Corn

[bucky1198]

The farmer next to my house just picked his corn and there are some cobs that still have whole corn on them my hens are having a field day finding them is this ok for them? All the bags of scratch say that they only have cracked corn in them.

 

[r4eboxer]

Quote:
I can't quote where I read it but somewhere it said that there was something in whole corn that was very good for chickens. I am sure someone with more experience will respond.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It is OK for them. Their gizzards will crack that corn just fine, then turn it to cornmeal.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You might also go glean, if you have his permission, and pick up some those half ears and third ears to save for later. I'd glean all I could, with the price of feed being high. I'd like to spread out that corn for a good long while, rather than just having a gorging now.

I'd likely feed a 20% layer feed in addition to average out the protein and offer shells if I found the egg shells getting weak, but I'd sure take all I could get, if the farmer doesn't mind. He's just gonna spray it and kill it anyhow, most likely.

 

[angie3881]

We are surrounded by corn fields and the chickens LOVED venturing out to find left over corn. (I also discovered mine LOVE popcorn.)

 

[mama dixie]

pop corn really :O me too so now I have some friends to eat my pop corn with. we have gone back to making it the old fashionable way in a pot because of price and I think it is better for us... do the chickens peel the corn from the neighbors themselves? I am kinda jealous. no I will just chose to learn from you instead of being jealous

does anyone have any ideas where I would look to find someplace I could go and glean some corn for my hens? I am also looking for clean non treated fallen leaves for the garden. gee how would you store the corn for the birds? so much to learn to get our small farm up and running. I have been free ranging our birds more to stretch the food dolor. they love to be out but I am the only one with a garden and no corn

what else can I plant to help stretch the food dolor for them. hey what about starting lettuce inside and then feeding it to them? my bird vet said lettuce is very bad for them because it can wrap around something and could kill them. guess I would have to chop it first...