Effects of feeding corn to chickens?

[WisconsinGardenChick]

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There's a difference between "leading resistance" to something and "leading in testing."

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

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We switched to pastured also several years ago for health and ethical reasons. I'm a great believer in supporting local farmers. We buy all our beef, lamb,and turkey from a farmer in the area who raises pastured meat and gives tours of their operation. I'd rather any day give my $$$ to them directly than to Whole Foods. Plus, it's great knowing and having a relationship with the people who produce our food.

Edited to add: Love that essay "Everything I want to do is illegal "(now a book, I think, but I've only read the essay.) I don't agree with Salatin on everything, but he is always thoughtful and raises important issues.

I'm starting to wonder whether we don't need a space on this forum for discussing our reading. I would love that. Many of us came to chicken-keeping, in part, b/c we care about where our food comes from and how it's raised.

 

[sommrluv]

If you don't think the world could be fed, or america, on standard raised crops, than you should have a look into the food waste.

Americans waste nearly as much, or more food, than they eat. If people were taught the standard serving size our body needs, over-consumption would be a thing of the past, and would solve some obesity problems.

The average college student dumps 1/4 to 1/3 pound of food off their tray at every meal. Across america. Many colleges and cafeterias are starting to go "trayless" because people take less food when they have to carry it. There's wonderful data on this online.

 

[greathorse]

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I'm sorry my real question is do we use the same corn to make tortilla chips for example as we do to make cattle feed. I dont know of anyone that raises specifially for that market, but you would think it would be a different variety. I know you can get yelllow or white corn wonder who and where the white corn is raised.

Just curious , since we are now in a corn ed 101 class

 

[Scot1458]

3) Little known fact is that farmers are the healthiest group of workers but lead the world in cancer rate. Why, think chemicals they use to use. Since glysophate is so much safer, think we haven't turned on to it? No one wants to die of hunger and farmers don't want to die of cancer.

Actually, golf course workers have the highest rate. I used to work for one...​

 

[chookchick]

My understanding is that all of the field corn is combined together, then sold by the boxcar for different purposes. So the corn that is ground into cornmeal, distilled into ethanol, used for feed, corn syrup etc..is all the same corn. That's why it is so cheap. White corn, of course, would have to be separated out, also organic, or non GM corn.

 

[seedcorn]

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Most field corn is very similiar but there are specialty markets out there.

1) For those that think the European market resist GMO corn the most, guess who buys (& pays a premium for) non-GMO corn/soybeans. Not the European union but the ASIAN market. Europe market is all about talking one way and spending their $$$ another. Asians put their $$ where their mouth is.

2) Polenta corn is the same corn that is fed to cattle, hogs, chickens etc. NO DIFFERENCE. Want the best corn meal you have ever had, pick ears from opaque-2 corn, dry and grind in blender.

3) Frito Lay, waxy markets, breakfast cereals did use "specialty" hybrids and paid premium for them.

4) What's changed, now there are companies that break the kernel apart, sell the parts to companies that want the certain parts-waxy is still a specialty market.

5) Chips, corn flakes, etc use the hard starch of the kernel as they want their product to not break down in fluids (milk, salsa, etc) so what you buy is almost totally indigestable. What is shown as nutrients, are what is sprayed on or fried in.

6) In terms of types, sweet corn is lightest in starch, yield, then opaque-2, dents (many different types), white corns, flints (highest test weight and lowest palatiablility with worst flint being popcorn-why do you think diet plans let you eat popcorn--very little digestable nutrients in it.)

 

[Junkmanme]

I generally feed 22% Layer pellets........but supplement that with scratch/rolledmilo/whole milo/ cracked corn/etc.

I figure that they NEED to eat MORE when the temperatures here get COLD......I don't worry about the protein, etc.......I figure if it's THERE they will eat what they need.

UNFORTUNATELY......I know they aren't getting any bugs, worms, tiny critters, in the COLD WINTER.

(IF they survive till Spring.........I'll see them eatin' bugs.................
IF I SURVIVE till Spring.............Ha-Ha!!!!!!)

I just TRY to make sure they have ENOUGH feed to stay warm. HE11, I dunno.....

-Junkmanme-

 

[claud]

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Yes, and the waste that people actually eat. Many if not most people in the U.S.(and many other countries) eat way more than they need.

As it stands though we could not keep up with this consumption without the mass production of food.

People need to eat less. Maybe starting with schools - more education for proper nutrition/serving size - but then they go back home to their families?
Trayless was a good idea but such a small drop in the bucket....

 

[Junkmanme]

claud,

YOUR CONCLUSIONS reflect YOUR OBSERVATIONS and EXPERIENCE!

(and the "propaganda" that YOU believe.)

This is CRAAAAAAAppppppp.

PERSONALLY, I NEED to eat MORE and BETTER!

Keep your faulty generalizations and BIAS to yourself.....they are NOT accurate.....just "socially acceptable lies".

It is largely a matter of WHAT you eat...and it is NOT the SAME for all of us people!

wishing I were a little "fatter",

BUNK,
-Junkmanme-