feeding bread to chickens

[craig g]

I have access to hotdog and hamburger buns that is a couple of days old. I was pinching up and feeding 2 or 3 packs a day ( chickens loved it). I also feed laying mess crumbles and scratch grain. I was not getting any eggs and I thought hens should be laying. Someone told me bread was a no no if I wanted eggs. I stopped feeding bread and a couple weeks eggs and more eggs getting 11 or 12 a day now. I asked a old man that has had chickens about it and he said it was none sence. I like getting my eggs and scared to start feeding bread to hens again. Has anyone ever heard of this before? I am still feeding my young chickens that should not be laying bread. My laying hens think I am mistreating them since they get no bread.

 

[skand]

It's a treat and both you and the birds like it when you do it, so do it! Stop mistreating those sweet babies!! hehehe

 

[UrbanChickenMama]

How many chickens do you have?

My gut reaction that you should treat anything other than the laying crumbles/pellets/whatever as a treat and that it should be given minimally. 2-3 packs sounds like A LOT!

I give my girls a variety of treats, but they are just that, treats. They get a little bit in the morning when I first let them out, maybe something in the afternoon, and then something to round them up into the their pen in the evening.

I'm sure they could get a fairly unbalanced diet by getting too much of any one thing...

 

[gritsar]

I agree with UrbanChickenMama. If you throw the balance of their nutrients off too much, they can stop laying as a result.
Mine adore bread, but I limit them to 3 slices split between 18 chickens every other day.

 

[chickenma]

I feed bread to my chickens and there is no different in laying eggs.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
It's not giving bread that stops the laying, it's giving them anything in excess that you have to watch out for.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

I think maybe it's the amount of bread that matters. If they're eating so much bread they're not eating their layer ration that's a problem. If you're feeding them just enough to serve as a treat, then that's okay. Everything in moderation.

 

[cluckychick]

I feed my chickens bread, usually 1/2 loaf at a time. I see no difference in egg laying. They love it.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I have to save up about 2 to 3 loaves before I go to the chicken yard.

One "chick, chick, chick" and they KNOW it is BBRREEAADD time !!

They simplly love the stuff. The smart ones are at our feet and the guinea's are the worst beggers !!

I do not feed bread except twice a month or so. I wait for a very humid day like right afer a rain. This way I know they are full of protein after the free range. Bugs and worms are usually out.

 

[digitS']

If you give your Leghorn-type hen 4 slices of white bread, she has about all of the calories that she needs for the day.

If you give her 5 slices of white bread, she has probably eaten all the food she can stuff inside herself for the day.

If you give her 8 slices of white bread, she may just have enough protein to lay an egg.

Of course, the Little Tub of Chicken Fat won't eat 3 of those 8 slices.

Steve
USDA bread, white, commercially prepared