is corn as main ingredient good for chickens?

[Barry Natchitoches]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

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Ok, to answer the original question.

Yes, corn is a good ingredient in chicken rations. It is a highly digestible source of carbohydrates (energy).

Jim

So back to answer the original question.


Yes, corn CAN be a good ingredient in chicken rations. IF it is not genetically modified.​

 

[karl E lutz]

My chickens just love to pick it out of the cow patties in the pasture and this process softens it up a bit for easier digestion!

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

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Barry, I've seen this assertion many times but have not had a chance to read the research findings that lead to it. Can you share the citations for the research or articles to lead you to make this statement?

Barry, I'm still waiting on the evidence you use to assert that GMO corn should not be used in livestock rations.​

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

You will have to research that out for yourself, Lazy J.


This thread has already gotten off track several times with several different issues, and the issue of GMO is SO COMPLICATED that it defies a simple and short explanation.


Even if it did lend itself to that, I would not be the one to give it. There is a big difference between understanding the problem, and being able to explain it sufficiently. I have a working understanding of the problem, but I am not able to explain the issue sufficiently to do you justice.


My expertise is in analyzing quantitatitive research results (I teach quantitative research methods and statistics at the University of Memphis), not biochemistry or microbiology. In fact, I have only one biochemistry class and one microbiology class in my past -- and both of them were survey level courses.


The best explanations that I have found for those of us who are NOT biochemists or microbiologists are one of several films, all available on DVD at amazon.com for a reasonable cost: "The Future of Food," or else "King Corn." I have not yet viewed "Food, Inc." (I have it sitting on my desk, waiting to be viewed), but I am assuming that that film will probably also give a good layperson's explanation of the very complicated issue.


I'm not trying to duck the question, Lazy J., or blow you off.


I just am not a really good person to give you the explanation that you deserve. Please look into one of these DVDs.


There may be some place on the net that does a good job of explaining the issues. I'm not really up on that -- and I'm not sure I will have the time to search the net tonight -- but I'll throw the question out to others who are more knowledgeable on this issue than I am, and see if they can come up with a really good link for you.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

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Barry, as a statistician you know better than most the importance of sampling from a normal population especially when cunducting statistical analysis on surveys. Unfortunately, your reliance on these two films for you understanding of the science of corn would not pass the test for a normal population.

 

[BitsyB]

I have not yet viewed "Food, Inc." (I have it sitting on my desk, waiting to be viewed), but I am assuming that that film will probably also give a good layperson's explanation of the very complicated issue.

Watch it soon, it's a very good movie. If my memory serves me correctly, at the end it shows how regular farmers get in trouble (get sued by?) Monsanto because either the pollen from GMO crops drifted into their non-GMO fields, and/or if they save any seed of GMO crops. Farmers in poor countries are not allowed to save GMO seed, yet Monsanto claims these type of advances will help poor countries. For me, that alone is reason to avoid GMO food products, and support my local small farmer instead whenever possible.

Now i'm no PhD, but I'm beginning to wonder why some defend corporations such as Monsanto so vehemently; might they be getting paid to do so?

 

[Chris09]

Quote:
Watch it soon, it's a very good movie. If my memory serves me correctly, at the end it shows how regular farmers get in trouble (get sued by?) Monsanto because either the pollen from GMO crops drifted into their non-GMO fields, and/or if they save any seed of GMO crops. Farmers in poor countries are not allowed to save GMO seed, yet Monsanto claims these type of advances will help poor countries. For me, that alone is reason to avoid GMO food products, and support my local small farmer instead whenever possible.

Now i'm no PhD, but I'm beginning to wonder why some defend corporations such as Monsanto so vehemently; might they be getting paid to do so?

I watched about a 1/4 of that show ( "Food, Inc.") and turned it off. That show was a joke.
For the ones who watched the show,
The netting on the side of the building of big chicken farms is not to keep people from seeing in. The material is a knitted shading cloth that can block up to 90% of the light but still let in plenty of ventilation. By blocking the light the chicken farm can control the amount of light the birds get.
The other thing, the reason the big chicken farms don't want you around or in the barn is do to Bio-security. Just think how fast a disease would spread in one of those barns if someone would carry in a disease from another farm.

Chris

 

[anythingbutsandy]

Wow. The time it took to read the first few posts and the last few it's hard to remember what the original question was. And I'm still not sure if cracked corn is good for my girls or not.

 

[Teach97]

huh....to think I wasted all that time studying in school. I was just brainwashed into thinking that corn was a feed and with proper calculations worked well in diets. And apparently I am part of the problem because i worked on one of them awful feedlots...stupid me running the feedmill watching all those trucks bring in all that corn...funny though...I don't remeber using that many antibiotics...we did add some rumen stabilizers and such...looking for the most bang for the buck totally quilty of that...

Wish someone from monsanto would read this so I could get a couple checks...then I could get some more birds and some more feed...

I am in favor of corn especially the kind that i can spray round-up on! good weed control takes less ground to raise more corn!

 

[yazzymon]

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The food I feed is organic corn (and soy) free. It costs $30/50 pounds. Unfortunately, the only place you can get it is in Portland (Oregon) and through Azure Standard on their delivery route.

Try the Scratch and Peck website, see if you can get any from them, GREAT FEED! I get the soy and corn free and then - I feed them triticale and cracked corn for a snacky every other day or so....