Whole corn

[Slgrim]

I know that this had probably already been discussed somewhere in a thread, but after searching for quite a bit, I decided to just post a thread. I bought whole Corn for my goats, however, their delicate GI system is not approving of this one bit. I was wondering if I could use the whole corn as an additive for my chickens with the colder weather coming up. I usually use cracked corn ( which is easier for them to digest) but I was wondering if I could use the whole corn sparingly instead of having to throw it away.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Yes, your chickens can easily eat whole corn. I don't consider it a net benefit personally, any more than I would consider adding unenriched white rice or tortilla chips to your diet a net benefit, but they can certainly consume it without direct issue. It does have a few centuries of practice, but most of those centuries, the rest of the practice of chicken keeping was different - not sure why we chose just that one practice to continue.

Also recommend you stop taking feed advice from whomever suggested you feed whole corn to your goats. Even cracked corn has the potential to be dangerous to your goats, quantity dependent, of course.

Keeping my animals out of each other's commercial feeds is one of the challenges of raising multiple types of critter in the same space.

Sincerely,
a guy with chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats.

 

[K0k0shka]

The "feed corn to heat them up in cold weather" thing is an old wives' tale. That's not how it works, the extra calories will just get turned into fat and deposited on the chicken's body, and fat can be very dangerous, even deadly to chickens (look up fatty liver syndrome). So use it sparingly, and it will be only because you have corn to get rid of, not because it will be good for them.

 

[Penpal]

Whole corn is better for your chickens than cracked corn. It still has the germ, and therefore the protein. I tried giving corn to my current three chickens and none of them would eat it. I tried giving them a little corn a couple of days ago and they are now eating it.

I think it fills out what I am already feeding them, but I don't give them much. I ferment it for three days or more so they can get more out of it. If you want to add whole corn, I suggest that you soak it in water for three days so the anti nutrients can be dissolved.

 

[Slgrim]

Yes, your chickens can easily eat whole corn. I don't consider it a net benefit personally, any more than I would consider adding unenriched white rice or tortilla chips to your diet a net benefit, but they can certainly consume it without direct issue. It does have a few centuries of practice, but most of those centuries, the rest of the practice of chicken keeping was different - not sure why we chose just that one practice to continue.

Also recommend you stop taking feed advice from whomever suggested you feed whole corn to your goats. Even cracked corn has the potential to be dangerous to your goats, quantity dependent, of course.

Keeping my animals out of each other's commercial feeds is one of the challenges of raising multiple types of critter in the same space.

Sincerely,
a guy with chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats.

Thank you! I have all of those animals with goats being my newer addition. So any and all advice is more than welcome. Yea, it was definitely a great error on my part to give the goats corn. It is definitely off the menu from this point forward.

 

[Apis mellifera]

The "feed corn to heat them up in cold weather" thing is an old wives' tale. That's not how it works, the extra calories will just get turned into fat and deposited on the chicken's body, and fat can be very dangerous, even deadly to chickens (look up fatty liver syndrome). So use it sparingly, and it will be only because you have corn to get rid of, not because it will be good for them.

And the #1 ingredient in layer feed, corn. Cant be to dangerous.

Ground Corn, Dehulled Soybean Meal, Corn Germ Meal(Wet Milled), Corn Distillers Dried Grains withSolubles, Calcium Carbonate, Dried Black Soldier FlyLarvae Meal, Cane Molasses, Salt, MonocalciumPhosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Oyster Shell, LigninSulfonate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Manganous Oxide,Yeast Extract, Zinc Oxide, Tagetes (Aztec Marigold)Extract(Color), Choline Chloride, CalciumPantothenate, Vitamin E Supplement, RiboflavinSupplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Copper Sulfate,Yucca schidigera Extract, Niacin Supplement, ActiveDry Yeast, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex(Vitamin K), Sodium Aluminosilicate, Vitamin B12Supplement, Dried Bacillus subtilis FermentationProduct, Inulin, Folic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement,Soybean Oil, DL-Methionine, Dried Aspergillus oryzaeFermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus licheniformisFermentation Product, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite

 

[U_Stormcrow]

And the #1 ingredient in layer feed, corn. Cant be to dangerous.

That's mighty selective reading.

Water. Absolutely required for life. Too much will kill you.

Salt. Absolutely required for life. Too much will kill you.

Laundry list of minerals, vitamins, etc - absolutely required for life. Too much of which will kill you.

@K0k0shka provided context to the statement. IMPORTANT context. [...] the extra calories will just get turned into fat and deposited on the chicken's body, and fat can be very dangerous, even deadly to chickens (look up fatty liver syndrome). So use it sparingly [...]

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Thank you! I have all of those animals with goats being my newer addition. So any and all advice is more than welcome. Yea, it was definitely a great error on my part to give the goats corn. It is definitely off the menu from this point forward.

If it is at all possible for you to keep the goats seperate at feeding time, I recomend you do so. I don't have a way to do it - all of my animals freee range 24/7 - so I feed the goats at one corner of the pasture, then feed the poultry at the opposite courner, about 300 feet away, with a barn in the middle. When it gets cold out, or I'm in a rush, difference is about 100'. The critters have basically learned where they will get fed, and mostly segregate correctly, but its not something I could do if I offered feed ad libitum.

The chicken feed has way too many empty grains and corn for the goats, there's way too much copper in the goat feed for pretty much anything except goats, and there is too much fiber in the rabbit food to be much good for anyone (though the goats can tolerate it to a point)

 

[Penpal]

I believe the corn used in the commercial feed is not the same we buy. Older types of corn have much higher food value than the modern corn.