postmaster Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi All Can anyone help with the following feed anomalies. A book on chickens suggests cheese or stale brown bread soaked in milk can be given as an occasional treat. However I read somewhere that chickens are lactose intolerant !!! Who is correct? The same book suggests left over rice as a treat. Does this mean savoury or pudding rice or can both be given. In the case of pudding rice, this will contain milk (see above). As for savoury rice it will be flavoured with onion. Another 'expert' reckons onion is bad for chickens !!! See my problem? Finally my Silkies simply refuse to eat Layers Pellets. Would Mash be more palatable ? Does Mash have to be mixed with water? Would adding Chicken Spice to the pellets help?. Any advice appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi, mine have rice but just plain old boiled rice. Mash can be given dry or you can wet it. Don't know the answer to your other questions but I would avoid bread because it would swell and fill them rather than eating pellets or mash which they need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I avoid bread also as I'm paranoid about it swelling and getting stuck in their crops They do have rice any left over vegetables and they have pellets all day, but I give them some with either weetabix or porridge with hot water in the afternoon with sweetcorn or raisins! they go mad for it. I never give onions...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuggywoo Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Hi Postmaster, If you're going to give bread (why?? ) make sure it's soaked in water first - cut it up into chunky bits then soak in water for a good few hours (as you should do for wild birds). Any starchy & 'swelly' food (rice, spuds, pasta etc) must be cooked beforehand. Not sure what to suggest about the layers pellets though? Mine didn't eat the pellets so I changed to mash - the cockerel loved it but not the girls so back to pellets. Try mixing the pellets with mixed corn for a while perhaps (Onions?? Onion flavoured egg does not appeal ) Maybe the author of said book should have a few lessons in chicken management? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
postmaster Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 Thanks all Advice taken on board. Does anyone know anything about the lactose intolerant bit. Does anyone give their birds stale cheese crumbs ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Poultry do not have the necessary enzymes to digest lactose. You an safely give them probiotic yoghurt as the lactase it contains helps with the digestion of the lactose. I wouldn't over do it with cheese though as it conains a lot of fat, but tiny amounts won't do much harm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherryblossom Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 We have been giving ours anything we have left over which the dog hasn't already had other than raw potato and onion, as they seem to be the two things that everyone agrees they should not have. We give them boiled plain rice, never seen an onion. They are currently fighting over some cream and custard cake. They don't get it till late in the day though, and if they have not eaten any layer pellets they don't get any. I go for the 'if they are hungry enough they will eat it' theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollystar Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 My girls & boy must be a very tollerant bunch They get what ever left overs we have be it curry Spagetti bol (with onions), rice, veg, pizza, even garlic bread & never complain Only in small amounts though & main food is pellets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Zapped all yer duplicate posts cherryblossom - sorry, the forum has been having problems recently and the code monkeys are working to sort it out.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cherryblossom Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
