In need of a balanced diet, laying hens like to enjoy bread in any form. However, improper feeding of this product can cause irreparable harm to chickens. This material discusses how acceptable a particular bread variety is in the chicken menu, which portions are safe, as well as a number of other important nuances.
Is it possible to feed laying hens
Egg breeds can and should even be given bread, because this product is rich in carbohydrates, it contains amino acids and B vitamins. However, in order not to damage the productivity and quality of eggs, several factors must first be taken into account.
Fresh
Fresh bread ingredients are potentially dangerous for rushing chickens. Therefore, the opinions of experts regarding fresh bread products in the menu of birds completely coincide.
White
The white product formulation includes salt that is harmful to birds and therefore its excess in nutrition:
- negatively affects the health of the bird;
- reduces the body's defenses;
- nullifies egg production.
In addition, the chicken’s stomach slowly digests a white treat. The product deoxidizes, as a result of which the digestion process is disturbed. It is strictly forbidden to offer various sweet pastries from white flour to birds, even as a rare encouragement. Confectionery products contain fermentation sugar. In addition, they thicken the blood and start the process of gaining excess weight, which is undesirable for laying hens.
Important! If you offer chicken white bread regularly and in generous portions, poorly digested food will inevitably accumulate, which will eventually lead to the formation of a dense coma in the goiter. And if the bird is not helped in time, then asphyxiation and death are inevitable.
Soaked white product has a very short shelf life, especially in the summer season. A spoiled product can cause serious poisoning in birds. A product containing additional components is also prone to rapid souring, which negatively affects the digestive tract.
Black bread
The rye counterpart is most harmful to rushing hens. Yeast and salt are contained in much greater volumes than in white. Due to the high acidity of the product, the fermentation form is severe. As a result, the general well-being of the bird worsens, as well as its ability to stable egg laying.
Nevertheless, both black and white products are not contraindicated for egg breeds. They are allowed in metered portions and in a dried (but not spoiled) form without a crust, or in mixers. But with fresh flour products from rye flour rushing chicken is still better not to feed.
As for the age at which it is possible to give hens bread products, then 6–8-week-old chickens are ready to eat the same way as adults.
Did you know? Hens are imprinted on coins of 16 countries and are absolute leaders among numismatic bird species.
Moldy
Moldy bread products lead to poisoning, diarrhea and weakened immunity, which makes the chicken vulnerable to infections. A product with black or white mold is particularly dangerous, it must be disposed of. Remember that mold fouling is faster in warm weather. Green mold is less dangerous, it can be cut. However, the surviving residues must be cooked in the oven or steamed.
How to give hens
The main thing in this matter is to understand that bread alone cannot serve as a complete meal. This low-value product cannot be replaced with dry feed. Therefore, a competent approach to feeding egg-based hens to bread products is so important.
Dosage and Frequency of Feeding
It is undesirable to give bread products to birds often. It will be enough several times a week or less. The optimal ratio of white bread with other components in the total daily amount of feed is approximately 1 to 2.
More than 40% should not be given. Feed the black variety in a smaller volume than white, and not more often 1-2 times a week. The favorable time for the inclusion of a new product in the diet is the autumn-winter period. At this time, birds especially need additional nutritious food.
Important! When keeping hens in cages, bread should be completely excluded from their menu - such food, combined with a lack of activity, is fraught with blockage of blood vessels and other undesirable consequences. In severe cases, death of the bird is not excluded.
The right combination with other products
When drying, do not sprinkle pieces of flour product with oil and do not sprinkle with spices. These components will only speed up souring. Moreover, you do not need to risk the health of the bird, because it is impossible to predict the effect of new products on the stomach.
Mixing bread with products allowed for these birds will be beneficial for chickens. Add dried flour products to cereals, millet and other nutrients in a dry or gruel-like form.
Soaking breadcrumbs in warm milk can be an alternative to water. This food will not only be nutritious, it also benefits - it will contribute to better health. An excellent food option for egg breeds of chickens is bread mixed with fresh grass, sprouted grains, bran, potatoes or cottage cheese.
Features of storing bread for layers
Before offering flour products to feathered pets, make sure that they have been stored in proper conditions and suitable for consumption. The best storage for bread is a dry, warm room. You can, conversely, put it in the refrigerator, which will slow down the formation of mold. Unused leftover bread can be dried in the oven until stale. Store finished crackers in paper bags.
Did you know? In February 1956, a chicken named Blanche laid an egg with a record weight of 454 g. The egg itself had 2 yolks and a double shell.
However, stocking up large volumes of stale products is undesirable. From bread residues that have an expiration date, you can prepare the feed mixture. It is better to feed the resulting feed immediately to the feathered, until it soured and soured. Remove the confused chicken by the hens in the refrigerator.
Thus, rushing chickens are not only allowed, but it is recommended to feed with bread. The main thing is to adhere to the rules for the introduction of this product: follow the required norm, do not add bread to the feed every day and completely eliminate sweet buns.
