoid a fight - if your layers are very hungry.
The simplest option is to dry the remaining uneaten bread to the chickens, and then, moistening it slightly and dividing it into crumbs, give it to the chickens. nine0003
You can also feed chickens with mashed potatoes with soaked breadcrumbs and herbs.
By the way, if your pets do not have free range, but sit in a paddock in a small area, you do not need to give a lot of energy, and therefore a lot of bread. Large meals with whole rolls fed to chickens can lead to their obesity. And this, as you already know, worsens the quality of meat in broilers and reduces egg production in chickens.
Of course, it's not worth feeding peas every day. Wheat products can be given two to four times a week. Moreover, feed in such a way that in the volume of cereals from grain or cereals, mash, they do not exceed half. You can combine bread with boiled potatoes, all kinds of herbs, bran - and food ballast, and a source of vitamins. If you have rye left, make croutons out of it and divide it into one or two feedings a week! No more, because it has high acidity. nine0003
An important question: how much bread can chickens eat? A little, no more than 40% in the volume of their food. If you really care about the health of your bird flock, then you will feed it with bread not in the summer, but in the cold season, when a lot of energy is required to heat the body.
Poultry farmers' concern for waste-free farming and satiety of chickens is understandable and reasonable. Try only to take into account some features of the body of chickens so that their favorite bread does not cause them ailments or unpleasant excesses. nine0003
Video "Preparing rye bread for chickens"
Preparing rye bread for chickens is a whole science. The authors of the channel "Arseny Seleznev St. John's wort" tell how exactly to make croutons for chicken babies.
How can you diversify the menu of broilers?
Choosing the right diet for layers at home
Lunch for layers: what to give to lay well?
zoohoz.ru
Is it possible to give white and black bread to chickens
When keeping chickens, farmers know that not all food is suitable for birds. Some products should be treated with caution. Black bread is not contraindicated for chickens, but bread should be fed carefully and in small portions. The stomach of a bird does not digest fresh bread well, the product begins to sag and causes indigestion.
The best feeding option is a dry piece of bread without a crust. Can laying hens be fed bread? You can feed laying hens with white or black bread, but in minimal quantities. The product can also be given to broilers and chickens. nine0003
Is it possible to give bread to chickens
In order not to harm chickens, they should be fed according to the weight of the bird. Most of the data is based on average weight, but it happens that chickens have a very small or vice versa large weight. A domestic laying hen weighing up to 2 kg, with a productivity of 100 eggs per year, must be given 125 grams of feed per day and a maximum of one piece of cracker. If the bird weighs more than 2 kg, then you can give 130 grams of combined feed and 1.5 crackers. Next comes the calculation that for every 250 grams of weight, 10 grams of food and half a cracker are added. The increase in eggs should be appropriate. nine0003
Why can fresh bread be dangerous?
Because the product contains salt, which can worsen the condition of chickens and reduce their immunity.
If chickens feel bad, this will affect egg production, especially in egg breeds of chickens. With a decrease in immunity, chickens may suffer, since for full development, they need to be given vitamins and minerals. Fresh bread is able to increase, a lump forms in the stomach, which gradually swells.
Black bread is the most dangerous, since the dough contains a huge dose of yeast, and it has a strong acidity. Some substances can cause fermentation in the body, which will adversely affect the general condition of pets.
Note: On hot days, the product will mold faster. Such bread is not suitable for feeding birds.
Do not give spoiled product. Since the chicken may not digest it and her metabolism will worsen. If dark-colored mold is visible on the bread, then such bread is not suitable for feeding. To get rid of mold, you can carry out steam or heat treatment. To do this, the raw material should be placed in the oven. It is not recommended to feed laying hens and roosters with pastries.
Any sweet products contain fillers or dyes. High sugar content can cause digestive upset. nine0003
What foods should not be given to chickens:
- biscuits
- candy
- pies
Preparation and storage of the product
Before feeding the birds, make sure that the product has been properly stored and suitable for consumption. It is best to store bread in a dry and warm place so that mold does not appear on it. When you have unused bread left, you can dry it in the oven to crackers.
