Rice, Pasta portion sizes?

[Eco-Chic]

My three 18 week bantams have ad lib access to growers pellets and free-range between 5-6 hours a day.

They have a big handful of corn and seed before bed.

How much rice or pasta can I give them in the day without making them fat?

Their breast bones are quite pronounced.

[MaureenHall]

I think you should limit the treats to 1 handful of either corn or pasta or rice, not all of them on the same day or they will start to get fat .................... and fat hens don't lay eggs I give greens hanging up sort of ad-lib, but they're not fattening

[di]

Not sure that I'm right,but when I give ours rice or pasta it's however much I had leftover from the night before.....sorry,I meant however much of the chooks prepared food we didn't accidentally eat beforehand!
Ours don't get it everyday...probably no more then once a week,so I don't worry too much if I've given them a little more than I should.
Most of the time they get their pellets first thing & any treats are left until the afternoon.

[RedThorn]

as said above, greens - as much as I can the rest of the treats, limited and in the late afternoon

[Eco-Chic]

Thanks everyone.

I try to be careful not to overfeed my animals since the incident of too much liver given to the puppies some years ago. They were most prolifically and unpleasantly unwell.

I almost was during the big clear up operation.

[Suechooks]

Thanks everyone.

I try to be careful not to overfeed my animals since the incident of too much liver given to the puppies some years ago. They were most prolifically and unpleasantly unwell.

I almost was during the big clear up operation.

Been there done that!!! Happened with one of my adults with raw tripe too - disgusting either way!!
If I'm cooking pasta for my lot I usually do about 50g dry weight between 12, maybe once a week. Giving lots of marrows and summer squashes as fellow allotmenteers grow too many and leave the excess by my plot. Also give occasional bread if any goes stale. That tends to be a crust about 1" thick which I soak.

[Eco-Chic]

I'm being daft. The dogs love pasta and rice but aren't interested in veg. The chooks will be better off with fruit and veg and their corn at night. They can have pasta or rice if the corn runs out until I get more

[Dashy]

Are the hens less likely to lay during the day if you give them the 'heavy' pasta treats in the morning? Or do you just like to give them a warm dinner before bedtime?

[di]

More a case of given the choice between their pellets/mash or pasta/rice and other treats,they'd probably opt for the latter,meaning they won't get their full quota of nutrients for the day.
Proper chook food is carefully made to ensure they get a balanced diet.
As for not laying...if you allow your chooks to get fat then yes,laying will become very sporadic.

[Dashy]

Thanks very much, makes perfect sense. I'd go for the treats too!

[Bephlam]

I hardly give mine any treats (other than said greens and some yoghurt, etc) in the summer...but come winter mine get some porridge with honey and corn at night before bed....just to give them some central heating through the night.

Might give them a handful of corn tonight now...seeing as you all make me look like a bad chicken mummy!

[Eco-Chic]

Aww Bephlam, of course you're a good chicken mummy.

Our hens don't have any teeth left 'cos we've been feeding them treats

[Bephlam]

lol Eco!