Cracked Corn

[NatureLove11]

Ive heard that you can feed your hens crack corn before winter to get them ready for the cooler temps is this true?

 

[Caseman]

I feed a small handful of whole corn each day to my bantams.. have 3 to a pen and they love it and do good with that much..

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Quote:
Good morning NatureLove11!

Yes, my avian vet told me to give my hen a small amount of cracked corn daily (she is underweight due to an illness). He said it is high in carbohydrates and will help her gain weight to stay warm for the winter. He advised to give her cracked corn, NOT scratch which has little food value. I bought a small bag in my local grocery store. Folks on this site have said black oil sunflower seed (BOSS) is also good for this. Good luck, and have fun with you chickens

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Good morning NatureLove11!

Yes, my avian vet told me to give my hen a small amount of cracked corn daily (she is underweight due to an illness). He said it is high in carbohydrates and will help her gain weight to stay warm for the winter. He advised to give her cracked corn, NOT scratch which has little food value. I bought a small bag in my local grocery store. Folks on this site have said black oil sunflower seed (BOSS) is also good for this. Good luck, and have fun with you chickens

What's in "scratch" where you live? In this area scratch mixtures are cracked corn + other grains [oats, wheat, etc] that generally increase the food value of the scratch. I mix my own 2/3 wheat & 1/3 corn. The wheat has considerably more protein than the corn plus some healthy fat. Also I feed it year round, not just in the winter.

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

NYREDS - Sorry - I can't answer your question.

I emptied my scratch into a metal can for safe keeping so no longer have the label to read. Just passing on what I was told by my avian vet. I specifically asked about scratch when he mentioned cracked corn because I have a supply on hand and didn't want to buy something else if I didn't have to. He told me scratch has little food value, and that cracked corn is what I should give her. Perhaps there are different blends of scratch??

What you describe sounds very good to me!

 

[gavinandallison]

I have just purchased our first bag of cracked corn, mix it with their regular feed..... They seem to like it, also have mixed a bag of BOSS into the food so they get the best of both worlds.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

I use cracked corn for my roos that are in the pot pie palace, and run it through my hand grinder that my grandmother gave me to have it in small pieces, they all like small pieces around here, laying crumbles, etc. Mine eat very very little BOSS, i give them to my goat as a treat because she is the only one that acts appreciative of them. Our scratch around here comes in 3 varieties, i use the one with milo in it, they eat it the best. If i want to see my chickens smile, i feed them cooked rice, they go BONKERS!

 

[pookiegoldman]

I've heard that as well, so I've begun giving them a few cups of steel cut corn a day to help make it through winter easier. I know 55 degrees is not cold to most of the world, but it seems pretty cold here to me!

 

[catdaddy66]

I have read several sources and they all like supplemental cracked corn for winter time. I believe it increases metabolic energy release which help the bird stay warmer in cold weather. High carbs are good for this. BOSS (Black oil sunflower seeds) is a higher level source for protein. You have the right idea for the upcoming winter months!

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
55 DEGREES!!! That's summer here [well maybe I exagerate slightly but it sure ain't cold.