How to make a homemade feeder? And, is whole corn good to feed?

[cluckmecoop7]

I wonder if corn sprouts....

Do you think so?

 

[jolenesdad]

Do you think so?

I did sprouting once and I remember corn would either not sprout or sprout way later than other things but I can’t remember if it sprouts at all. Maybe someone in the thread knows?

 

[aart]

Show some evidence that she really is as bad as your saying

Here's one:

Becky (The youtube channel person) gives her hens 1 cup of whole corn in the morning and one if the evening. I think she as about 11 hens.

There is more too, but am not going to go dig it all up to prove the point.
Not saying all her advice is 'bad', but there's enough that I wouldn't recommend her as a source of 'good' info.

And don't forget this part of my post:

Any internet advice, including here, should be taken with a grain, or more, of salt.
It can be laborious to wade thru all the info and make decisions, but it's essential.

 

[Rooapalooza]

It doesn't sprout exactly, but it grows really fast... well in Texas it grows really fast; corn likes hot weather.

One annoying thing about America is that we pasteurize everything now, so lot's of things I used to be able to sprout or plant don't grow anymore. Luckily this seems mostly limited to food for human-consumption (almonds and most nuts, sunflower seeds and other seeds, eggs, some grains).
The sunflower seeds marketed for birds still sprout fine. If your corn is for animal consumption, it might grow. My chickens have never showed any interest in my corn plants though. You could give it a shot in the summer but I personally wouldn't bother.

Corn is usually so cheap; how much did you buy that you are worried about wasting? I've heard that you can use cornmeal for a substrate for worms, which are great for chickens and very expensive. Has anyone ever done that?

 

[Rooapalooza]

My best suggestion is to give them their regular feed in the morning BUT serve it up in a wet form. Mix regular pellets or crumble with hot water, let it sit for 10 minutes. If it is the consistency of cooked oatmeal good!
If not add water or more pellets as needed.
Even my luckiest eaters will walk away from eating scratch to eat the morning mash.
Don't let them out to range until they have eaten their breakfast.
Don't put a huge amount out. Just enough that everyone can get a 1/4-1/2 cup.



Best plan EVER!

They liked it with the water! Also when they ran out of wet food they started in on the dry food. I guess they suddenly see it as a treat since I made it special for them . Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They liked it with the water! Also when they ran out of wet food they started in on the dry food. I guess they suddenly see it as a treat since I made it special for them . Thanks for the suggestion.

You're welcome. I am glad their silly food refusal is over.

 

[centrarchid]

So my main question is: What exactly should I be feeding so my hens (almost hens) live LONG?

ETA: I got them for pets so I want them to live a long life.

I will try to confuse you further. If you are targeting longevity, then feed a varied diet in a restricted amount. That means a little less than they will consume if given free-choice (all they want all the time) access to the eats. Ideally the diet is nutritionally complete, especially if the birds cannot make up difference by foraging. With a varied diet I include a component that is formulated properly to be complete based on nutritional studies and a little higher in protein than needed for egg production. That give you a little flexibility to add a little whole corn or other items that are low on the protein and other nutrients side of things. I apply the feeds so preferences by chickens can be seen. My assumption (not based on science yet) is that the birds balance things out if given options and you can adjust ratios of what you are applying.

Most of my chickens are not commercial production (table-eggs or meat) and many are totally idle most of the year as adults. exceptions to that are when they are actively breeding and during the heavier part of molt starting sometime around the fall equinox and ending before winter solstice. I expect them to live several years consistently and to look sexy as all get out. Those are effectively pets.

 

[bradymars]

Yes, I understand that. There is a youtube channel called "Becky's homestead" and that's where I found that she fed whole corn plus other feed. Right now I have on hand layer pellets, scratch, whole corn, and oyster shells. What should I be feeding and how much?

Friend you would be better off feeding a gamecock mix and lay pellets mixed, this way your giving them a better diet. Most gamecock mixes have animal protien in them and they are a mix of pellets and whole grains.

 

[Al Gerhart]

If you’re concerned about the money in feeding chickens, have you heard of fermenting feed? You should do some research on it. Basically, the food doubles in volume. For example, if you put 2 cups of food in a jar, fill said jar with water about 1-3 inches above the food, put a towel over the jar so it gets air, and it will ferment in about 3 days, give or take a few depending on the temp. Those 2 cups will expand to almost 4 cups, cutting your feed bill almost in half. It has all sorts of probiotics and helps them lay more. I would agree with others, either ditch the corn or only throw out a small bit every few days. The fermenting feed has more benefits, you should put it in the search bar or look for an article about it.

Doubting Thomas here, no doubt the volume of the feed doubles but does its nutritional value change? I would think not unless some sugars are turned into starches or vice versa and somehow unlocked nutrients that were previously unavailable. palatability increased, sure.

Laying hens have one main restraint in eggs per year; the ability to ingest and digest enough protein and other nutrients needed to produce eggs. Which is why the chicken industry came up with laying pellets, not too much that gets wasted, not too little that egg production drops.

Perhaps by feeding swollen feed the bird might eat more if it is more palatable but if it eats twice as much you haven't gained anything, right? If you are feeding a quarter pound of feed per bird per day and its volume is double, that is still a quarter pound per bird.

 

[Manhen]

Doubting Thomas here, no doubt the volume of the feed doubles but does its nutritional value change? I would think not unless some sugars are turned into starches or vice versa and somehow unlocked nutrients that were previously unavailable. palatability increased, sure.

Laying hens have one main restraint in eggs per year; the ability to ingest and digest enough protein and other nutrients needed to produce eggs. Which is why the chicken industry came up with laying pellets, not too much that gets wasted, not too little that egg production drops.

Perhaps by feeding swollen feed the bird might eat more if it is more palatable but if it eats twice as much you haven't gained anything, right? If you are feeding a quarter pound of feed per bird per day and its volume is double, that is still a quarter pound per bird.

OK now. Been running one yeast culture for a month now. I am a chemist, and have worked for my career in the life sciences everything from....well. The hydrolysis of the starches and exposure to enzymes in the grains, particularly barley (malted is best being enzyme rich) produces yeast-feeding sugars. Corn is easy here. The yeast grows and dies. The yeast contains protein. The grain, such that remains as a starch, hydrated is easier to digest, less passes through into your litter, so it has a better "bioavailability". And it swells to double yes, however as I strain liquid into the second to next batch, it is about 85% again over the original volume. Waste is so little because they eat it all. Remember, pelleted feed is all about efficiency and time. Fermenting makes feeding your birds take a bit longer. I skipped a day, the next one was absolutely kids in a MacDonald's ball yard.

EDIT: I keep milled corn with supplement in feeders at all times...

REEDIT: Also, the farmer with the fattest pigs is running a bootleg operation as well.....