consequences of feeding whole corn

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Any time you add a single ingredient in addition to a complete feed you will alter the nutrient intake of the bird which may affect the productivity.

To illustrate consider making a cake using a Betty Crocker mix. Everything you need is in the box, except for eggs and milk, follow the directions and you get an acceptable cake.

Now consider changing the mixture by adding more flour "because I got a good deal on it". The resulting cake won't be acceptable.

The same principle applies to adding to a complete commercial diet.

Jim

 

[Wifezilla]

While it may not appear to have short term effects, long term it will effect health and fertility. If you butcher one of those chickens now, I am betting you will notice LOTS of fats around the internal organs and the liver will look enlarged.

 

[saladin]

No rm44, they don't treat the grains when they are cracked or as you wrote broken up a bit.

I started working in a feed mill when I was 13 to help support myself. Worked there all through college. One of the first things you learn is that grains can "go stale." A whole grain retains it's value longer than one that is cracked or crimped.

I think what is most important to remember in feeding is that the key is in both variety and sound nutrition. Mine receive a good foundation pre-mixed feed that is age appropriate; plus the following (all in season):

Grass
Apples
Pears
Tomatoes
Pumpkins/Squash
Whole Corn
Whole Oats

I hope this helps and answered your question. saladin

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Just to clarify this is not due to the corn as much as it is to providing an imbalanced diet to the birds. By feeding them corn, regardless of whole or cracked, without providing extra protein the bird will be consuming too much energy in relation to the amino acid:energy ratio and too much energy in relation to their net energy needs. Therefore the added adipose deposition and poorer egg production due to an amino acid deficiency.

Jim

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Variety is important only in terms of providing the appropriate mixture of ingredients to provide the correct amounts of nutrients to meet the needs of the bird. Sound nutrition is key to allowing your birds to produce and remain healthy and productive.

 

[AHappychick]

Quote:
do they feed cracked corn for a particular reason like size? how come the corn kernells are not offered whole? Or does it digest easier? is there a difference in feeding fresh corn on the cob for them to pick over cracked corn?

Thanks

 

[Wifezilla]

Just to clarify this is not due to the corn as much as it is to providing an imbalanced diet to the birds. By feeding them corn, regardless of whole or cracked, without providing extra protein the bird will be consuming too much energy in relation to the amino acid:energy ratio and too much energy in relation to their net energy needs. Therefore the added adipose deposition and poorer egg production due to an amino acid deficiency.

Well, yes and no. Corn is high in starch which is basically just sugar. A high sugar diet packs on adipose tissue. If it was a high sugar diet PLUS protein, you would still get fat birds with liver damage.​

 

[saladin]

AHappy,
Of course many bantams cannot or will not eat whole corn. I was assuming that would be understood. Sorry I didn't clarify it further.

I have never fed what you term fresh corn.

Lazy J,
Doesn't sound to me that we disagree at all. Anything that is nutritionally sound will have as its base variety even if all that is fed is a pre-mixed feed. saladin

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Not necessarily, it all has to do with total intake and the ratio of the energy to amino acids in the diet. Plus to achieve the proper amino acid level you will be limiting the amount of starches in the feed.

Regardless, feeding too much of any energy source whether it be corn, wheat, oats, suet, etc., you will have hens with too much fat which leads to poorer egg production.

 

[chookchick]

Quote:
I have to correct you on that--starch is NOT the same as sugar. Corn has both sugars and starches, and modern corn may have a higher proportion of sugars than before due to hybridization. Starches are NOT bad--the key, as Lazy J says is BALANCE--the correct proportion of carbohydrates (starches and sugars), proteins and fats in their feed. There is nothing inherently bad about corn, it just needs to be used with knowledge of what it provides as far as nutrients.