Knowledgebase

Actual food #924179

Asked February 03, 2026, 12:25 PM EST

I'm trying to buy grains for my chickens, like "oats", "barley", I don't have any problem figuring out water, and bugs, but the mixes have 20 lbs of "dust" in a 40lb bag. It is probably good, but chickens don't eat it. It just goes into the ground.

Saguache County Colorado

Expert Response

Any bag of grain with 50% dust is no good. Oats are not a good choice, although a limited amount can be fed. They have difficulty digesting it if there is a hull on it. The extra fiber of oats can help with gut health, but in limited amounts.

Barley can also be an issue - depending on the variety. Canada and Europe have used barley based diets (instead of yellow corn) for decades. So watch what variety it is. Some varieties require the use of feed enzymes to break down some of the anti-nutritional factors in barley.

Dr. Jacquie Jacob Replied February 03, 2026, 12:40 PM EST

Ok, then what grains should they eat?

The Question Asker Replied February 03, 2026, 1:44 PM EST

When included in a complete feed (or fed as a grain with a nutrient balancer with protein, vitamins and minerals) they can use a mix of corn, wheat, barley and a small amount of oats (or naked oats) - just need to be careful with the oats and barley. More so with the oats than the barley. Other grains can include sorghum. 

See CEREALS IN POULTRY DIETS – Small and backyard poultry for more information on the types of grains recommended for poultry.

Remember that if feeding whole grains, the birds will require grit to help with the digestion.

The grains supply primarily energy and a supply of protein, minerals, and vitamins is also needed.

Dr. Jacquie Jacob Replied February 03, 2026, 2:00 PM EST

Loading ...