If you have chickens in your home as a pet, you must read this article.
There is going to be useful information for you.
Chickens are small animals, and soon they become a part of the family.
In a short period, they become so attached to the owner that they demand treats frequently.
If you pass through this stage, you must have run short of treats and looking for new treat-ideas that you wish to give them.
Can Chickens Eat Bread?
Can chickens eat bread?
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Yes, it is for sure that chickens love to eat bread as a meal.
It is one of the most favorite foods for them.
You can make several recipes from it and treat your chickens with several new dishes.
You can even feed them bread directly, holding it in your hand.
You can also throw it, and you can see how the chickens are running for it.
They would finish the breadstuff in no time. But it would be best if you keep in mind that moderation of any diet is essential.
Excess of anything is harmful. The same goes here.
Feeding bread regularly in excess amounts will cause severe health issues.
When to Give Treats to Chickens
When you have a hen at home, you will always wish to have cute small chicks from her.
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Whenever you see her little chickens walking behind her, you will tend to feed them with treats.
However, they are too small to start eating treats.
In due course, you will feel to love them more and more and give them more treats.
By the time they grow enough to accept the gifts, your intention to provide them treats increases very high.
You start giving them frequent treats.
They start exempting their regular food and get dependent on treats.
Soon they start getting overeating, and it starts to affect their health.
Now, since chickens are eating frequent treats, they become habitual treat snackers of such special foods.
Numerous special diets lead to overeating, which leads to obesity.
Once a chicken becomes obese, it will have other diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, loss of feather, and abnormal body growth.
Hence, the owner becomes self-responsible for the adverse health of his chickens.
But it is possible to avoid such situations with a little conservative attitude and not pampering them too much.
Finally, the chickens deserve a balanced diet and not the treats for proper and correct body growth.
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Besides, some owners give oyster cells to their chickens as a matter of love and pampering.
The oyster cells are harmful to young chickens and who are not laying eggs.
So, it would be best to avoid the oyster cells’ diet to prevent bones-related disorders.
How Much Bread is Okay for Chickens?
The natural principle of moderation is the best for any diet for chickens; excess of any food will harm the animals.
The chickens should get all the required food as per the schedule.
You may be giving some treats to baby chicks, but they will miss the essential nutrients for proper growth.
Only the experts in the knowledge of animal diets should prepare the food for chickens.
They will understand better about the real requirement of their proper growth and maintain a sound immunity system.
The owner, especially those who do not know chickens’ food, should not offer treats blindly.
Owners should avoid giving an excess of treats to the chickens. Otherwise, it will affect their health.
Excess of such special foods will cause over-eating, which will result in obesity.
An obese animal will invite several other diseases and will be at high risk of other illnesses like:
1. Heart-related ailments
2. High risk of heatstroke during summer
3. Overweight and obesity
4. Deficiency of proteins
5. Production of Yyoked eggs
6. The problem of feather picking
7. Fatty liver syndrome
8. The egg production cycle disturbance
To maintain the interest of chickens towards their food, a small amount of treat-food is reasonably acceptable.
At an average of 5% of their total weekly food quantity is sufficient in the form of a treat.
It means that in a week, two spoons of treat-food are more than enough for each chicken.
Also, keep a check on your animals not to allow them in your neighbor’s backyard for special diets, which will go unnoticed.
What is a Healthy Treat?
Giving a treat is not a bad idea for chickens.
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But it is essential to understand what content you should include in the special diet.
Advice from a dietician is a good idea for preparing treats.
Some of these ideas are as follows:
1. Whole Grain: You can feed the full grain in the form of bread, sprouts, oatmeal, sunflower, and cereal.
2. Proteins: The protein nutrients are available in fish, beef, insects, sunflower seeds.
3. Vegetable: You can make a vegetable treat from beans, beets, peppers, green veggies, and cauliflower.
4. Fruits: You can make tasty treats from various fruits like apples, strawberries, raisins, and bananas.
Conclusion
It is usual for the chickens to eat bread and its recipes.
In the form of treats, they like various other foods too.
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The number of treat-foods should not be more than 5% of their total intake.
A diet with nutrients is essential for proper growth and a robust immune system of chickens.
