Chickens always have Sinterklaas!
Guest blog written by chicken specialist Hans Krudde. All children eagerly look forward to it; the Sinterklaas celebration! Because that means, among other things, treats; sweet goodies that are tossed around the room by Sinterklaas or Piet. But unfortunately, after December 6th, this celebration is over again. For our chickens, however, it can be Sinterklaas every day, meaning treats every day. By regularly scattering some goodies in the coop or in the run, you as a chicken keeper contribute to the well-being of your animals.
Chicken talk
28 November '23 • 1 min reading time
Supplementary Feed for Chickens
Of course, this serves as a supplement to the diet; it should never be the case that the grain completely replaces the feed. Unlike complete feed, as the name suggests, a grain mixture is not complete. Grain does contain carbohydrates and some minerals, but by no means all the nutrients a chicken needs. One or two handfuls, depending on the number of chickens, scattered in the run is sufficient to provide the chickens with something extra; they enjoy it and it promotes the optimal functioning of the digestive system. You can choose grain mixes that are readily available on the market; they usually contain cracked corn, wheat, oats, millet, and barley. Single grains such as wheat and corn can also be scattered. In addition to grains, food scraps can certainly be scattered in the run, although it is advisable to provide them in a container instead. Since food scraps are subject to spoilage and may not always be very palatable for the chickens, they can start to mold or rot. Once scattered throughout the run, they are difficult to remove; in a container, that is possible. When it comes to food scraps, be sure to check that they are not too salty or too spicy; so pasta is fine, but not the sauce!
Behavioral Enrichment for Chickens
In addition to contributing to their diet, bedding can also provide behavioral enrichment for chickens. Chickens that are allowed to roam freely around the yard are quite busy with that, but chickens that only have access to a designated run have fewer opportunities to perform their natural behaviors, such as foraging and scratching. Due to measures related to avian influenza, many chickens are confined to a covered run, and for these chickens, behavioral enrichment through the regular scattering of treats is of great importance. In many large poultry farms, bales of hay are provided during the mandatory confinement periods to give them some distraction. Especially when grain is scattered over these bales, the chickens spend hours fishing out the grain kernels from the hay. So, give your chickens a little bit of Sinterklaas every day!
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