Is it possible to give chickens red beets and feeding rules
Novice poultry farmers cannot understand whether it is possible to give chickens and chickens beets: red, fodder, sugar. Some sources advise including this root vegetable in the diet of birds, while others, on the contrary, recommend abstaining. It's all about varietal variety. Light, not red-colored roots can be fed to chickens. Such vegetables will save on grain feed and lead to rapid weight gain. Chickens should not be fed only red beets.
Can chickens be given beets?
The main food for layers is grain. True, grain feed does not contain all the nutrients necessary for chickens. That is why they try to supplement the diet of layers with various vegetables.
The composition of beets is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals useful for chickens. This root vegetable can be fed raw or cooked. The vegetable is quickly digested by the stomach and, if the correct dosage is chosen, does not lead to negative consequences.
Red
This variety is considered an indispensable product on our table, but it is undesirable to give it to chickens. This vegetable has a lot of vitamins and minerals, but they will not bring any benefit to layers. Red root vegetable is a laxative, its use can cause diarrhea and depression in chickens. In addition, this vegetable stains the feces and cloaca of the bird red.
Quite healthy chickens can be mistaken by their relatives for sick, because of this, pecking, cannibalism will begin in the chicken coop. It is better not to provoke the bird, not to give it red roots.
Stern
Fodder beets are mixed with boiled potatoes or mixed feed. Chickens eat this vegetable with pleasure. It enriches the poultry ration with useful substances and vitamins, egg production in layers increases, they become more active, and get sick less.
Forage varieties are specially grown for winter feeding of layers.
Root crops are rubbed on a grater, then they are poured into wet mash. The daily rate for one bird is 30-50 grams. In summer, shredded green tops can be added to grain feed.
Sugar
Sugar beets are rich not only in vitamins and minerals, but also in easily digestible carbohydrates. The consumption of this product leads to rapid weight gain. Such food is quickly digested by the stomach, gives the bird a lot of energy. This product is especially valuable for feeding chickens. True, it is better to give the chicks boiled root vegetables. The norm per day is no more than 5-10 grams. With age, the amount of such food can be increased.
Adult chickens are given 30-50 grams of sugar beet per day. The root crop is crushed on a grater, mixed with grain feed.
Boiled
Fresh vegetables can irritate the intestines of the bird and cause diarrhea. It is better to feed chickens with boiled or steamed product. True, it is added to the main feed in a strictly limited amount, only after complete cooling.
A boiled root vegetable is not inferior in usefulness to fresh. Such a product retains all the nutrients, it can be combined with grain and green feed.
True, the norm per day for one chicken is no more than 30-50 grams.
The benefits and harms of the product
Despite the beneficial properties of red beets, it is better not to feed layers of this vegetable. This color should not be present in the diet of herd animals.
It is recommended to feed hens with fodder beets all year round. This vegetable contains vitamins C, B1.2, PP, amino acids, carbohydrates. It is useful to add it to the menu of birds during the period of vitamin deficiency, in the fall, during molting, in winter, in early spring. It has a beneficial effect on digestion, accelerates the digestion of compound feed, and helps to increase body weight. True, you need to take it only in minimal quantities, that is, no more than 30-50 grams per day (for one adult laying hen).
The chicken should not overeat, otherwise it will develop diarrhea, which will subsequently lead to a depressed and lethargic state. In addition to fodder, it is useful to give chickens sugar beets with a high carbohydrate content. From such a product, the bird will begin to recover faster.
Vegetables are given to chickens in strictly limited quantities. The correct dosage does not harm, but, on the contrary, improves the condition of the birds. Chickens become more active, eat better, gain weight faster. Egg production increases in hens.
How to feed chickens with beets?
Fodder or sugar beets should be introduced into the diet of chickens gradually, starting from 10-15 days of age. This root vegetable is an important source of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates. It is crushed on a grater, mixed with boiled potatoes or mixed feed. In summer, chickens are fed with chopped green tops.
For the first feeding, chickens are given no more than 5 grams of chopped feed. Then the dosage is gradually increased. The daily allowance for an adult layer is 30-50 grams. If a food is causing severe diarrhea, it can be removed from the diet for a while. After 2 weeks, it is advisable to resume feeding with this food. True, boiled root vegetables are suitable for the too susceptible stomach of layers, and it is better to reduce the consumption rate.
Are there any contraindications?
Fodder or sugar beets can be fed to chickens in strictly limited quantities. The daily requirement for chopped feed is only 30-50 grams per head. Excessive dosage can lead to diarrhea or depression in chickens. In this case, the hens are not fed with these products. True, you can't do without such a valuable and cheap feed.
Better to take a short break and watch the birds. The diarrhea may have been caused by some other food. After all, all large poultry farms feed chickens fodder or sugar beets in huge quantities.
After some time, you can resume feeding the birds with these feeds. True, instead of fresh, it is better to give chickens boiled root vegetables. The taste of vegetables after heat treatment will only improve. Boiled root vegetables have a lesser laxative effect, this product does not irritate the intestinal receptors, therefore, in case of intolerance, fresh vegetables can be replaced with boiled ones at any time.
