Is it possible to feed chickens barley, how to feed and germinate it correctly

Good afternoon, experienced and novice poultry farmers! Can barley be fed to broilers, or is it only good for laying hens? Now let's put everything into pieces. The nutrition of broilers differs significantly from the nutrition of laying hens. But let’s say right away that laying hens and broilers can have a little barley, although they don’t like it very much. We train it from chicken age.

Laying hens need an increased amount of calcium in their feed to ensure strong egg shells, and a minimum of components that contribute to rapid weight gain. But broilers need calcium only for bone growth, and at the same time, their diet should contain many substances that are aimed at rapid weight gain.

The basis of any feed for broilers - factory-made or home-made - consists of grain crops, making up more than 65% of their composition. Many poultry farmers are interested in whether it is worth including barley in the feed and whether it is harmful to the health of broilers. In this article we will look at the benefits of this type of grain for chickens, how and when to give barley to broilers.

Grain consumption standards

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 separate or germinate them. It is also permissible to steam the grains.

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.

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.

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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.

For meat breeds

Recommended quantity

Grain feeds make up up to 70% of the poultry diet. The amount of barley in the grain mixture should not exceed 30%. Optimal grain moisture content is up to 16%.

Barley grain is suitable for feeding chickens and laying hens. Until 4 weeks of age, chickens are fed barley (barley groats). This product is made from whole grains, without fruit shells or flower membranes. They are crushed to obtain small yellowish or whitish granules of irregular shape. Untreated testicles can cause chick death due to blockage of the stomach muscle. As the bird grows, the proportion increases, but the scales continue to be removed.

Secrets of adding grain to the menu

The first and basic rule for adding a product to the menu of feathered workers is the correct dosage.

If you are using industrial feed that already contains 10-20% oats, then there is no point in feeding this grain separately if it is summer and your chickens do not molt.

Here are some recommendations for adding this product to the menu of feathered workers.

1. Give it to chicks during the seasonal molting period. No other grain can stimulate feather growth like this, so such food can speed up the restoration of “fur coats”. In addition, during the molting period, it is recommended to shorten the daylight hours in the poultry house so that its residents can quickly go through this difficult stage of their lives.
2. During the growth period, young chicks are also recommended to consume this type of grain, in addition to the norm that they receive from combined feed. The younger generation can serve it in the form of flakes or ground. This supplement is useful 2-3 times a week.
3. And of course, sprouted grains will help your herd survive the winter. The deficiency of green food is partially compensated with the help of grass and pine flour, and partly with the help of sprouted grain. It is very simple to prepare such a healthy delicacy. Many people practice germination in baking sheets or plastic containers. The grain is kept warm on a damp cloth (but not in the heat - it may spoil).

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How to germinate barley for chickens?

Chickens are allowed to feed not only grain, but also sprouted barley. In the second case, the grain becomes more saturated with vitamins and nutrients. And chickens eat barley sprouts with great desire.

To germinate grain, follow the following algorithm:

1. Take wide dishes with low sides. Scatter the grain over it in one layer. Fill with water so that the grain layer is completely submerged.
2. The dishes are left in a warm room overnight to allow the barley to swell.
3. In the morning, the water not absorbed by the grains is drained. The barley is washed in a sieve with clean water. Pour into the bowl again and fill with water in the same volume.
4. The next morning, the procedure is repeated, but a small new portion of water is taken - the grain mass should remain partially submerged.
5. The dishes are left in a warm room, covered with moistened gauze. Spray the gauze with water periodically to keep it moist.

As soon as the sprouts hatch, they can immediately be offered to the chickens. The most useful grass is up to 3 cm high.

You can leave the seedlings so that they grow more green mass. After about a week, the grass will grow 10 cm. The greens are cut, finely chopped, and fed to the chickens.

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Basics of a natural chicken diet

After observing a chicken in natural conditions, it becomes clear what is inherent in the needs of this poultry and whether it is possible to feed it certain foods. After all, on independent “grazing” she looks for the food that is inherent to her. These include various blades of grass, leaves and berries, vegetables and fruits, small insects and grains. The diet of chickens in natural conditions is very varied.

Is it possible to feed chickens with leftover food from the owner's table? The answer, of course, is yes. But at the same time, you should remember about products that have a negative impact on the health of the bird. Among them there are those that are strictly forbidden to feed chickens.

Feeding time

Both methods of feeding during the day and at night have their positive sides. If it was described above what are the advantages of scattering grain over bedding materials, this does not mean that you should use only this option.

Chickens will be happy to receive sprouted grain during the day - at this time the feed consumption becomes higher. The bird moves all the time, leads an active lifestyle, and therefore will work up an appetite very quickly.

If chickens are overweight, it is much more beneficial for them to receive nutritious grain during the day to avoid obesity.

The following table will outline the benefits of both day and night feeding of birds:

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What to give to laying hens?

The chicken should eat 120 g of feed per day. This portion is divided into morning and evening feeding. In the morning, an hour after waking up, the mash is prepared. Wet food stimulates egg production. The mash consists of cereals, vegetables, herbs, and mineral fillers. In the evening they give grain: a mixture of crushed and whole.

• Wheat and barley are useful cereals for birds. Rye is rich in protein, but not much is given to birds.
• Carrots are a useful vegetable. It is ground on a grater. It contains carotene, which improves reproductive function. Cabbage is rich in fiber. It contains many vitamins and mineral salts. The birds are given zucchini, pumpkin, and boiled potatoes.
• Chickens need grass. This is a source of vitamins. Green onions, dill, and parsley are added to the mixture. Nettle, dandelions, clover, and alfalfa are useful.
• Shell rock is installed in the chicken coop as mineral fillers. The food is mixed with eggshells and crushed shells. A little table salt is given, no more than 1 g per individual per day. It can provoke intoxication of the body.
• It is worth taking care of animal products. They are administered in the form of bone or meat meal, but not more than 5 g per day. Larger amounts of the additive cause aggression in chickens and can provoke pecking.
• Laying hens benefit from fish and fish oil. The fat is usually mixed with the feed. The fish is served as minced meat.
• For better grinding of food, birds need small pebbles. It is purchased from the manufacturer. The diameter of the stones is no more than 4 mm.

When creating a diet and amount of food, it is necessary to take into account the egg production of birds. If a laying hen has just started laying eggs, then a forecast is made depending on the breed of bird. On average, an egg-producing hen can produce more than 300 eggs per year. This means that in addition to the norm, 120 g, she should receive an additional 30 g of food.

• Crushed and whole grains form the basis of the diet. It is given in 100 g. Crushed pieces are 10% more. It is part of the mash.
• The chicken receives fresh greens in summer, spring and autumn, but not more than 30 g per day. Otherwise, she may develop gastrointestinal upset. In winter, give silage or grass flour: 5 g of flour.
• In autumn and spring, birds are given carrots and pumpkin. The amount of feed is 20 g/head. In summer, the individual receives all its vitamins from green grass. Carrots can be excluded from the diet. The volume of the root crop increases in winter to 40 g.
• In winter, sunflower cake or soybean pulp, 12 g, is added to food. In summer, protein supplements are introduced if egg production decreases.
• Feed yeast is useful. For 1 head 4 g.
• More bran is given up to 10 g/bird.
• Meat and bone meal should be 5 g, but it can be replaced with minced fish, no more than 15 g/bird.
• If a shell rock is not installed in the chicken coop, then an additive containing calcium is added to the mash, at least 5 g. In the summer - 7 g/bird.
• Mashboards are made using fermented milk products, 30 g.
• Jackdaws are prescribed 1 g every 10 days.

All food must be of high quality, not rotten. Wash the grass and vegetables well. The mash is prepared before serving. They don’t make it in advance and don’t store it in the refrigerator. The feeder must be washed and any residues removed.

If there is no time to prepare a diet for poultry, then purchase a combined feed. For laying hens, PC1, PC2 are shown. It is given in dry form or wet food is prepared using skim milk. If necessary, vitamin fillers “for laying hens” are added to the food. Pebbles are a must-have product for chickens: they are their “teeth.” Compound feed is administered at the same rate as other food. For chickens producing eggs and meat, the amount of feed is increased by 30%.

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Can barley be given to chickens?

Grain is the main source of nutrition for poultry. Chickens eat it most readily. Of the grain mass suitable for feeding birds, a considerable percentage is barley. It has a positive effect on the physical condition and productivity of chickens .

However, it is not worth basing the grain part of the diet on barley alone. In addition to barley grains, chickens need to be given wheat and oat grains. Also in the bird's diet should be liquid mash, bone meal, fresh green mass, crushed shell rock and other sources of nutrients and minerals.

A mono-diet based only on barley leads to a deterioration in the well-being of birds and a cessation of laying eggs.

It is necessary to give chickens only high-quality and fresh product. The quality of barley is determined by the typical cereal smell and the even light yellow color of the grain shell.

The volume of grain food in the chicken diet should be about 70%. If you give birds a grain mixture in this volume every day, then the bird’s body will be supplied with the proteins necessary for the development of muscle tissue and the formation of eggs will be 50%. The remaining percentage of protein enters the birds' bodies from other food sources. Chickens can be given grain whose moisture content does not exceed 16%.

Of all the types of grain crops, chickens eat barley the least willingly because it has a specific taste. Therefore, farmers try to accustom their chicks to the product from the first days of life. And, as an adult, the bird eats grain without problems.

Germination technique

Even beginners trying their hand at raising chickens for the first time can easily cope with the task of germinating grain. This does not require special skills or special tools.

Stage No. 1: select wheat

When buying grain at the market or in a specialized store, check it for quality. It should be free of impurities and have a golden, dark or light brown color. Feed wheat is more often used due to its low cost, but many farmers do not skimp on high-quality material.

Stage No. 2: soaking the grain

Before soaking, the product must be rinsed to remove dirt. The floating husk must be removed. The process should be carried out in a deep container so that water does not overflow. Use a bucket, basin, plastic bath or bottle, having previously cut out the required hole.

The selected container is washed thoroughly; it is advisable to use potassium permanganate, otherwise there is a risk of introducing a fungus that will render the grains unusable. Do not use metal utensils - metal draws out all beneficial substances.

Cover the wheat with water. If it was stored in a warm room, the temperature of the liquid should be +45 degrees. When the source material is in the cold, use hotter water to awaken with a heat shock. But as a result, the temperature should remain at +45.

Stage No. 3: aging the resulting mixture

We remove the prepared composition to a warm and dark place. Cover with a lid and leave for 15 hours.

Stage No. 4: lay out the grains

We take the wheat out of the bowl and, spreading the oilcloth in a room where there is no cold, drafts or bright sunlight, spread it out in a thin layer to avoid rotting. Cover the top with a natural cloth soaked in warm water without bleach.

Stage No. 5: give wheat to the birds

After two days the sprouts will hatch. Experts recommend waiting another day for long shoots to appear, but this is not necessary. Our product is ready for feeding feathered pets.

There are other cooking options. In the evening, pour liquid over the grain, and in the morning put it in a linen bag, placing it in a bowl to drain the water. After this, closing it tightly, keeping it dark, leave it in a cool place. The next day the sprouts will appear and you can start feeding.

The next method suggests soaking the grains for a day, then transferring them into a voluminous pot with opaque walls, at the bottom of which there are holes. Cover the bottom with paper towels and install it, ensuring free flow of water. Cover the top with a dark-colored cloth. Open and water the sprouts daily. This method will provide both rinsing and moisturizing. In 2-3 days you will receive the finished product.

IMPORTANT! It is important to know that wheat cannot remain soaked for more than three days. Violation of this rule leads to the risk of pets developing infectious processes in the intestines, which will lead to death.

It is noted that the sprouts, which are 5 mm in length, add vitamin A to the chicken diet; to speed up this process, expose the dishes to the sun's rays. When the shoots reach 6 mm, you can cut them and give them to the birds for food, then cover the grain again with a damp cloth. Thus, you will get enhanced food from tasty and healthy grains that have sprouted a second time.

Don't get carried away with large amounts of wheat. Sprouted material is not stored for long, so as not to lose precious sprouts, take as much wheat as is enough for several feedings. Grain consumption is calculated at approximately 20 grams per individual. 10 chickens will need 200 grams per serving, which is a full handful of product.

Long sprouts are difficult for birds to peck, so you need to chop them using a regular knife. This should be done especially when giving sprouts as food to chickens, which choke when swallowing large pieces.

Benefits and harms

Despite the fact that chickens eat barley reluctantly, it is one of the most beneficial types of grain crops for the bird's body. The product has high nutritional value, per 100 g:

• 10 g proteins;
• 2.5 g fat;
• 56.5 g carbohydrates;
• 14.5 g fiber;
• 14 g water.

Barley is a rich source of plant fiber, which is not very beneficial for chickens. In the bird's body, plant fibers are difficult to digest; the stomach spends a lot of time on digestion, which makes the product less nutritious. Therefore, the percentage of barley in the total amount of food consumed by birds should not be high.

The calorie content of the cereal is quite high, amounting to 280 kcal per 100 grams. The product contains minerals, vitamins and bioactive compounds that are important for the full development of the chicken body:

• amino acids – arginine, lysine, isoleucine and others;
• mineral elements - calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, selenium, zinc, copper;
• B vitamins, choline, biotin, tocopherol.

But, despite the undoubted benefits of cereal crops for chickens, it should be given to laying hens with caution, observing moderation of the daily portion. The problem is that in egg-laying breeds, the predominant barley in the diet can reduce the number of eggs laid. Sometimes laying hens stop producing eggs altogether.

Therefore, barley grain should be present in the diet in limited quantities; it should be given as part of multigrain mixtures. Mixing barley grain with oats and wheat is especially beneficial for birds.

Results

Now you know the value and usefulness of feed barley when feeding farm animals and birds. The price for this grain in Russia is low, but do not go after cheapness: always ask for quality certificates before purchasing.

Use forage correctly when feeding animals, and don’t be lazy about germinating it. Remember that any feed grain is a food additive to your usual food. Only with balanced feeding of animals and birds will you get the desired result.

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