can chickens eat dry lentils?

[nuthatched]

Hello, someone gave us a big sack of dried red lentils, we've portioned out what we could ever use, can the chickens eat them raw/dry?

 

[Criticalicious]

Dry or raw NO. Need to be cooked or sprouted (if whole you can sprout them into fodder)

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hello, someone gave us a big sack of dried red lentils, we've portioned out what we could ever use, can the chickens eat them raw/dry?

I agree with the previous poster and note that you should use it as treats or enrichment at no more than about 10% of the total daily intake.. to keep nutrients in the formulated ration balanced.

Sprouting can be fantastic fun and kept as simple as a jar on the counter that gets rinsed several times per day.

My research shows that the difference nutritional between days 3-4 of sprouting verses 7 ish for fodder (depending on your temps) is very minimal and going shorter can decrease mold type issues...
Fodder Nutrient values

Consider sharing with your neighbors or local food bank.

 

[nuthatched]

I agree with the previous poster and note that you should use it as treats or enrichment at no more than about 10% of the total daily intake.. to keep nutrients in the formulated ration balanced.

Sprouting can be fantastic fun and kept as simple as a jar on the counter that gets rinsed several times per day.

My research shows that the difference nutritional between days 3-4 of sprouting verses 7 ish for fodder (depending on your temps) is very minimal and going shorter can decrease mold type issues...
Fodder Nutrient values

Consider sharing with your neighbors or local food bank.

the food bank doesn't accept opened products, I checked. And my neighbors are the ones who gave us the lentils. I'll cook a bit tomorrow, it's too cold to sprout in my house.
Thank you both.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Green lentils can be fed to chickens without being cooked, just like field peas. Would think red lentils would be the same, but I am not sure.

 

[bradymars]

Green lentils can be fed to chickens without being cooked, just like field peas. Would think red lentils would be the same, but I am not sure.

Agreed they are fine fed raw

 

[Nigel27]

If the chickens like them, mine only eat them when I cook them with fish broth

 

[TannerTrue]

Green lentils can be fed to chickens without being cooked, just like field peas. Would think red lentils would be the same, but I am not sure.

They have a chemical when raw (phytohaemagglutinin) that is poisonous. Feed at your own risk.

 

[Ridgerunner]

An old thread but nothing wrong with reopening one.

Practically everything you or the chickens eat has something in it that can be harmful. Yet we and they are not falling over dead all the time. The secret is dosage. Keep the amounts small and their system can handle it and so can yours. Make many different things a major part of your or their diet and you can have problems.