It is not worth harvesting a large number of crackers. Ready crackers can be packed in paper bags. Before giving the cracker to chickens or laying hens, it should be soaked in warm water or milk. nine0003
If there is a lot of bread left and it is nearing the end of its shelf life, it can be mixed with any other product. You can make a mash of sprouted grains and bread. Such a mixture, the birds must eat immediately, otherwise the dish will turn sour and may deteriorate.
What the chickens have not eaten must be put in the refrigerator.
Please note that if you are going to slaughter a rooster, then 10 days before slaughter, it should be fed with such a mash to make the meat tender and tasty.
How often can bread be given to chickens? nine0023
The product is recommended to be given infrequently, but only as a reward. It will be enough to give the product several times a week and less often. Dried white bread croutons are the best choice. It is enough to give the birds 1-2 small crackers. Previously, they do not need to be sprinkled with spices and add oil during drying. The right time to introduce a new product is autumn, winter.
DescriptionEvery person who keeps chickens knows and?
Good afternoon everyone! Decided to make a video, how can I?
Feeding chickens in winter. Chickens are very fond of bread.
Is it okay to give rabbits bread? What is white or black
At this time, chickens are in great need of additional food, energy and a source of heat.
To make bread not only satisfying, but also healthy, you can mix it with additives. If you periodically give such a mixture to laying hens, then this will not affect the number of eggs. When keeping birds in cages, bread should not be given at all. nine0003
villaved.ru
Bread for chickens - a useful product or a dangerous poison?
Some poultry farmers like to give their birds stale bread. But is it possible to do this and how to feed them properly, read on.
What kind of bread is allowed in the diet?
Most people who raise birds think that they can be given all the edible waste. Of course, chickens will eat everything with pleasure, but is it good for them? Novice poultry farmers first learn about what can and cannot be fed to birds and, having made sure, include certain foods in the diet. nine0003
Keep in mind that a properly composed chicken diet is excellent health, fast growth, good immunity, fast metabolism and high egg production of laying hens.
You should always remember this. The chicken body, just like the human body, requires sufficient daily intake of fats, proteins and carbohydrates for normal functioning.
Bread is a healthy product for chickens, especially laying hens, made from both rye and wheat flour. In the flour product, in addition to a large amount of carbohydrates that provide energy, there are several amino acids and B vitamins.
How much is allowed?
Bread in the diet of birds will have a good effect on health only if it is not very fresh, but not moldy at all. The amount of this product is also important. Bread alone is not a complete food.
Remember, white flour baked goods should only make up 40% of your daily meals. If this norm is exceeded in chickens of meat and egg breeds, over time, you will find obesity.
But it is better to feed bread made from rye flour only once a week, because it takes longer to digest and, accordingly, is absorbed. It is also worth considering that black bread has high acidity, which can negatively affect the functioning of the stomach of the chicken and its fertility.
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It is better to give flour product to birds in winter. For laying hens' own body heat, carbohydrates are the best source of energy. Flour products are nutritious especially in combination with cereals, special vitamin supplements, both in dry form and in mushy form. With such a diet over the winter, chickens will not decrease in weight and will calmly overwinter. Bread can be combined with boiled potatoes, cottage cheese, bran and herbs.
In summer, the amount of bread should be limited, especially if the birds are in the aviary all the time. With the active life of laying hens, the volume of daily consumption of this bakery product can not be reduced. nine0003
It is allowed to give stale bread to hens, but only in the soaked form, as part of the mash. You can just finely chop and feed them to birds. It is better not to soak stale bread made from rye flour much, but simply give it crushed. Experienced breeders recommend cutting it into pieces and drying in the oven.
Thus, it will be easier to crumble and it will not clog the beak and swell in the stomach.
Which bread is banned?
Although bread is allowed in the diet of birds, not all baked goods can be fed. nine0003
It is not recommended to give chickens such bread:
- Fresh - it contains a lot of salt and swells in the stomach, forms a lump in the crop, which can lead to suffocation of the bird. Fresh bread helps to reduce the immunity of laying hens, worsens egg production.
- Spoiled - provokes digestive problems, impairs metabolism and can cause poisoning.
- With mold - mold fungus contributes to the deterioration of the digestion of chickens and even poisoning. nine0013 Sweet rolls and other flour products - a large amount of sugar in these products thickens the blood, provokes diarrhea and poisoning.
Some poultry farmers do not throw away the moldy flour product, but cut off the spoiled part, cook the other part in the oven and use it to feed the birds.
