# Giving your chickens goat milk?



## Plumpers

So I heard that it really good for your chickens and their digestive system if you feed them your raw goat milk, but I also heard that most people sour their milk before feeding it to them instead of the normal liquid? And how much are you supposed to give to each hen?:GAAH: so anything would be appreciated !


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## mjs500doo

Plumpers said:


> So I heard that it really good for your chickens and their digestive system if you feed them your raw goat milk, but I also heard that most people sour their milk before feeding it to them instead of the normal liquid? And how much are you supposed to give to each hen?:GAAH: so anything would be appreciated !


We leave it out as much as possible. They drink milk... But they also really seem to enjoy clabbered milk as well.


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## ksalvagno

When I didn't need all my milk, I would give the chickens the morning milk. They had it gone by noon and I milked between 8am and 9am.


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## WarPony

Some times I just stick it out fresh. Some times I give it to them as kefir and they seem to love that, too.


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## OakHollowRanch

I have been feeding ours a half gallon of raw milk every evening. I also feed them any pasteurized 'off' milk. The ducks anddogs love the raw milk as well.


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## christinajh

I feed mine my kefir when I it's older than my liking, and I just put a bowl out of milk whenever the fridge is getting too full. Mine don't care either way. They drink it all up every time


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## Plumpers

And how do you make it in to keifer?


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## christinajh

I have kefir grains, and I set a jar out on the counter with milk and the grains for 24-hours


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## Stacykins

I give chickens the 'hoof milk'. I know that chickens can't digest lactose, but none of mine have seemed to suffer for it. I mix it in with a bit of their feed to a porridge consistency. I can hardly set it on the ground fast enough for them, the little gluttons!


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## Plumpers

Mixing it with their food sounds like a good idea I'll have to try it thanks so much and does antibody know if like the milk improves their eggs or their digestive system or anything like that?


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## nchen7

the good bacteria in yogurt or kefir helps build good bacteria in their guts, and calcium in the milk should help them with their calcium levels. can't see the harm, especially if they love it.

I sometimes put milk or kefir (when it's too kefir-y for my taste) out for the feral chickens around here. some have to learn to have it, but when they do, they can't get enough.


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## Plumpers

I tried the fresh milk straight from the bucket and they were scrared of it


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## lottsagoats

I have been feeding my layers goat milk for as long as I have had the 2-30 years or so? They love it and actually give me dirty looks if I feed them and don't top their crumbles with goat milk.

I make sure to mix it with their feed (crumbles or pellets) or they do get runny poo. The solid food stops that.

The calcium in the milk seems to help the egg shell quality.


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## Plumpers

Nice,I put it in a different bowl and mixed their food in and as soon as one took some they all rushed over


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## lottsagoats

I have a young pullet that hatched out this summer. She will actually stand there and give me the hairy eyeball if I don't give her a cat food can of milk every morning.


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## happybleats

You can make a smoothy for them as well..blend pumpkin meat (seeds too) and milk as a smoothy and serve it in the punpkin shell..they will eat it, shell and all and the seeds are a natural wormer...I love Fall...lots of pumpkins!!


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## happybleats

for summer to keep them cool..you can do the same with stawberries , or what ever is abundant...make a friut smoothy with your milk, kiefer or yogurt, freeze in ice trays to give them a treat and help cool them from the inside out...


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## Plumpers

Sounds like those are some lucky spoiled chickies


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## mjs500doo

happybleats said:


> for summer to keep them cool..you can do the same with stawberries , or what ever is abundant...make a friut smoothy with your milk, kiefer or yogurt, freeze in ice trays to give them a treat and help cool them from the inside out...


We do this too! Extra tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, blackberries, squash, blueberries, apples, anything we cannot process quickly enough.


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## elchivito

I put it out fresh and have never seen a negative result. They love it, it sours on it's own soon enough anyhow. I swear it hardens shells and increases production.


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## Plumpers

Cool duds again spoiled little chickies


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## Plumpers

I'm going to try and make that shake today


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## janeen128

I finally gave some goats milk to my chickens for the first time this morning. At first they all thought I was nuts LOL... One tried it and eventually they all started fighting over it.....


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