Bob Blosl's Heritage Large Fowl Thread

[3riverschick]

what does anyone think about feeding white corn ( instead of yellow) to white birds so they don't get brassy in their feathers?
jury is still out with me if feed can cause brassiness, or genetics also/alone plays a role.
input?

 

[Maggiesdad]

I killed the thread. Hope it comes back to life. bob

Bob speaking his mind kills thread with 10-1/2K posts? Not hardly... that's what we come here for!

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

what does anyone think about feeding white corn ( instead of yellow) to white birds so they don't get brassy in their feathers?
jury is still out with me if feed can cause brassiness, or genetics also/alone plays a role.
input?

I have an "issue" with brassiness in my Males (and males only) in my Columbian Rocks.....very interesting article from a genetics expert

Here

Page 12

I am having to establish a "project" breeding utilizing a Barred Rock in order to eliminate the problem in my line

Hope this helps

If you google this publication for Oct and for Sept you can read the first two articles in the series

 

[Lacy Blues]

what does anyone think about feeding white corn ( instead of yellow) to white birds so they don't get brassy in their feathers?
jury is still out with me if feed can cause brassiness, or genetics also/alone plays a role.
input?

I have heard that the yellow corn can cause purple barring in black birds and can also turn a white bird yellow. When I asked someone about it, she showed me her WHITE rock hen and she had absolutely NO yellow to her at all.

But, I think genetics can also play a part.

I have read also that popcorn, though yellow, does not do this... if you can afford it. White corn, if I remember correctly lacks Vitamin A, which is what makes yellow corn yellow. You could probably feed white corn if you need to but I would include some yellow veggies. It's also Vitamin A that makes your dark green veggies so dark... so you can get by on white corn, just be sure to allow for it in other ingredients.

 

[RattlesnakeRidgeWV]

I for one, do not believe that yellow corn causes brassiness in a white bird. BOB and WALT, way in on this, what are your opinions.

 

[RiddleMe]

I killed the thread. Hope it comes back to life. bob

You didn't kill it, it's been a busy day. I really appreciate your input. My background, raised a mixed breed/mutt flock as a kid mostly for eggs, broodies hatched our replacements. Also raised and showed rabbits for 4-H and meat, pigs for meat, milk goats, and worked gardens for produce; my folks used every inch of our small property to help feed the family. Now my family has 5 1/2 acres and I want to return to some of those roots. I've had my mixed hatchery flock for three years, dealt with some predators, hatched twice using broodies just for fun. I have regular egg buyers, a few folks wanting meat if I ever get there, and now my Genesis 1588 is enroute and I plan to practice incubating this spring with some of my "free" eggs. But as I learn more about structure I find myself looking at my current flock and wanting to improve general type vs just picking the most colorful eggs/birds, and this same time and money could as easily go toward preserving a heritage breed. And while I don't currently plan to show, I have also competed in dog sports and equestrian events, I like working with/showing animals, so it doesn't hurt to keep that option open. I also like the idea of working with a decent heritage breed where I have a chance at some standardization/improvement. With my current hatchery/mutt flock I could evaluate birds for pairing all day long but still expect the results to be a crap shoot given all the unknowns in the genetic pool. Only fun to see what might happen if I have no goals or expectations... I will keep the hatchery birds, my customers really like the multi colored eggs, but if that was all I wanted I'd just go to Big R every year.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

I for one, do not believe that yellow corn causes brassiness in a white bird. BOB and WALT, way in on this, what are your opinions.

Genes turn a white bird yellow. A white bird carrying gold turns yellow (hatches with yellow down) no matter what you do. A white bird carrying silver (hatches with rather more grayish down) tends to stay white even if fed yellow corn.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Forrest told me about the corn helping put purple barring to show in the feathers. He showed me one pen that was fed corn, one that had no corn. I've found through the years that this was more or less correct. Feeding Sunflower seeds seems to combat this a bit.

Mainly though, the genetics have to be there to show the green sheen. Without it, you don't stand a chance and have a poor bird that would be better served as dinner.

 

[Bluetick340]

Somtime statements and comments just make us scratch our head a min and say, yep your right. I think as said we come to this thread to hear and get ideas for planning and advice for what we are doin at home. We want to learn from experience.

 

[Yellow House Farm]

what does anyone think about feeding white corn ( instead of yellow) to white birds so they don't get brassy in their feathers?
jury is still out with me if feed can cause brassiness, or genetics also/alone plays a role.
input?

I feed wheat, barley, and oats only, no corn at all.