The use of oats for chickens is observed quite often. This product has a high nutritional value and allows you to supply birds with the necessary substances - vitamins and microelements. In order for the food to bring only benefits to the birds, it is worth considering a number of features. First of all, it is necessary to take into account the age category and body weight.
Can chickens eat oats?
Chickens are great at eating oats. This cereal contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals.Birds require them for full development and maintenance of high productivity.
Using oats to feed birds helps achieve the following results:
- replenish the body with vitamins and minerals;
- form and strengthen immunity;
- improve the functioning of the musculoskeletal system;
- speed up recovery after molting and activate feather development;
- increase productivity;
- improve the development of young animals.
Nutritional value
Cereals contain a lot of carbohydrates and proteins. Oats contain 8% fat and fiber. The cereal has high nutritional value. Chickens happily eat these grains. Birds can eat oatmeal in its pure form. It is also often included in combined feeds..
Oats contain the following components:
- 65% carbohydrates;
- 12-15% fat;
- 10-12% proteins.
In addition, cereals contain other important substances. These include sodium, magnesium, calcium. Includes oats potassium and iron. The composition contains leucine, arginine, tyrosine. In addition, the composition includes glycine, valine, lysine and many other components.
The energy value parameters are affected by the presence of husks. In its natural form, the calorie content of cereal is 257 kilocalories. At the same time, 100 grams of peeled oats contains 295 kilocalories.
Advantages and disadvantages
Oats are considered a healthy grain that has many advantages:
- high content of vitamins and minerals;
- high nutritional value;
- beneficial effect on the development of chickens;
- maintaining high productivity of birds;
- affordable price.
At the same time, the cereal also has certain disadvantages.According to studies, chickens' digestive organs have difficulty digesting fiber, which is found in large quantities in oatmeal. Therefore, the amount of this component in industrial feed is reduced to a minimum.
Difficulties digesting food provoke health problems. Birds cannot absorb other nutritional ingredients.
Therefore, when using oats to feed birds, it is important to remember a sense of proportion.
How to soak and germinate?
Sprouting grain is a simple process. To germinate a cereal, you should follow a certain sequence of actions:
- Take a plastic container and place clean natural material in it.
- Moisten the cloth and place the grains on it.
- Cover with a damp cloth.
- Place the container in a warm and well-lit place.
- The grains should be moistened as needed. This is done until sprouts form.
- When roots and green shoots appear, food can be given to chickens.
There is also a method of steaming grains. To do this, you should perform the following steps:
- bring water to a boil;
- put a maximum of 5 grams of salt in it;
- pour boiling water over the cereal;
- boil for 10 minutes;
- drain the water;
- dry the grains.
Consumption rate
The beneficial characteristics and side effects of oats depend on the method of preparation and the volume of cereal that the bird receives. Unprocessed, hulled grains contain more fiber than refined grains. Therefore, it is worth using grain without shells. This will help reduce the amount of fiber and make the oats easier to digest.
Before feeding grains to chickens, it is recommended to chop or germinate them. It is also permissible to steam the grains.
In summer
In the warm season, the chicken is free-range and obtains its own food.During this period, the volume of oats should not be more than 20%. It should be used alone or combined with other grains. A combination of the product with vegetables or herbs is acceptable.
in winter
During the cold season, birds need oatmeal. It is given in sprouted form. Cereals are also allowed to be steamed. Thanks to this, it is possible to facilitate absorption by the digestive organs.
A chicken should receive 120 grams of cereals per day. Of this amount, 30 grams should be oats. This product is especially important during molting or drop in egg production.
How to prepare feed with oats
To make a combination food with the addition of oatmeal, it is worth taking into account the age of the birds.
For chickens
Chicks that have recently hatched should be given crushed oats. It can be included in mash or dry mixtures. To prepare 1 kilogram of feed you will need the following components:
- 500 grams of chopped corn;
- 150 grams of wheat or barley flour;
- 150 grams of sunflower meal;
- 80 grams of crushed barley;
- 2/3 cup kefir 1% or whey;
- 3 grams of salt.
The fermented milk product is preheated to 30-35 degrees. This will help to fully saturate all the ingredients of the composition.
To avoid vitamin deficiency and the development of diseases, it is permissible to add premixes for chicks to the feed. Such substances contain many vitamins and microelements. In the morning the composition is added to the main diet. It is important to adhere to the dosage.
For laying hens
Mature laying hens should make food based on wheat, yellow and red millet. These components are mixed in a ratio of 2:1:1. This composition should account for half of the mixture. To it you need to add 25% corn, 15% oats, 8% millet and 2% shell rock.
To supply birds with vitamins, a premix for laying hens is used. Thanks to this, they will systematically produce eggs. Such remedies help avoid the development of eye and joint diseases. There should be 10 grams of the substance per 1 kilogram of feed mixture.
For broilers
The diet of these birds should be aimed at rapid weight gain. To do this, the feed must contain 10% oats, 5% fish or meat and bone meal, 20% corn. The rest comes from wheat and bran. These components are taken in equal proportions.
Broilers need special premixes. They are manufactured taking into account the metabolic processes of meat chicken breeds and help to enhance weight gain at low feeding costs. This substance allows you to avoid the development of anemia and rickets, diseases of the thyroid gland and eyes. For 1 individual take 1 gram of the substance.
Possible problems from feeding oats
The digestive organs of chickens have difficulty digesting fiber, which is present in large quantities in oatmeal. Therefore, birds should not be given a lot of grain.
Also, oats should not be given to birds that tend to gain weight. This product promotes the development of adipose tissue. As a result, chickens do not lay eggs well and become more susceptible to infections..
Oats are a popular food that contains many vitamins and minerals.
It is often used when preparing diets for chickens. To achieve good results and not harm the birds, you should strictly follow the standards of this product.
