Effects of feeding corn to chickens?

[Chris09]

Quote:
What do you meen genetically modified?
For the most part I would say yes some of the corn is the same depending what the grower plants. Most of the corn/ grain grown today are Hybrids of corn that has been grown for years.. Being Hybrid corn/ grain it can resist disease, blight or produce more grain. I don't think that the sugar in "Field" corn has been messed with too much. Now today's Hybrid "Sweet" corn has had a lot of "playing" done with the sweetness you have SE, Sh2, synergystic and Gourmet Sweet.

I feed corn all so. It is in the commercial feed I get and it is in the scratch grain I mix as well but the Scratch I mix is only about 20% corn..

Chris

 

[MissPrissy]

I don't feed my chickens to have a long and endless life.

My chickens have a purpose. I feed them to benefit my table.

I feed corn to build fat. Rich fat. Which I render for schmaltz.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Please don't"should" on people!
Most old farm flocks free ranged & were supplimented with corn, as Chris said, because it was cheap & available. They did fine because they got a balanced diet from free ranging. Cooped or caged birds don't have that luxury so corn would be best used in moderation for them.

I am not referring to not feeding corn. I am talking about genetically modified, as per my post. I will feed good organic corn to my chickens.

I understood perfectly well what you were talking about & that is what I was responding to. Feed what you like it's nothing to me but don't presume to tell me that I should share your opinion about GM corn, I don't.

 

[The Chicken People]

Okay I go to the farmers field now that it is plowed and collect corn for my chickens..I dont crack it i just shuck it and toss it to them..they love it! I do however believe eating corn makes white chickens look yellowish cause my two Lakenvelders look a little yellowish since they been eating corn! Also, I eat corn fed beef and the fat is yellowish same with the deer who live off the farmers corn feild! And all their pooh is corn filed! Just my own little opinions!

And my chickens free range for a few hours each day and have pellets and oyster shell available at all times! Egg a day pretty much and no health problems yet..knock on wood!

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
When you say" Genetically modified corn and soy do you mean-
Genetically modified organisms have had specific changes introduced into their DNA by genetic engineering, using a process of either Cisgenesis or Transgenesis

OR do you mean-

Hybrids-
Population hybrids, Single cross hybrids, Double cross hybrids, Three-way cross hybrids and Triple cross hybrids-
A plant that is created by cross-pollinating specific plants. This could be to increase the yield, create disease-resistant varieties, better uniformity of plant and fruit size and even color.

You could be considered either one "Genetically modified "...

You say that you feed

some sunflower seeds to up the protein a bit more and some alfalfa pellets.

.
Are they "Certified Organic"?

Chris​

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

Quote:
Very important observation. Corn HAS been bred to have higher sugars than in the past (one in a multitude of reasons Americans are fatter today.) However, I don't know about field corn. Someone in this thread raised that point.

However, most corn produced in this country is GM - 80% in 2007. Usually, they modify the genes using a virus. GM products have been subject to very little testing; a major reason they are largely banned in Europe. Like you, chookchick, I've grown wary of using very much corn and use more sunflower and other seed.

Katherine

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

Quote:
Please don't"should" on people!
Most old farm flocks free ranged & were supplimented with corn, as Chris said, because it was cheap & available. They did fine because they got a balanced diet from free ranging. Cooped or caged birds don't have that luxury so corn would be best used in moderation for them.

The full quote is that GM corn should be a problem for everyone, not that corn itself is the problem. Old farm flocks were not fed GM corn.

I agree with the original poster. GM corn has been subject to inadequate testing, yet it now comprises 80% of the corn produced in the US.

 

[Keri78]

WOW..you guys really make me use my noggin! Here's my two cents!(lol) I feed a mix of cracked corn and layer/finisher 16 %protein...however now I want to also add in some sunflower seeds and oyster shells b/c they just started laying!!! Anywho...I may buy a bag of higher protein starter next month and go with a bag of mixed grain scratch this time around b/c you gys have all made good points about feeding corn in moderation and I think it's always good to change up your diet. My girls free range almost daily and eat lots of leftover protein pasta(from our dinners). They are producing beautiful healthy eggs! I am very concerned about genetically modified food in America and the way in which we are mass producing food with less and less nutrition is scary. For those of you that have Netflix checkout the documentary "King Corn" it's free and very eye opening. That being said my family is middle class and we have four little boys to raise and we try to buy what we can organic and local but it also has to be realistic within our budget...organic for our chickens is just not an option for us financially right now. If any of you have any economical organic suggestions I'm open! But...for now the only things "organic that they are eating are our tablescraps, bugs, grass, & weeds. It's all about finding the right balance that doable for your situation. Blessings & Thanks for making me think...Keri

 

[greathorse]

OK I am going to get in here for just a moment and will preface by saying I dont have enough information on this to do more than simply pose the question.

I have heard it argued by some that the open pollinated corn of days gone by had/has a much different nutrional profile than the current high yeilding hybridized corn that is being produced. Had a guy tell me he needed to feed far less to get the same results.

Any experts out there that can address that?

Edited to ad: Hormones are not permitted to be fed or administered to poultry. As a matter of fact if one wants to make a statement on a package of chickens that there are no added hormones the producer is required by USDA to qualify that statement with a declaration that states "The USDA prohibits the use of hormones in poultry" That is my line of work and know this quite well.

 

[chookchick]

Greathorse--that is EXACTLY what I am talking about! When corn used to yield 20 bushels/acre, and now it yields 200, we are talking about an entirely different plant! I am going to have to do some research on this. BTW, I imagine the other grains have evolved along these lines also, I just get the feeling that corn is absolutely the most abused one.