Corn

[TheChickenQueen]

I have mostly hatchery birds. Not really any ornamental The Sebright in the pictures was re-homed. And they are mostly for eggs. They have been free ranging.

Okay.

I have been wetting their feed. Which they seem to really like.

 

[centrarchid]

Wetting should improve intake but now watch for uptick in varmint visits as wet feed smells good.


For me if the birds are not commercial leghorns or one of the free range selected egg layers, then you will have a difficult time getting the hens to lay 300 eggs per hen per year.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

The closest thing I have to a leghorn is a SBEL. And then I have 2 Black Stars. Then my brother has a Red Star.
I'm not expecting very many eggs here in the winter. And my family is in the middle of moving 3 houses down the road so I would expect some stress because of being moved to a new place.

I already have to keep my eye out for unwelcome animal guest. So I'm not to worried.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
I think that's a good idea about adding chick starter grower (unmedicated) if they eat a lot of food aside from their feed. Just supply extra calcium or oyster shell. All feeds carry corn and/or soybean. Corn is the base for feeds because it supplies a lot of calories which are needed. On top of that you have nutrients and other grains. But the abundance of calories comes from corn.

Chickens should get a minimum of 16% protein aside from carbs/calories/corn. If chickens eat alot of other foods, it's a good idea to raise the protein. However if chickens get small amounts of corn or leftovers, I don't think that will make a big enough difference. I don't think that your chickens need a feed change for the corn treat they get at night because their body may need more calories It's on top of a satisfactory diet. If they free range, they may need extra protein to compensate.

Chickens digest their feed mostly at night. This creates warmth on it's own. I think that an evening treat of corn is just like throwing an extra log on the fire.

 

[seminolewind]

The closest thing I have to a leghorn is a SBEL. And then I have 2 Black Stars. Then my brother has a Red Star.
I'm not expecting very many eggs here in the winter. And my family is in the middle of moving 3 houses down the road so I would expect some stress because of being moved to a new place.

I already have to keep my eye out for unwelcome animal guest. So I'm not to worried.

During the stressful time, I myself would be giving them extra vitamins, mineral, and probiotics. I did get a packet of "Broiler booster" that supplies all this and since the dose is 1/4 tsp per gallon per day, it will last a long time. I got it from Murray McMurray hatchery but you can probably find it in other places.

I myself would also be giving them extra treats to take their mind off stress and think about those treats coming, LOL

 

[chickengeorgeto]

At the University of Minnesota at Madison Poultry Science Web Sight there are 100 year old adds from White Leghorn magazine advertising brood stock for sale out of 300 egg a year layers. Back then the chickens were the farm wives' responsibility. This was also before Rural Electrification had taken so much of the drudgery out of farm life and the miracle of electricity had made keeping large numbers of laying hens a paying proposition. But electricity made it possible for the first time in human history for the farm wife to keep large flocks of chickens and for the farm wife to financially benefit from large scale poultry farming by keeping light in the hen house for 14 or more hours a day during the Winter.

The egg industry back in the day was dominated by "egg brokers" who bought up eggs from the farm wife in times of plenty for a few cents a dozen and keep their speculation eggs in refrigerated warehouses in chilled brine, lime, water glass, or lard. Anything to block air, and bacteria to prevent or retard spoilage. Then around the Holidays most house wives cooked and baked with these 6-9 months old eggs because they were the only eggs available. Electricity, home refrigeration, and scientific chicken breeding changed all of this.

Please don't take my poor words for it, do your own research, and while you're at it draw every pint of water that your household and chickens use every day out of a well and tote this water for at least 100 yards, then do this every day for the next 30 days. I think before the month is out most of you will come-around to my way of thinking.

At any rate the slaughter age for most meat (aka) broiler chickens today is between 4 to 6 WEEKS, not months. This finishing weight before slaughter is 100% the result of superior genetics, breeding, food, and husbandry, but not a day of it is because of artificial hormones or chemicals in the feed. What ever your production goals are, they are your production goals and nothing else. We are all free to chose to produce as much or as little as our little hearts and pocket books will support. I hope that the new chicken keepers realize this and don't blindly follow the lead of people who don't share your goals. Believe me when I say that there is no correct way to feed chickens, only ways that are more productive or ways that are less productive.

 

[EagleEyes]

Just in honor of this thread:

When I went to the CoOp today to buy chicken feed, I bought a bag of cracked/crushed corn from the CoOp.
The birds, squirrels and chickens will get a treat every now and then.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

.... Chickens should get a minimum of 16% protein aside from carbs/calories/corn. If chickens eat alot of other foods, it's a good idea to raise the protein. However if chickens get small amounts of corn or leftovers, I don't think that will make a big enough difference. I don't think that your chickens need a feed change for the corn treat they get at night because their body may need more calories It's on top of a satisfactory diet. If they free range, they may need extra protein to compensate.

Chickens digest their feed mostly at night. This creates warmth on it's own. I think that an evening treat of corn is just like throwing an extra log on the fire.

If anyone doubts seminolewind's word for this take one of your birds off the roost quietly, in other words without disturbing or waking it. Then gently hold the chicken up to your ear and you can plainly hear the gizzard grinding away like a little motor.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Just in honor of this thread:

When I went to the CoOp today to buy chicken feed, I bought a bag of cracked/crushed corn from the CoOp.
The birds, squirrels and chickens will get a treat every now and then.

The Red Birds, Grey Squirrels, and your poultry will love you for it.

 

[seminolewind]

At the University of Minnesota at Madison Poultry Science Web Sight there are 100 year old adds from White Leghorn magazine advertising brood stock for sale out of 300 egg a year layers. Back then the chickens were the farm wives' responsibility. This was also before Rural Electrification had taken so much of the drudgery out of farm life and the miracle of electricity had made keeping large numbers of laying hens a paying proposition. But electricity made it possible for the first time in human history for the farm wife to keep large flocks of chickens and for the farm wife to financially benefit from large scale poultry farming by keeping light in the hen house for 14 or more hours a day during the Winter.

The egg industry back in the day was dominated by "egg brokers" who bought up eggs from the farm wife in times of plenty for a few cents a dozen and keep their speculation eggs in refrigerated warehouses in chilled brine, lime, water glass, or lard. Anything to block air, and bacteria to prevent or retard spoilage. Then around the Holidays most house wives cooked and baked with these 6-9 months old eggs because they were the only eggs available. Electricity, home refrigeration, and scientific chicken breeding changed all of this.

Please don't take my poor words for it, do your own research, and while you're at it draw every pint of water that your household and chickens use every day out of a well and tote this water for at least 100 yards, then do this every day for the next 30 days. I think before the month is out most of you will come-around to my way of thinking.

At any rate the slaughter age for most meat (aka) broiler chickens today is between 4 to 6 WEEKS, not months. This finishing weight before slaughter is 100% the result of superior genetics, breeding, food, and husbandry, but not a day of it is because of artificial hormones or chemicals in the feed. What ever your production goals are, they are your production goals and nothing else. We are all free to chose to produce as much or as little as our little hearts and pocket books will support. I hope that the new chicken keepers realize this and don't blindly follow the lead of people who don't share your goals. Believe me when I say that there is no correct way to feed chickens, only ways that are more productive or ways that are less productive.

I have an old magazine and I love the ads!
Your post really makes ya stop and think about how way back when they didn't have the resources that we have to make chicken keeping really easy. But that certainly didn't mean people were less intelligent. In some ways , I would think it took more intelligence to live way back when.

Now when you really think about it (off topic), throw 1,000 men in the desert today and see how long it takes them to build a pyramid!