Corn

[Chris09]

Corn is one of the last thing you want to feed your chickens on a cold night, it does nothing for keeping them "warm", burns off quickly, and is high in calories so they eat less of it than say a good poultry feed.

If you want something to feed them that last in there system for a longer time and to point help them stay warm then feed them there regular feed or better yet feed a good poultry feed that is high in proteins 20%+ and top with a little oats. The proteins and fiber will take longer to digest.
There is a very good reason that they say to reduce protein intake on hot days to reduce heat stress/stroke in poultry.

 

[WhiteLeghorn2]

@Honey Bee

There is a huge storm going through the area making it very cold especially for the flock. And I had read that corn helps in the winter. Now is this true? if so how should the corn be and how much?

Yes, it is true. Corn is known as a "hot feed" and when digested it heats up the chicken's system. Giving them a handful before bed can be beneficial. It should be avoided during warm summer months. Another member here on BYC stated that "corn is 14% fat and is burned for energy which helps keep birds warm". Corn is not a healthy food though, so I only recommend giving it every once in a while as a treat.

However, chickens are basically standing ovens. A chicken's body heat is about 104 degrees fahrenheit, and along with having feathers, they stay very warm. Unless it is bitter, and I mean bitter cold, I don't think you'll need to worry about them being cold.

 

[WhiteLeghorn2]

It's been below freezing and some time below zero here for the last few days.

With it being that cold, giving them some cracked corn would be a great idea. Good luck with your birds!

 

[WhiteLeghorn2]

I know exactly what corn is, how it is used, and what it does.
How much of your hours of research came from sites, literature etc. that dealt with livestock/poultry nutrition and was written by people with a livestock/poultry nutrition background and not from a "chicken site" or a book at the local feed store?

I think you need to find some new resources, and do more research.
I have talked to a lot of people and read a lot of information over the years on poultry nutrition most of the information I received was from people with a background in livestock or poultry nutrition a hand full of them have a PhD in either livestock or poultry nutrition.

Is your information here based on human or poultry nutrition?
I ask because chickens eat to fill a caloric need, unlike humans and some other animals chicken will stop eating when that caloric need is met at about 2,900 kcal ME/kg. That mean that chickens will not get, "overly fat"/"gain weight" off of corn like some animals do.
(ME/kg = metabolisable energy per kilogram of dry matter).

I will agree with you in that corn is not a vegetable.
It is a grass.

All of my information has come from websites, books, and here on BYC. I've never read anything from a local feed store. My information has come from my own research and experience. Clearly we have different resources.

My information is based on poultry nutrition. And chickens can indeed overindulge on food, and get fat. Chickens have an instinct to eat whenever food is available, and sometimes that results in over indulging. Have you ever seen a chicken around mealworms? They wont stop eating lol.

We obviously have different opinions about corn but I'm not going to argue anymore. Have a good one.

 

[Chris09]

All of my information has come from websites, books, and here on BYC. I've never read anything from a local feed store. My information has come from my own research and experience. Clearly we have different resources.

My information is based on poultry nutrition. And chickens can indeed overindulge on food, and get fat. Chickens have an instinct to eat whenever food is available, and sometimes that results in over indulging. Have you ever seen a chicken around mealworms? They wont stop eating lol.

We obviously have different opinions about corn but I'm not going to argue anymore. Have a good one.

What websites, what books?

Post some links, prove to the people that read this that your information is correct and that mine is incorrect.

On the Mealworms, they don't stop eating them because they are low in calories and it take more of them to fill the caloric need of the bird. Feeding a high protein low cal. food will make a chicken far more fatter than corn will.

 

[WhiteLeghorn2]

