majority is layer i uslay only add 1-2 lb of seeds/peas per 50lb bag cause i kind of figured that n corn i mix in durning winter mainly seems to fatten them up in unheated barn. i didn`t think about the dark greens for them thought thank you so much for the info!
Although you will find no shortage of websites and people claiming and touting the old wives tale that corn is a 'hot' food that will keep your chickens warm during the winter, in the end it's mostly myth... Body heat is a product of the amount of digested calories not a particular food type... A chicken (short of a hybrid broiler) consumes whatever amount of calories it needs, then stops eating, they eat based on calorie needs... Thus as long as a chicken is offered sufficient food it will eat the needed calories to stay warm, and although corn is a high calorie highly digestible food that will give them the calories quickly, it does not mean they can't get the same amount of body heat from other food types just a little slower...
Giving them a little corn won't hurt them but it's not the 'hot' winter food many claim at least in regards to chickens... When it comes to other livestock like horses, goats and what not that do not stop eating based on calorie intake, the excess calories they will consume in the grains vs their primary grass diet provides them with excess calories to burn as they don't have the same 'stop eating' you have enough calories trigger found in chickens...
When is a good age to start giving treats to my chicks?
Depends on the treats, high protein treats like cooked eggs, or other animal proteins like bugs can be given from day one at least in limited amounts... And technically you could also give them anything else at day one, but I'm of the opinion that most treats should be avoided at early stages so that they eat primarily their balanced diet... Also chicks don't have a fully developed digestive track at birth it take their bodies time to get rolling, thus fresh grains and fresh vegetables can actually cause issues, especially since most day old chicks have limited to no access to grit...
I personally wait until they are about a month old and have grit on the side before I give fresh treats like vegetables and whole grains, earlier then that and I just give treats that increase protein intake like fresh eggs, or ground up dry cat food...
