Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Poultry and Pets => The Hen House => Topic started by: animal mad on October 03, 2009, 20:24

Title: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: animal mad on October 03, 2009, 20:24

how often can i feed them this without causing a problem. i feed them layers pellets and green stuff, they love the bread and yoghurt and i thought it would be a good way to tame them down even the shy one was really happy.

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: compostqueen on October 06, 2009, 09:52

I mix a handful of their layers with bio yogurt and they go mad for it.  I only give it once a week as I need to keep some for me  :) well, not the layers obviously  :D

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 06, 2009, 11:24

Firstly can I just say that all chickens need to "graze" at feed all day and not have meal times.  They are not like cats or dog, more like sheep or cattle in there feeding habits.

You probably know this but I just wanted to say  :D.

Anywho. 

Next

Do not feed bread to chickens, unless soaked in water as when it gets to the crop it can expand and cause compaction of the crop.

For a treat I would suggest split corn or meal worms.
A chicken will take your arm off for meal worms.
Not to many though as a fat hen does not lay and meal worms are high in energy and so is split corn.

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: grumpydad on October 06, 2009, 11:27

roughlee, i know mine will take your arm off for a mealworm, do you know if there is a reason that we do not feed maggots ? i know that they can be used for crop impaction, but general treat feeding ?

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 06, 2009, 11:35

Quote from: grumpydad on October 06, 2009, 11:27

............ i know that they can be used for crop impaction.

I have heard that as well but I have never tried it so I can not comment. It does seem a bit far fetched.

I do not know why you can not feed none coloured maggots to a chicken.  I am sure if the chickens came across them in the wild they would eat them.
Coloured maggots would be a definite no as you  do not know what is contained in the colouring and if it has been passed for human consumption.

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: grumpydad on October 06, 2009, 12:20

i know that they use maggots (sterile) on humans for cleaning wounds, so i assume it is the same for a crop ? might try a few white maggots see if they eat them, as you say, they would eat them in the wild, and they eat slugs !!! what can be worse than that

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: kitkat on October 06, 2009, 13:14

I've read of people giving maggots[left over from fishing] and reckon its ok

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: Roughlee Handled on October 06, 2009, 15:25

Quote from: kitkat on October 06, 2009, 13:14

I've read of people giving maggots[left over from fishing] and reckon its ok

Only give the none coloured ones.

Title: Re: feeding chickens bread and bio yoghurt
Post by: janet12000 on October 06, 2009, 20:01

I read on here to give chooks toast and marmite? Can't remember who said it?
They love it though.  :ohmy: