HI Can you feed barley to chickens? Are oats better? JUst wondering which is the best to feed. Thanks
Geri
Geri
Western Canada Poultry Swap
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can you feed barley
+13
Country Thyme Farm
CynthiaM
KathyS
Schipperkesue
Omega Blue Farms
mirycreek
HigginsRAT
heda gobbler
pfarms
coopslave
rosewood
Hidden River
Rasilon
17 posters
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2 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:29 pm
Hidden River
Golden Member
I do feed a bit of barley in my chicken mix to the chickens. I was told though that chickens lack the enzyme that breaks down the barley so I have that in my mix as well as the added vitamins, so I would watch how much you feed them.
Wheat is actually the best food for chickens if you have access to it.
Wheat is actually the best food for chickens if you have access to it.
3 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 2:40 pm
rosewood
Golden Member
I fed oats to the chickens and cattle one winter. I think the oats need to be rolled for chickens. I should check out if oats can be fed to pigs. I have fed barley to the chickens occasionally.
4 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:15 pm
coopslave
Golden Member
Hidden River wrote:I do feed a bit of barley in my chicken mix to the chickens. I was told though that chickens lack the enzyme that breaks down the barley so I have that in my mix as well as the added vitamins, so I would watch how much you feed them.
Wheat is actually the best food for chickens if you have access to it.
yep
5 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:48 pm
pfarms
Full Time Member
I dont use barley only because of an allergy to it, I break out in a massive rash. Figured that out fast when we got the Jersey's. So unfortunately I cant help you there.
Rosewood, yes on both accounts. Oats need to be rolled or cracked for chickens. Yes pigs can eat it too, but it is best if cracked or rolled. I use it with both. I do find they eat it better rolled then cracked as that is much more dusty.
Rosewood, yes on both accounts. Oats need to be rolled or cracked for chickens. Yes pigs can eat it too, but it is best if cracked or rolled. I use it with both. I do find they eat it better rolled then cracked as that is much more dusty.
6 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:56 pm
heda gobbler
Golden Member
I feed my pigs rolled oats occasionally but they seem to go right through them, intact. If I'm going to feed rolled oats I soak them first - that seems to be the most digestible.
7 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:23 pm
HigginsRAT
Golden Member
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Last edited by HigginsRAT on Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
8 Re: can you feed barley Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:49 pm
heda gobbler
Golden Member
As a note, my Shetland sheep receive a little whole barley (less than 1/4 cup each) as their only grain ration, really as a treat to get them happy to follow me when necessary. They shouldn't have grain as a rule and the whole barley is most difficult to digest.
Good thread!
I must try the birds with oats, especially now the turkeys are in hard moult.
Good thread!
I must try the birds with oats, especially now the turkeys are in hard moult.
9 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:04 am
mirycreek
Golden Member
I always been unsure of feeding whole oats to my birds, we do get some from the neighbour for a treat for the horses in winter, but now I would like to try feeding some to the two drakes that are getting in their adult feathers.
I usually cracked wheat for the juvenilles but this year was too lazy so just started mixing them in gradually with their grower as whole wheat and it seemed to work fine, (they do get lots of grit) at first they pick out the grower but by the time they are ready for the winter pens I see they tend to pick out the whole wheat first instead,
no waste and no dust, if they do spill, if the ground is dampe enough they sprout and grow some nice wheat grass for them to eat...
Never tried barley, probably wont now I hear about it.
I usually cracked wheat for the juvenilles but this year was too lazy so just started mixing them in gradually with their grower as whole wheat and it seemed to work fine, (they do get lots of grit) at first they pick out the grower but by the time they are ready for the winter pens I see they tend to pick out the whole wheat first instead,
no waste and no dust, if they do spill, if the ground is dampe enough they sprout and grow some nice wheat grass for them to eat...
Never tried barley, probably wont now I hear about it.
10 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 9:15 am
Omega Blue Farms
Full Time Member
I would never feed rolled, cracked, or anything other than a living whole grain. Whole grains have more nutrition and a better shelf life.
Properly maintained birds will eat whole oats, no problem. They don't devour it right off and need time to develop a taste for it, but once they do, it's better for them than dead grains.
As for barley, everything in moderation. I make my own scratch mix based upon wheat, oats, corn, and barley. Basically wheat is the base. I then add oats for health/feather growth, and barley/corn for fattening. If I am looking for white fat, I use barley. If yellow fat, I use corn.
Properly maintained birds will eat whole oats, no problem. They don't devour it right off and need time to develop a taste for it, but once they do, it's better for them than dead grains.
As for barley, everything in moderation. I make my own scratch mix based upon wheat, oats, corn, and barley. Basically wheat is the base. I then add oats for health/feather growth, and barley/corn for fattening. If I am looking for white fat, I use barley. If yellow fat, I use corn.
11 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:11 pm
pfarms
Full Time Member
Those that are feeding whole grains, is it just as a scratch or as their actual everyday feed? I found with my birds, they were loosing weight on the whole grains. Yes they have grit and a variety of different sizes. I found on rolled, they eat less, grow better, lay more, and gained back all the weight they lost. I use it as my everyday feed. Not a scratch. Granted, I roll and mix my own feed weekly. So it being stored is not an issue.
12 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:01 pm
HigginsRAT
Golden Member
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Last edited by HigginsRAT on Thu Nov 01, 2012 11:19 pm; edited 1 time in total
13 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 7:41 pm
Schipperkesue
Golden Member
Tara, where do you buy your rolled corn? My feed producer refuses to roll corn saying the moisture used makes it go moldy too fast.
14 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:08 pm
KathyS
Golden Member
Reading this info about barley worries me a bit, because my latest batch of home-ground feed does contain barley in the mix. I found this article that talks about using feed additives to help chickens break down barley.
Would it be worthwhile tryig to locate some of this stuff to make the feed more digestible? Or would this even be available in small quantities to a hobby farmer? Any ideas?
Poultry, particularly growing chickens, are sensitive to the beta-glucans in barley. Beta-glucans form gels in the digestive tract of birds that are not broken down because of the lack of appropriate enzymes and the rapid rate of passage in poultry. Without addition of beta-glucanases to the feed, barley-based diets have been associated with reduced levels of available energy and with wet droppings, pasty vents, and wet litter.
Would it be worthwhile tryig to locate some of this stuff to make the feed more digestible? Or would this even be available in small quantities to a hobby farmer? Any ideas?
15 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:16 pm
coopslave
Golden Member
KathyS, get a hold of the enzyme and you will be ok. I have never had to purchase it, but I don't think if is to tough to find.
16 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:21 pm
Rasilon
Addicted Member
Hi Thank you for the replies. The reason I asked is that I was buying a
mix of wheat oats and corn but the supplier switched from oats to
barley in the mix.. I add extra whole wheat and corn, hemp meal and
distillers grains to the mix but it is the base of my chciken feed. He
said people complained that the chickens didn't eat the oats. Mine left
it to at first but started to eat the oats after awhile. So now I will
have to buy whole oats to add to the mix. Does anybody know of anywhere
it is written that chickens don't have the enzymes to digest barley . I
would like to take proof when I tell him about it. Geri
mix of wheat oats and corn but the supplier switched from oats to
barley in the mix.. I add extra whole wheat and corn, hemp meal and
distillers grains to the mix but it is the base of my chciken feed. He
said people complained that the chickens didn't eat the oats. Mine left
it to at first but started to eat the oats after awhile. So now I will
have to buy whole oats to add to the mix. Does anybody know of anywhere
it is written that chickens don't have the enzymes to digest barley . I
would like to take proof when I tell him about it. Geri
18 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:28 pm
Schipperkesue
Golden Member
Here is an interesting site, Geri. It covers use of many grains.
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19 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:28 pm
Rasilon
Addicted Member
KathyS wrote:Reading this info about barley worries me a bit,
because my latest batch of home-ground feed does contain barley in the
mix. I found this article that talks about using feed additives to help
chickens break down barley.
Poultry, particularly
growing chickens, are sensitive to the beta-glucans in barley.
Beta-glucans form gels in the digestive tract of birds that are not
broken down because of the lack of appropriate enzymes and the rapid
rate of passage in poultry. Without addition of beta-glucanases to the
feed, barley-based diets have been associated with reduced levels of
available energy and with wet droppings, pasty vents, and wet litter.
But wouldn't the feed have to be mostly barley to be bad for young
birds if the feed only has a percentage of barley in it it should be ok
. Yes/no maybe so??
Geri
Would it be worthwhile tryig to locate some of this stuff
to make the feed more digestible? Or would this even be available in
small quantities to a hobby farmer? Any ideas?
20 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:44 pm
KathyS
Golden Member
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Geri, this was the site where I was reading about feeding barley. I'll do some investigating about finding that enzyme additive. I may also add more whole wheat to the mix to decrease the percentage of barley.
Oh, I just noticed coopslave already posted the link I quoted from. But yes, that page has some good info and is worth reading.
Geri, this was the site where I was reading about feeding barley. I'll do some investigating about finding that enzyme additive. I may also add more whole wheat to the mix to decrease the percentage of barley.
Oh, I just noticed coopslave already posted the link I quoted from. But yes, that page has some good info and is worth reading.
21 Re: can you feed barley Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:22 pm
Rasilon
Addicted Member
KathyS wrote:[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
. I'll do some investigating about finding that enzyme additive. .
Hi I wrote to the U of M to the professor that sent me info on feeding
hemp asking if he knew where to get the enzyme. I will post when I get
his reply
Geri
22 Re: can you feed barley Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:42 am
CynthiaM
Golden Member
Smiling. I am pretty lucky I guess that my Daughter feeds her four horses whole oats. Guess what. Horses don't digest this product (should mention that to her, wonder what the point is, it comes out the same way it goes in, probably a waster of money???). Anyways, my chickens all get lots of whole oats, every day. You should see the conglomeration of birds that run as fast as they can when they see that tail go up and the horse lays a steamy one. It is a source of great amusement to watch hundreds (well embellishing a little), but every chicken that sees the horse plop a plop runs as fast as they can. Surprised why more chickens are not stained green. The horse(s) barely have time to move before those piles are spread every which way. Smart chickens. They know where the finest place to hang out is, even the little babies are becoming very smart too.
I am wondering now what is in the hen scratch that I give handfuls to the birds to each day, as their good morning kiss from me. Wonder if there is barley in there, gonna have to look at ingredients I guess. Can't imagine that barley would be in chicken scratch if it requires additional enzymes to break it down, but hey, ya never know. Good thread. Have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.
I am wondering now what is in the hen scratch that I give handfuls to the birds to each day, as their good morning kiss from me. Wonder if there is barley in there, gonna have to look at ingredients I guess. Can't imagine that barley would be in chicken scratch if it requires additional enzymes to break it down, but hey, ya never know. Good thread. Have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.
23 Re: can you feed barley Thu Sep 06, 2012 7:53 am
coopslave
Golden Member
Hidden mentioned earlier that she adds the enzyme to her ration. Maybe she can share where she gets it from.
24 Re: can you feed barley Thu Sep 06, 2012 8:38 pm
Omega Blue Farms
Full Time Member
I wonder if bugs, greens, or any of the other goodies available to naturally pastured poultry would happen to contain the enzyme?
Anyone know natural sources for the enzyme?
Anyone know natural sources for the enzyme?
25 Re: can you feed barley Thu Sep 06, 2012 11:20 pm
Country Thyme Farm
Full Time Member
Omega Blue Farms wrote:I wonder if bugs, greens, or any of the other goodies available to naturally pastured poultry would happen to contain the enzyme?
Anyone know natural sources for the enzyme?
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Would need a subscription to read the whole article, but this abstract suggests pasture raised heritage birds would already have at least some of the enzyme naturally in their crop. They would have to have healthy crop/gut flora though.
I also noticed that the feed mixes listed in the original article had barley at 20-40% of the total feed. Don't have time to look right now, but if I remember right Feeding Poultry by heuser says barley is a good feed supplement as long as you keep it at less than 10% of the total ration.
On another note, a friend of mine used to supplement his layer ration with just barley and he never figured it harmed his birds.
Such a high barley amount along with testing the feeds on conventional birds would bias the results in the original article.
I think oats and barley are both great feeds, but from what I know of feeding poultry, too much high fiber feeds would decrease feed efficiency, so unless I was willing of able to get dehulled barley or oats, I try to follow a general rule of 10% or less combined oats and barley in my feed mixes.
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