The Poultry Keeper

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2067 Location: North Cornwall

Went to the feed mill on Monday and was given FREE, half ton of what they call sweepings. Its stuff swept off the floor and from the machines, that sort of thing. But it looks clean and the chickens and pigeons are lapping it up.
Only thing is, there is barley in it and OH say that will be 'very heating'. Does that matter, would they eat it if it made them feel rotten?

Thanks

CP · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:33 pm Post subject:

I think it's also fattening Jan, so maybe only feed it little & often. Wink

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2067 Location: North Cornwall

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

i feed barley as well ,
basiclly the prices are rising really fast here
i'm going to have to sort my stock out a bit Confused

,so i tend to feed the grain that is cheapest once a week ,
before anyone shoots me
layers has gone up by about 1.20 a bag 7.00 per bag 2 bags a week.nothing special ,just the farm gate one
and poultry grain is 7.40 about 1 and a half bags per week
barley is cheaper so i buy a bag of that and use it
wow i've just looked at that i really have to do something about the drakes Shocked

and yesterday 2 eggs Evil or Very Mad

debcat · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject:

it would help if they actually had layers pellets in stock Evil or Very Mad

mojo · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:27 pm Post subject:

as long as you use it as a treat and in moderation it will be ok ..just dont make it their main feed

Welsh Duck · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:09 pm Post subject:

I used to feed rolled barley to ducks when I was a student. I remember when I gave it to my hens they all went in the moult Confused

But that may have been a coincidence. I once had a Rouen duck that ate some whole barley and got it stuck in her throat, as its quite sharp. So I would never ever feed it whole.

Henwife · Joined: 31 Jan 2006 Posts: 3018 Location: Monmouthshire

OK, I've looked it up in an old Min. of Ag. & Fish booklet on poultry nutrition.
'Barley is an excellent food as it contains very little yellow pigment & is recommended for inclusion in fattening diets where white meat is required. Naked barleys have in theory feeding values approximately equal to wheat......'
So feed what you can get.
And search eBay for the old poultry books that give you practical information like this.

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2067 Location: North Cornwall

Thats really interesting Henwife, thank you. Im going to give an extra couple of handfuls to the table cockerels Laughing

I think Im going to have to thin out the number I keep as well. Trouble is the ones I want to keep are the little cute ones who dont lay Embarassed

debcat · Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:59 pm Post subject:

El Pollo Diablo · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:57 pm Post subject:

My friend has a very small brewery in the next village and when they have been brewing he gives the spent barley malt away for nothing, I get a sack so do other chicken people and so does the dairy herd. It smells like horlicks (not surprisingly!) I suppose it has some nutrition left in it but it is obviously very soft and cooked up and sugary smelling. My hens love it, especially in winter when it is cold; the stuff is delivered in a sack in the early afternoon and when I get in in the evening it is still hot to touch so it is like porridge for supper. I don't know if it is good or not for them - I chuck it on the compost after a couple of days as it starts to ferment Shocked

All I know is the dairy herd said their production had gone up since feeding it...

If this sounds terrible tell me and I won't feed it, otherwise find yourself a friendly brewer it is very cheap food!

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 6958 Location: isle of lewis

mojo · Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:39 pm Post subject:

i would settle for a friendly brewer...........but like most things ...moderation is the watch word

The Hermit · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 190 Location: Isle of Lewis

Have seen similar wiskey distillery grain feed to sheep here.

mojo · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:44 pm Post subject:

so thats why sheep keep falling over