How to feed cracked corn

When I give my chickens their daily treat of scratch grains they usually eat everything but the corn. They like corn on the cob but apparently not the dried stuff. Guess it must not taste good because it doesn't matter what brand of scratch grains I get them they leave the corn alone.
 
When I give my chickens their daily treat of scratch grains they usually eat everything but the corn. They like corn on the cob but apparently not the dried stuff. Guess it must not taste good because it doesn't matter what brand of scratch grains I get them they leave the corn alone.
Have you tried to eat a dried whole corn?
Not only tasteless, but also hard on your teeth.
I pour the cracked corn in a bowl with water and let it sit for a hour.
My duckies still are not enthusiastic about that stuff, but they eat it. Feeding them just hay and meatbird crumbles the whole winter sounds a bit humdrum to me.
 
Where do you get steamed rolled corn? @casportpony.
You buy some corn and a steamroller...
:lau
Good question! The guy in the local store gave me a strange look.
That's funny. :gig

It's usually sold as a horse feed, just ask for "rolled corn". I think it rolled for horses because it's more digestible that cracked or whole corn. Not sure if this is true for chickens, but mine do seem to like it much better than cracked and whole.

It also makes for a lovely hot mash. Something about the rolling process allows the corm to get good and soft after being in hot water.

Rolled corn
rolled corn_1.jpg
Cracked corn
cracked corn_1.jpg

Whole corn
whole corn_1.jpg
 
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That's funny. :gig

It's usually sold as a horse feed, just ask for "rolled corn". I think it rolled for horses because it's more digestible that cracked or whole corn. Not sure if this is true for chickens, but mine do seem to like it much better than cracked and whole.

It also makes for a lovely hot mash. Something about the rolling process allows the corm to get good and soft after being in hot water.

Rolled corn
View attachment 1543484
Cracked corn
View attachment 1543482

Whole corn
View attachment 1543483
Thank you very much for the pictures! That explains it, it is the same thing they do with oat grains to make oat meal. Roll the grains flat between two (steam-) heated steel cylinders to crack the tough shell and to change the structure of the starches in the grain into something more digestible. Duckies use grit for that purpose ;)
The store where i asked doesn't sell feed for larger animals, just poultry, rabbits and small pets, but i will ask again for »rolled corn«. Think the »steam« derailed them.:lol:
 

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