Cracked corn as the only feed

[IRChicken]

From what I've been reading "Mixed Grains" has been a staple for a very long time. It includes corn most likely but also wheat, barley and oats. Additionally, chickens had an area to forage. Foraging chickens would supplement their mixed grain diets through insects and dirt/minerals.
According to modern research, proteins and amino acids were lacking in those feed diets. Most of this research is aimed at caged chickens, who don't forage, in order to provide them with a complete diet.
When discussing Wheat, Barley and Oats the issue seems to be fibre content, fibre being non nutritious and indigestible. Wheat, Barley and Oats are considered soft grains causing soft stools in the birds.

I've been looking into Pearl Millet (Cattail Millet) and it has a lot of good things going for it. It's advantages are it's drought resistance, being adaptable to a wider growing region than corn, smaller seeds, higher amino acid content and it's ability to replace corn in the poultry diet.

Recent chick feeding experiments, Sullivan et al. (1990) (Table 2) and Hancock et al. (1990) (Table 3) show that weight gains and feed/gain ratios obtained in pearl millet based diets are equal to that of maize and some sorghums. Smith et al. (1989) similarly report that pearl millet can replace maize in chick diets without affecting weight gain or feed efficiency. Both the gross energy and MEn values of pearl millet tend to be higher then those of maize and many have been previously underestimated by 20% (Fancher et al. 1987).

Pearl Millet Grain Studies - Purdue

Protein can be supplemented using Earthworms, Mealworms, and Soy

Cheers​

 

[warmfuzzies]

I would recommend (to the OP) to keep using commercial mixes for your growing chicks. They are not as experienced in ranging as the big girls, and since they only eat a bit of food each day, it has to be more precise nutrients wise. However, if you have babies with a good broody, just let them have at it. In the warmer months the mama will make sure that the babies get what they need.

For the big girls, I would personally let them do what hey want. If you have the corn, I would feed them the corn during the warm months. If you are on a farm. My FIL feeds his girls scratch grains (basically corn with some wheat and milo thrown in) all summer long. They lay, lay, lay. But these girls can eat whatever they want all day long. They pick through old cow pies (Wonderful source of little creepy crawlies), two-foot deep alfalfa (their favorite place to hunt bugs) old slops from the whole family (grandparents, parents, us and my SIL's family), gravel, weeds, seeds, flies, the occasional mouse, irrigation ditches after the water has dried up (which means fish bones, poop, etc.) and lots more. If you have a location like this they will get everything they need.

However if you have a modern yard which has been prayed and manicured, they will not get much. They will enjoy looking, but you can't count on them getting what you need.

And, like Chickenscratchin said, we have been in a terrible drought. Because he lives on irrigated farm land, his chickens have plenty to eat still. However, where we live it is pretty much dessert- lots of cactus, sagebrush, dead grass and the only thing green is some weeds. This stufff all has to be considered. My chickies can still range, but I don't count on them getting everything they need.

 

[homesteadapps]

Please see this post about feed concentrates for mixing your own feeds:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=577252

 

[oregonboy1974]

so no big confused back in 1884 didn't they feed chickens only corn

 

[Dreyadin]

No they didn't feed just corn. The chickens got kitchen scraps, butchering scraps, and they foraged (as in they would pick through straw and manure of other animals.. catch mice, etc.) Mangel beets were a more common forage, and also there was silage.

Actually at that time vitamin deficiencies were still a mystery... hence goiters, rickets, pellagra, etc. were a big problem.

 

[Sarevan]

We recently got a Speckled Sussex roo & hen, they were fed only corn and alfalfa hay. I think they are both underweight. They both have a yellow tinge to the skin and yellow around the vents. They went insane getting the feed we have mixed with water and olive oil. Eating like they never had anything so good. I don't think they were getting what they needed nutritionally from what they were being fed before.

It has only been 3 days and can already see a difference. Weight I think the hen has gained a bit. They were caged so they couldn't really find anything else before. Winter in high desert area there isn't much out there but weed seeds to eat.

 

[TERRY4]

I wouldn't feed cracked corn alone. I only give cracked corn in the very cold winter. People mention the chcikens fed with just corn and such, are fat and happy. Well, you don't want FAT chickens. I was told by a local chicken expert, and he is, that too much corn makes them fat and trouble laying eggs. With our winter in it's coldest right now, I give their layer feed, oyster shell & grit,bird seed, cracked corn {more just before bedtime},and rolled oats. The oats are great source of omegas and give them not only fats they need, but energy so they'll run around more and not just roost the whole winter. Running around helps keep them warm.

To each their own, but I know our chickens are happy & well fed!

 

[aggiemae]

Here are so many things at people did "back in the day" that we wouldn't dream of doing now....Like my mom always said, "when you know better you do better".

 

[TERRY4]

One thing I see wrong with a total cracked corn diet, is not getting the nutrition to lay properly. I get pretty good egg count even in the winter by feeding the layer crumbles,scratch with oats/cracked corn, fresh greens, and fresh water. I put Braggs organic vinegar in the water as well (1 tablespoon to 2-3 gallons of water). The layer feed helps them lay. Plus, I have free choice oyster shells and grit at all times. Our chicken don't run loose, but do have 3 huge areas (hooked together) if they want to go out. They are well kept in a sturdy wooden coop, with no drafts, but have ventilation. Braggs can be found at most grocery stores these days. You can google it and find it online too. It helps keep the immune system up and problems down.

 

[fritzel]

I grew up with chickens and all we ever fed them was cracked. Orn with oyster shell. I didn't know any different.
Myself and my family decided that we were going to get chickens this year.
My husband's coworker feeds his chickens the specialty blends and says that come winter the egg production will go down, I found that funny because we never had any issues always three eggs a day from our three hens, very rarely was there ever a lapse.
Needless to say just tonight I bought cracked corn and oyster shell and I am going to start weaning the chickens onto it.
If your chickens free range and get veggie snacks etc. I don't see why it would be an issue. We won't do it any it her way. Our chickens growing up were extremely healthy and happy.