Hi, I only give my girls a handful of corn each and a bit scattered on the floor at night and I have been told by a lot of my fellow chicken keepers and 3 recommended Poultry farmers that it does help to keep them warm at night over the winter months. I have been told and read from BYC and from various books on the subject (all English sources, from my local library), not to feed to much and just keep it as a treat which I do. I have learnt that it is certainly a good training aid when you want them to come back to you if you shake the box loudly! Over here in England all the Poultry owners I have spoken to or sought advice from have told me that corn is good to give them before they go up to roost because it helps keep them warm so it is pretty common knowledge over here it seems. I have never been told or read anywhere that it should not be given in the summer, I am sure in moderation is ok. Not all my hens like it actually, 3 of them love it and one of them is not so keen on it and seems to be content with a good old forage in my garden. I think as long as you are sensible with it , it is fine and like all things "good in moderation" . None of my hens are fat...but then I don't give them human scraps from the kitchen apart from apple and a bit of left over bread and a few oats. I wonder about the goodness of human scraps for animals in general anyway, in fact I would think that human scraps are more likely to make chickens overweight and upset them than any of the other Poultry feeds recommended. (bar left over fruit and veg of course) I did read one book that says that it is quite rare for a hen to take too much of what they need, ie of their layers pellets or from foraging but corn seems to be something that is stressed to be just a treat at the end of the day. It seems that they like it so much that they possibly would not eat their layers pellets if it was given too much and before the end of the day when they have done most of their feeding. Bit like dogs then in a way....if they are given too many treats they get all fussy and wont eat their regular dog food...well mine does anyway!
My conclusion is that corn is absolutely fine as a treat and at the right time of day only and in moderation.

Exactly. I feed our birds corn several times a week before bed, and as long as its in moderation it's fine.

 

[Nel75]

I think it seems a bit sad that Leghorn feels they have to leave this conversation as everyones advice is valuable, especially to beginners like me. I don't think anyone should be expected to source their reading, this is a friendly forum where advice and experience are supposed to be believed. I don't think anyone is being dishonest about what they have read, I certainly hope I am not expected to trek back to the Library and get all the numerous amounts of books out I have read to quote on here!! I expect to be believed (even though I am a beginner!!)

 

[EagleEyes]

I have had chickens for a little over 2 months now, (so you know how much I know) and this thread is informative and entertaining.
I'm a in moderation kind of guy and give my 7 hens scratch in the run once and a while, and in the yard and under their roost. Never a lot, but something for them to do and eat other than their regular food, and to turn over the liter/poop in the coop.
cracked corn, whole oats and flaked barley is in the scratch that I buy. I'm still on my first 50lb bag.
As far as whole corn kernels go, I'm surprised that they aren't too big for a chicken. I do have some ears of corn for the squirrels. Maybe I'll toss one out into the yard and see what happens.
As long as we are talking about keeping the chickens warm in the winter, how about giving them some black oiled sunflower seeds that I have for the birds?

Thanks for that last bit of info.

 

[centrarchid]

Observations / Suggestions to Consider in This Discussion

A. No control over intake - Provide a few birds piles of shell corn, BOSS, oats, millet, formulated layer pellets and chick starter, dark greens, green grapes, dried meal worms and live meal worms. You will observe live mealworms will likely be eaten first, followed by dry meal worms. If piles large enough, then even the live mealworms will only be consumed so long before birds stop. To keep price down on live mealworms buy them in lots of 5,000. With unlimited access to meal worms then chickens will after a couple of days begin consuming other items at the expense of even the live mealworms. Multiple days may be required to get a stable balance with respect to piles of what is ingested. Weight may vary short-term but will likely stabilize at near starting point with birds in food flight / fighting weight. Control for breeding status and use adults.


B. Provide three in excess pile treatments - 1) Formulated feed only, 2) shell corn only, and 3) formulated feed and shell corn. Determine amounts consumed of each. Do a quick estimate of caloric intake for each treatment. Also do a quick estimate of protein intake. Results may vary greatly with temperature which is what I see.

C. Hot Feeds - High in protein requiring lots of liver and kidney function to transform excess amino acids / protein into carbohydrates and fat while detoxifying the resultant ammonia and excreting it as uric acid.

D. Heat Increment - Heat produced in association with digestion, transport, storage and transformation of carbohydrates. This process is particularly high with carbohydrate reach foods that are rapidly digested. Starchy foods are rapid while fibers such as cellulose are slow even though both are carbohydrates. All meals result in a heat increment although its impact on core temperature most readily detectable on larger animals such as cattle although we may be able to appreciate it as well.
E. Smaller animals like chickens I do not think benefit from the heat increment for staying warm. Impacts on staying warm likely to come from what is suggested by results of experiment B above.

F. The science with livestock, especially with poultry, has done little to explore how animals adjust intake when they have the ability to choose between feed types. Especially when temperatures deviate from optimal usually realized under commercial conditions for which information is developed to support.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

Okay, I think I will just continue giving the flock some of their scratch after they have been but in the coop for the night. And by the sounds of it I should really get my hands on some BOSS.