Cracked Corn

[NewHopePoultry]

I've herd of some people just feeding their chickens cracked corn and letting them eat bugs and stuff. Is this an ok diet for them?

 

[Frozen Feathers]

I like to give mine a mix of layer pellets and cracked corn, since bugs aren't always around (especially if you live where there's winter) and layer pellets have vitamins and minerals they might not get otherwise. They also get crushed eggshell, table scraps (chickens will eat just about anything), and in the snowy months I'll give them crushed pebbles (?) and/or oyster shell for grit. Chickens also love greens, dandelion leaves, grass, weeds, currently I am constantly gathering handfuls of my lawn to give to my silkies who are in the breeding area. I'm sure chickens can survive well on just cracked corn and foraging, but I think it's healthier to add the layer pellets. It's really not that much more expensive, they really don't eat that much.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Thanks for the info. My cornish cross roosters seem to just want cracked corn and bugs,and my banties too, but I have a broody hen with 5 babies, and I want to start them right once they are off their starter feed.

Can roosters eat layer pellets too?

 

[allen wranch]

Cracked corn is not a balanced feed. It is high in carbohydrates and can make birds fat. This is dangerous for laying hens as it can cause them to be eggbound.

Commercial feed is formulated to give birds the nutrients they need in different stages of development.

Cornish crosses are meat birds bred to reach eating size at about 6 weeks of age. They also have a tendency to overeat and can die of heart attacks and have leg problems at an earlier age as a result of their weight. The extra corn would not be good for them.

Yes, roosters can eat layer pellets if they are in with hens. If they are by themselves feed them a feed that does not have the extra calcium in it. Game cock feeds are good. If you are referring to your Cornish crosses, there are specific feeds for them.

 

[NewHopePoultry]

my cornish crosses are 7 months old. I'm not just feeding cracked corn, the hen has layer pellets, the bantamd and cornosh roosters have some food that the feed store sold me for them, I will have to look to see what it is. But they tend not to eat it, only the cracked corn.