Materials and Methods
Measure a known amount of standard feed you use into a bowl that birds are not likely to spill feed from and that you can pour feed out of after birds do to roost. Then have a second similar container that you can either place measured amount of same feed or shell corn. Allow birds free-choice access to first bowl of feed all day. At end of day introduce second bowl which has know amount of feed or shell corn. After birds go to roost, then pull both bowls and measure remaining contents of both separately.
I will be using black rubber bowls like purchased from TSC for about $5 each.
If I am correct, then birds fed the shelled corn at end of day will consume a similar amount of formulated feed as those fed only formulated feed plus consume shelled corn. If I am not correct, then the birds will not consume additional material relative to presenting the fresh formulated feed in second bowl.
My measures will be based on weight as I have a scale of appropriate size.
Therefore they will have consumed more calories. More calories is important during long and cold winter nights when crop depletion is likely to occur well before feed consumption resumes in the morning.
A little more detail needs to added concerning replication. I have only two pens that can be setup with two pullets each. Will have to repeat and switch treatment a pen gets on alternative nights. Ideally more pens would be used over more nights.
Measure a known amount of standard feed you use into a bowl that birds are not likely to spill feed from and that you can pour feed out of after birds do to roost. Then have a second similar container that you can either place measured amount of same feed or shell corn. Allow birds free-choice access to first bowl of feed all day. At end of day introduce second bowl which has know amount of feed or shell corn. After birds go to roost, then pull both bowls and measure remaining contents of both separately.
I will be using black rubber bowls like purchased from TSC for about $5 each.
If I am correct, then birds fed the shelled corn at end of day will consume a similar amount of formulated feed as those fed only formulated feed plus consume shelled corn. If I am not correct, then the birds will not consume additional material relative to presenting the fresh formulated feed in second bowl.
My measures will be based on weight as I have a scale of appropriate size.
Therefore they will have consumed more calories. More calories is important during long and cold winter nights when crop depletion is likely to occur well before feed consumption resumes in the morning.
A little more detail needs to added concerning replication. I have only two pens that can be setup with two pullets each. Will have to repeat and switch treatment a pen gets on alternative nights. Ideally more pens would be used over more nights.