Unsecure chicken perches

[chickenopolis]

I had some left over cooked rice last week (just boiled in water, no additions in the water) and left it in a container in the fridge for later use. Having remembered I have some left over rice I gave some to my ladies earlier in the week - they can't get enough of it. Is it OK to feed them rice?

I am wary about feeding them spaghetti incase we get an impacted crop, but will rice do the same?

[Patricia W]

Mine adore both rice and spahetti.

 

Tricia

[Verity F]

Mine too!

 

Actually, they prefer fusilli pasta and aren't as keen on spaghetti (seriously)

 

As with all treats though, everything in moderation... mine get a handful if there's a bit left over (ok, so I usually make a bit extra )

[Cinnamon]

A lot of rice can impact their crop - it happened to one of mine,as it can swell when its in the crop.

A little is fine.

 

Also rice can harbour a really nasty bug in it,so be wary if its been left out of the fridge overnight

[The Dogmother]

As Cinnamon has said, fed them rice with care. As with any treat, make sure that they eat their pellets during the day, then only give a small amount of treats in the evening.

 

As I said in another thread; chickens don't need any extra carbohydrates in their diet and it will only make them fat - this will have repercussions on their general health and ability to lay eggs.

[Widge]

Bit embarrassed to ask but what does 'impact crop' mean?!?!?!

Both of my girls love rice treats!

 

W. x

[The Dogmother]

Impacted crop is when something, usually stringy grass or glutinous food blocks the crop. It is nasty, can be sorted though, but is best avoided as if it happens once, it may well happen again.

[ValerieR]

First time I gave mine cooked spaghetti they ate it, the seond time they ignored it. Fickle creatures!

They ate a little rice but weren't too keen.

They went crazy for scotch broth mixture and porridge oats though!

Claret - can I ask - you mention glutinous food getting stuck - does that include porridge? I see some folks give their girls porridge in the winter? Should I be careful about that? And how do you know if the chicken has an impacted crop? (Sorry but I am new to this as well.)

Cheers

Val

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Many of us refer to porridge which doesn't actually contain any oats........... merely a mush made with layers mash or layers pellets and warm water to which sultanas, grapes, corn, wheat, mealworms, poultry spice, garlic powder, limestone flour and any other additions they like/need....though usually not all together

 

Mine occasionally get a few spoonfuls of rice mixed in with their "porridge" so everyone gets some

 

If a chook has impacted crop, the easiest time to tell is first thing in the morning before she has eaten anything, her crop should be indistinguishable....if you find a hard lump where her crop should be, that's very likely impacted crop. It's not nice and it might take several days to clear..this is a fairly simply procedure, usually mucky as you will end up wearing some of whatever you syringe in as she probably won't like it

 

Simple method to hopefully clear it - Syringe water and some olive oil into her & massage the lump to break it up. I heartily advocate the use of maggots as a way of clearing the blockage, not pleasant, but the chook won't complain

 

IC can be caused by too much fibrous matter (long grass, bedding, hay, straw etc) being eaten & causing a lump which cannot pass through to the gizzard & preventing nutritious food from going through too......and as Claret said earlier if it happens once it will very likely happen again...and again as the muscles in the crop get saggy & stop doing the job they should. Prevention is most certainly better than cure

 

You'll find lots of advice on here about IC and sour crop too should you ever be unlucky enough to have a chook suffer these conditions.

 

Sha x

[The Dogmother]

Thanks for clarifying in my absence, Sha

[ValerieR]

Yes thanks Sha. Pleased I now know what "porridge" means! I would have been giving my girls a big steaming bowl of Scoots porridge oats

[jill the potter]

mine both love porridge oats.especially in the winter. I was told that as it digests slowly it was good for them in the cold winter months. Only made with hot water and only at the end of the day. I also used it recently when one one mine was poorly. I think it's easy to digest, but not a substitute for their normal layers pellets.

[Chook n Boo Mum]

Thanks for clarifying in my absence, Sha

 

I've learnt most of my chook knowledge from you & the forum Claret, so thank you Clare

 

Sha x

[Alis girls]

i will ease up on the rice - i had saved some for them for today but I think I will bin it. being new to this dont want porky hens

[Chicken Shirl]

I buy a brown rice mixture with added wild rice for my chooks, and only cook it for about 10 minutes. It is still quite crunchy, and they adore it, especially the wild rice. They eat all the dark red, dark brown, and black, and leave the normal light brown stuff for the wild birds. Fussy little beggers.

[The Dogmother]

They will love it (bit like kids with chocolate ) but too much isn't good for them, stick to proper hen treats. Smallholder super mixed corn, with added dried mealworms, or (if you can get it) the Garvo Alfamix goes down very well, but I only give them a small amount at the end of the day when i am putting them back in the run. Wiggly Wiggler's indigo wheat is also good.

 

In the winter, they need more heat at night, so a bit more corn, or some well soaked rolled oats are fine.