Bread and Corn

[Kiki]

What are YOUR thoughts on feeding these two?

I do NOT feed either, but I'm not even sure WHY I do not.
I think I read somewhere there was no real nutritional value in feeding bread and it may cause crop problems...??
And corn is just the devil..right?
(I'm being sarcastic here ^)

 

[Hillaire]

I will throw out a little cracked corn to my chickens when it is super cold out, it helps warm them up. If it is 40 degrees or higher here (I'm in NY) I won't throw any out so basically in the winter I will and spring summer and fall I don't offer it. As far as bread, I don't do it as I just give them layer pellets or any garden scraps.

 

[Kiki]

I will throw out a little cracked corn to my chickens when it is super cold out, it helps warm them up. If it is 40 degrees or higher here (I'm in NY) I won't throw any out so basically in the winter I will and spring summer and fall I don't offer it. As far as bread, I don't do it as I just give them layer pellets or any garden scraps.

I do not ever have to worry about cold weather.

How does corn help to keep them warm?

 

[junebuggena]

My flock gets stale bread and the heels. I don't buy scratch at all, so I figure the occasional piece of bread isn't going to do much harm. Corn isn't the devil, but all things in moderation. Too much of anything will cause nutritional imbalances.

 

[Kiki]

My flock gets stale bread and the heels. I don't buy scratch at all, so I figure the occasional piece of bread isn't going to do much harm. Corn isn't the devil, but all things in moderation. Too much of anything will cause nutritional imbalances.

Thanks June...
I do not buy scratch but I do give veggies and some fruit as treats.
I have always thought corn will make them fat...it's bad for them...even in small amounts and I'm just wondering if this is true.

 

[Hillaire]

if all you're doing is feeding your birds corn then yes they will certainly get fat. I throw out a cup in the afternoon when it is cold that cup goes towards 11 chickens and 4 guineas. From my understanding it warms them up because it takes more energy for it to break down causing the birds temp to rise... something along those lines I think

 

[junebuggena]

Corn doesn't make them any warmer, but it does provide extra calories. In very cold weather, the birds are burning more calories keeping their body temp up, so they need more calories.

 

[Hillaire]

I knew it was something like that

 

[CiceroXY]

I feed bread only two times a week (in small quantities) because I was told that eating yeast is not healthy for them

 

[Kiki]

I feed bread only two times a week (in small quantities) because I was told that eating yeast is not healthy for them

I'm sure we all try to feed our chickens the best.
And I am sure we all have read many different things on the net.

I wish there was a simplified easy list of the WHYs to feed everything.