In Defense of Whole Corn

[Xouie]

“Scientists say....”
“Well, actually....”

Those are two phrases our world could maybe use just a little less of. Instead, perhaps, I’ll go with “I’m interested in your experience. I might try it (or not) but I’m not going to tell you you’re wrong. In fact, I’ll cheerfully keep my nose out of your coop.”

Honestly though, before the cable tv days, my family tossed corn out into the yards and pens as entertainment. For us and the animals.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

hahaha - I just did a little searching and found this, which sounds exactly like my grandmother's method.

I think Heritage breeds probably are more resilient to managing poorer nutrition, but hybrid breeds are not. Their bodies were literally designed by man to be production machines. I also take into perspective climate. A chicken in Kentucky has milder winters and can forage much more effectively. I know my feed usage is down by 25-50% in the summer. There is no doubt my birds are providing for themselves, but in winter, they can go a whole week and not see any dirt, so corn and table scraps, especially just fruit and veggie scraps, just would not be providing them with adequate nutrition. So yeah, I think it's absolutely possible for a chicken to live on simplified feed, but it depends on the chicken and the location. If we were in an apocalypse, the way we kept chickens were make an about 180* turn. I can't even grow wheat in my climate. I can grow buckwheat and field peas lol. And we can't deny that science has gone a long way in figuring out what best meets a chickens needs too. A human might live to be 80 to 90 on a poor diet, but the odds of that happening are lower than someone who eats a better diet. Feed is an interesting topic for sure. My neighbor actually formulates feed for research purposes for both layers and meat chickens. He'll bring me leftover feed and I'm not one to say no. My laying flock ate broiler feed all summer and I didn't have a single issue. I just had to make sure to provide calcium. At that exact same time I was using that same feed to feed broiler chickens, which are biologically programed to have an insane feed-to-muscle conversion ratio and they grew fat and big just like they were supposed to. My laying flock stayed a healthy weight and laid nice eggs just like they were supposed to.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

It’s worth noting that grandma’s chicken probably laid 80-100 eggs a year. Today 300+ isn’t abnormal. They are quite literally “different animals”.

I’m not suggesting that chickens don’t need proper nutrition, just suggesting that getting it to them ain’t that hard.

It’s been cold here, so fewer bugs, worms, plants, and food waste than usual. They’re going through more feed than they were in the summer. That doesn’t mean they’re any healthier.

 

[Bodhisan]

It’s worth noting that grandma’s chicken probably laid 80-100 eggs a year. Today 300+ isn’t abnormal. They are quite literally “different animals”.

Oh, I would imagine that's right on. My mother's family had so many chickens and eggs, they gave them away to friends and family and sold some in their little store. In other words, in their world, they weren't concerned with "highest productivity" or even best health for chickens, as they got what they needed and then some. Put another way, nothing was wrong with how they were doing it so there was no need to think twice about it.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Oh, I would imagine that's right on. My mother's family had so many chickens and eggs, they gave them away to friends and family and sold some in their little store. In other words, in their world, they weren't concerned with "highest productivity" or even best health for chickens, as they got what they needed and then some. Put another way, nothing was wrong with how they were doing it so there was no need to think twice about it.

Now so many are stuck with ridiculously small chicken limits for back yard flocks making productivity so much more important even for the small time chicken keeper. It’s truly a shame.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Now so many are stuck with ridiculously small chicken limits for back yard flocks making productivity so much more important even for the small time chicken keeper. It’s truly a shame.

Yeah, totally (says the guy with 75 chickens and 4/10th of an acre of property).

Grandma’s chickens weren’t bred for massive egg production, so they needed less nutrition. If granny had a farm, there was a lot more forage around too (weeds, animal manure, etc).

 

[sourland]

I feel like the main diet of my grandmother's chicken flock on my mother's family's small farm in Kentucky was ground corn. They did just fine.

And almost guaranteed they were free ranged and able to balance their ration.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Your critters must be a lot different than mine. LOL My turkeys are NOT fans. Well 1 eats corn, the rest only eat the wheat in the scratch I give them for a "treat"/something do do.

I have the same issue, mine aren't fans and don't want it. Fresh corn, sure! Dried corn, nope. Buying scratch with corn in it is a waste with my flock.

 

[alwaystj9]

It's amazing to hear how many people's Chickens and turkeys don't eat corn.
I fortunately have the space and climate to allow free foraging.

 

[Morrigan]

It is my understanding that, depending on location and time of year, corn can be a large component of commercial chicken feed. To quote poultry hub:

"For instance, in the US, Brazil and most Asian countries corn is by far the most important energy source for all poultry feed . . ." http://www.poultryhub.org/nutrition/feed-ingredients/

I used to look at the labels of my Purina bags -- the grains used do change seasonally -- and I'm pretty sure I recall seeing bags where corn is the first ingredient. I don't think I would want to experiment with giving my chickens nothing but cracked corn as feed. Too much corn can actually be really bad for humans too. But, throwing out a handful here and there? Giving them the cobs after us humans have finishing gnawing on them? Absolutely.