Chickens love CORN?

[skeeter]

we had corn for supper tonight and now im burning up, ill never eat corn again

 

[annaserv]

I picked and shucked a lot of field corn this fall and stored it in their unused nest boxes. (everywhere else I had mice, chipmunk or wild birds helping themselves to it)

They can help them selves whenever they wanted, which was fine with me. Darn, I think I have less than a dozen cobs left now. I think the only other thing that rivals corn for them is bread.

Corn definitely isn't lacking in nutrition or empty calories. You should see our overconditioned, fat beef cows and calves (corn silage). Didn't spend thousands of dollars to grow "empty calories"

 

[skand]

Aren't chickens supposed to be decendents of T-rex? lol
I'm thinking if my roo wanted corn, and I was the one eating it,I'd def. give it to him on a silver platter. That boy is mean looking.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree. Mine too.

 

[Cheryl]

so please take me out back and shoot me, everything I learned about chickens was here at BYC and I believed it!

 

[JennsPeeps]

My girls love corn, yes, but cheese is a distant DISTANT first place.

The last time I took some cheese rind my skittish RIR actually tried to swallow one of my fingers on the hand that wasn't even holding the cheese. She got so worked up that she couldn't help herself!

 

[foxcrossing26]

This is a fascinating thread. I am a vegetarian (not a vegan) and have spent some time thinking about plant-based nutrition, both human and chicken. However, I have no formal education in this field, so these are just my thoughts.

1. Eggs are protein. In order to lay eggs, which is hard work (somewhat akin to growing a new baby every day or so), chickens need nutritious food, including protein.

2. Corn and the other grains tht make up scratch provide protein as well as other nutrients. However, corn has a lower average protein content than wheat or rye.

2. The commercial chicken feed that I use is 100% plant-based -- no animal byproducts. It has a protein content of around 14%, which may be higher than the protein content of corn and other grains because I'm sure it includes soybeans for added protein.

3. When my chickens free-range, they gobble worms and bugs -- more protein.

4. My girls lay eggs most every day, so whatever protein they are getting from the grains in their scratch, the plant foods in their feed, and the bugs & worms they find outside must be sufficient to allow them to produce eggs.

5. I give my girls only nutritious treats -- seeds and whole grain leftovers -- no white bread! I have read that whole wheat bread has a higher percentage of protein and more minerals than white bread.

I think there's a reason chickens go nuts over protein-rich food, such as cheese, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and worms. I believe they instinctively recognize the protein that their bodies need. So chickens love corn, worms, bread, etc because these foods supply the nutrients their bodies need. I think we are shortchanging them -- and ourselves -- when we feed them non-wholegrain food, because refined grains no longer contain all the protein and other nutrients they need to stay healthy and productive.

Does this make sense?

 

[Kecene]

well said foxcrossing26

 

[eeiko321]

Quote:
some people are allergic to corn....

 

[austinhart123]

they love everything u feed em........jst dont feed them chocolate or avacado