Feeding Corn for Winter Warmth

[yogifink]

I have read on the BYC forum that you can feed your chooks some corn in the evening to help keep them a bit warmer at night by generating some internal heat. I am curious about this and would like to learn a bit more, can anyone give me some information on this? Why would this work, something to do with the corn digesting? How much of a ration should I be giving to provide warmth, but not effect the health of the chicken or laying?

I picked up a bag of basic crushed corn this weekend, and my girls really aren’t too stoked about it. I figured there would be a feeding frenzy - but, it was more like a meh,what the heck is this, where’s my sunflower seeds (their morning treat)!! Spoiled chickens. I assume feeding a bit of corn is pretty basic, but is there a specific type, for example crushed or whole, that they prefer?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Cracked is better but it must be fresh. In NC I can't imagine it will be cold enough to worry about it.
Corn has energy but low in protein and vitamins. I'd hold off till your coldest days and give a handful before bedtime. They'll get used to it.
I use wheat in winter instead since corn is GMO.
Thanks for that Mon Santa.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote:
Well fed chickens will generate the correct amount of heat with or without corn.
Lots of things get repeated, even if there's little actual evidence to support the theories

 

[yogifink]

Quote:

Well fed chickens will generate the correct amount of heat with or without corn.
Lots of things get repeated, even if there's little actual evidence to support the theories

My thoughts exactly, just repeated misinformation. I got the corn as a treat; we like to spoil our girls, and was just wondering about the heat aspect.