anyone supplement with chia seed?

[mosse71]

i started to get into the health craze and found out how chia is so nutritionally dense i figured what was good for me should be good for poultry. the chickens love it! i give it as a treat not as a replacement for a good chicken feed but I've noticed a big difference from just feeding the standard feed as supplementing w/ chia. their growth is faster. their energy level is doubled. they look fabulously heathy. i also supplement occasionally thru adulthood . has anyone else tried this?

 

[Peeperscreepers]

I have not tried it yet but bought some at the grocery store for treats. I will be giving it as treats tomorrow now that I've read this. Not much, not everyday, but as a treat. How about flax seed have you tried it? I also bought a bag of flax seed for treats.

 

[Cebarmlds]

The chia seeds need to be wet before you give them to chickens, let the seeds soak first.

 

[featherhead007]

How about hemp seed? it's great but makes this rooster walk funny! only kidding.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

I gave my 8 week old chickens some Chia sprouts. They loved them! And what better way to feed Chia sprouts than from a chia pet xD

I was curious one day about how the eggs that are labeled 'Omega 3' at the store get that way.
Turns out, they feed the chickens flax seed. Flax contains ALA, an Omega 3 that is found commonly in plant sources. Within the chickens digestive processes it is covered to DHA, the Omega 3 found mainly in fish. This passes into the eggs. However, it is in very small amounts compared to what you get when eating fish for example, but every little bit counts right

Now I don't have a source for this next part but I do remember reading in this site a link to a study that found chickens that were fed flax seed had a higher percentage of liver hemorrhage deaths.

Chia also contains ALA, so presumably a chicken fed with Chia seeds would also lay eggs with DHA.

 

[BBZZZZTT]

And always soak chia seeds before feeding chickens.
Like other seeds such as basil seeds, chia seeds, when exposed to water, form a gel like barrier around the seed. This method of retaining water around the seed helps with germination. However, it also doubles the volume of the seeds.
Think feeding rice to pigeons. :/

 

[mosse71]

I have not tried it yet but bought some at the grocery store for treats. I will be giving it as treats tomorrow now that I've read this. Not much, not everyday, but as a treat. How about flax seed have you tried it? I also bought a bag of flax seed for treats.

i haven't but i may try. quinoa might be good to but is pretty expensive so i may just stay with chia. chia is so nutritionally dense that a little goes a long way. don't mix in their feed as they will dig out the whole feeder trying to get the chia.

 

[mosse71]

And always soak chia seeds before feeding chickens.
Like other seeds such as basil seeds, chia seeds, when exposed to water, form a gel like barrier around the seed. This method of retaining water around the seed helps with germination. However, it also doubles the volume of the seeds.
Think feeding rice to pigeons. :/

i haven't soaked them and they eat and digest fine and i start supplementing at 3 days old. makes sense to soak them 1st esp. when they're young.

 

[mosse71]

also read somewhere that marigold seeds are good for chickens.

 

[ChickenBuds]

The chia seeds need to be wet before you give them to chickens, let the seeds soak first.

Hi, curious how come wet? They have that nice gel then but it would be so much easier to mix a bit into their treats dry