Anyone feed chickens a simple mix of whole grains?

[lwheelr]

Chickens always eat vegetables better when they are cut up small. They also like them when they are fermented, and even day old coleslaw will be fermented some.

 

[Marianne]

Interesting. I had read about hanging a head of cabbage in the coop for the really cold days when you keep them locked up. My hens looked at me like I was nuts. Never did touch the thing.

But that's good to know. I'll have to try that with the sunchokes.

 

[~gd]

The technical answer to your question is this....for a smaller pot, like a gallon or two, use one glug, and for a bigger pot, use two glugs. From the Latin glugicus.

That must be canned stock! the stuff I have in my refrig. has enough gelatine exrtacted from cartalige (sp) that I have to dig it out with a spoon!

 

[lwheelr]

Maybe if you used whole cabbages that were pickled in a kraut barrel.

 

[Icu4dzs]

I'm kinda concerned about the number of folks who are so down on soy beans. I grow soybeans and keep a good number of them for my birds. I was having some issues with them not laying during the winter and read an article by a gal in Backwoods Home Magazine about feeding them boiled soybeans.

I took her recommendation and started seeing eggs two days later. I was impressed with this. Yes, the beans have to be soaked and boiled (or dry roasted to kill the enzyme trypsin) but short of that it worked. Some time later, I started to notice egg production drop off and decided to try the "more light" approach.

I got a compact flourescent bulb (26 watt) and an electronic timer. I start the light in the coop at 0300 and off at 0800 (because the sun is up by then). My egg production soared from 2 to 5 in just a few days of "light therapy". The girls are certainly none the worse for the wear, but now my only problem is frozen eggs...It gets mighty cold around these parts and the girls don't sit on them once they are "done with 'em".

Now I haven't tried adding BOSS or other whole grains although I am absolutely convinced that all of them are safe for the birds. I used to feed whole wheat berries and corn to my birds when I lived in Pensacola and they did fine. If you add the wheat too fast, they get some diarrhea but after that things seem to go OK. I do give them scraps from the kitchen, mostly the ends of carrots and other vegetable scraps. No meat at all though. I do add back some powdered eggshell to the feed that I buy (at $11/bag) so I am looking to do something different (particulary in a SHTF scenario.)

So, back to my original question. Can anyone give me ANY credible data regarding ANY reason at all for not feeding the soybeans to my girls? They certainly seem to love them because they are gone before I have finished filling the feeder with cracked feed and filling the waterer. The article I read stated that 2/3 cup was enough for 10 hens. I have 8 so that is about what they get.

Information from your combined knowledge is appreciated.

 

[colowyo0809]

I'm kinda concerned about the number of folks who are so down on soy beans. I grow soybeans and keep a good number of them for my birds. I was having some issues with them no laying during the winter and read an article by a gal in Backwoods Home Magazine about feeding them boiled soybeans.

I took her recommendation and started seeing eggs two days later. I was impressed with this. Yes, the beans have to be soaked and boiled (or dry roasted to kill the enzyme trypsin) but short of that it worked. Some time later, I started to notice egg production drop off and decided to try the "light" approach.

I got a compact flourescent bulb (26 watt) and an electronic timer. I start the light in the coop at 0300 and off at 0800 (because the sun is up by then). My egg production soared from 2 to 5 in just a few days of "light therapy". The girls are certainly none the worse for the wear, but now my only problem is frozen eggs...It gets mighty cold around these parts and the girls don't sit on them once they are "done with 'em".

Now I haven't tried adding BOSS or whole grains although I am absolutely convinced that all of them are safe for the birds. I used to feed whole wheat berries and corn to my birds when I lived in Pensacola and they did fine. If you add the wheat too fast, they get some diarrhea but after that things seem to go OK. I do give them scraps from the kitchen, mostly the ends of carrots and other vegetable scraps. No meat at all though.

So, back to my original question. Can anyone give me ANY credible data regarding ANY reason at all for not feeding the soybeans to my girls? They certainly seem to love them because they are gone before I have finished filling the feeder with cracked feed and filling the waterer. The article I read stated that 2/3 cup was enough for 10 hens. I have 8 so that is about what they get.

Information from your combined knowledge is appreciated.

To take a guess, I'd have to go with the whole "gmo soybean=bad" thing. We choose to feed ours a soyless organic feed, but thats because we've made a choice to cut down on soy consumption in our food period. Having soy and corn dominate the majority of the food you eat is going to lead to problems. As far as the chickens go though, for us again its just about not having the soy around period. To many issues with hormones in humans to worry about it in chickens. Besides, we can't claim them to be soy less, gmo less eggs if we feed them soy
Also, I am not trying to come down on you for feeding it to yours This was just why we do it. If it works for you, more power to you!

 

[freemotion]

I have a soy-free property (except 1-3 year fermented, live miso on occasion) because of the info on the dangers of soy found on this site: www.westonaprice.org. Put "soy dangers" in the search there. Yes, your hens will lay very well because of the hormone disrupting quality of soy, even organic soy. I'm not sure how this will impact the eggs I eat from my hens, so better safe than sorry. Soy for human consumption is very, very bad.

I'd worry less about the impact on the actual laying hen since their egg-laying time is fairly short and then they are stewing hens. But any critter that you want to keep a long time and keep productive (goats, cows, pet dogs and cats) should not be fed soy for the same reasons humans shouldn't be eating it.

 

[Marianne]

The technical answer to your question is this....for a smaller pot, like a gallon or two, use one glug, and for a bigger pot, use two glugs. From the Latin glugicus.

That must be canned stock! the stuff I have in my refrig. has enough gelatine exrtacted from cartalige (sp) that I have to dig it out with a spoon!

Naaa, no canned stock ever, just homemade. And you're right, that homemade stuff gets pretty gel-ly. Oh, so good, huh.

Got the turkey bones in the pressure cooker now with the appropriate glug of ACV. I can't wait til it's done to see what's in there! Smells so good.

I won't comment on the soy. I know just enough to be stupid about that. I don't use it or buy it, but not because I'm trying to avoid it. There still must be some market for it as the farmer that owns the fields all around us plants it periodically.

 

[freemotion]

The technical answer to your question is this....for a smaller pot, like a gallon or two, use one glug, and for a bigger pot, use two glugs. From the Latin glugicus.

That must be canned stock! the stuff I have in my refrig. has enough gelatine exrtacted from cartalige (sp) that I have to dig it out with a spoon!

Naaa, no canned stock ever, just homemade. And you're right, that homemade stuff gets pretty gel-ly. Oh, so good, huh.

Got the turkey bones in the pressure cooker now with the appropriate glug of ACV. I can't wait til it's done to see what's in there! Smells so good.

I won't comment on the soy. I know just enough to be stupid about that. I don't use it or buy it, but not because I'm trying to avoid it. There still must be some market for it as the farmer that owns the fields all around us plants it periodically.

There is a HUGE market for soy....it is in many (most?) packaged foods, including breads!

In my above post about "glugs" I was referring to the ACV (apple cider vinegar) and not to the broth...chilled broth should be solid if it is any good at all!

 

[Wifezilla]

Can anyone give me ANY credible data regarding ANY reason at all for not feeding the soybeans to my girls?

http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/no-joy.html

Unless soy is fermented, it contains anti-nutrients that mess with your health. Fermenting neutralizes them. The way soy is used in most cases in the US, it is actually robbing your body (or your birds' bodies) of nutrition.