Restaurant Grade Quality Milled Corn Grits.

[Lazy Farmer]

I just purchased twenty 50# bags of high quality milled corn grits from an overstock company. Paid only $1.00 per bag. No bugs and fit for human consumption.
Here's the kicker... A farmer buddy says if I feed my ADULT CHICKENS this product, it will swell them up and kill them.
I beg to differ. To get corn grits to thicken you have to activate the starch with heat and water. I was a professional cook until lately and know a lot about chemical reaction.
Anyway, the raw grits would be fed in moderation mixed with conventional grains and only served as a sub for cracked corn which the price of a 50# bag keeps going up.
No proof on the internet to his statement that I could find anyway.
Needless to say, we started mixing 10% corn grit to 90% con. grain 4 days ago and no dead chickens or drop in egg production.
I think was just trying to spook me because we found a deal of a life time.
Saturday morning we are cooking up grits for our family with cream and Monterrey jack cheese.... Yummy!

 

[jeria]

Newbie, so no advice. grits are simply dried corn milled. Corn is in scratch and many chicken feeds. My friend has fed her chicks some corn for years, not much in the summer.
She says it makes for darker yellow yolks, . No idea if that's true. She also feeds more in the winter for extra body warmth and mixes in some horse sweet feed (made with sorghum molasses in this area) for scratch treats.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Newbie, so no advice. grits are simply dried corn milled. Corn is in scratch and many chicken feeds. My friend has fed her chicks some corn for years, not much in the summer.
She says it makes for darker yellow yolks, . No idea if that's true. She also feeds more in the winter for extra body warmth and mixes in some horse sweet feed (made with sorghum molasses in this area) for scratch treats.

Also for deep darker rich yokes.. Buy alfalfa cubes, soak them in water and feed as a treat. They love them and your egg customers we give you positive feedback about yokes and flavor!
Thanks for your reply.

 

[jeria]

How about alfalfa hay? Pretty available around here. Only 4 chicks so probably no customers. LOL

 

[Percheron chick]

Sharp cheddar cheese and butter for me. Great score. I found 600# organic hulled hemp seeds dumpster diving at work. Love the cheap and free chicken feed finds.
Chickens love alfalfa hay. It's good when you can't freerange as it provides greens, protein, extra Ca and tons of entertainment.

 

[jeria]

Sharp cheddar cheese and butter for me. Great score. I found 600# organic hulled hemp seeds dumpster diving at work. Love the cheap and free chicken feed finds.
Chickens love alfalfa hay. It's good when you can't freerange as it provides greens, protein, extra Ca and tons of entertainment.

Thanks will have to get some from the farmer I buy straw from. I've been getting it the fall for my gardens and he has alfalfa for his dairy cows and sells some small bales. Very nice man but he thinks it's funny I load the back of my SUV up 3 times to haul the bales. He's used to people hauling bales in trucks.

 

[Percheron chick]

Dairy alfalfa is great. It is very high in protein and Ca. Lots of leaf and low in high fiber stems. In the winter I'll place an unopened bale in the coop for them to work on. Will last my 25 3-4 weeks .

 

[Lazy Farmer]

How about alfalfa hay? Pretty available around here. Only 4 chicks so probably no customers. LOL

The alfalfa hay is the same thing but more stems. We buy bales for our sows and give the grassy flowery tops to the chickens but moistened for less waste. If it not soaked they will just pick at it here and there. Moisture makes them devour it.
We sell about 25 to 30 dozen eggs to faithful followers which in turn basically pays for all our birds feed as well as our goat heard feed.
We sell out fast. Sometimes a waiting period. The darker the yoke the more eggs we sell to repeaters. We laugh sometimes because some panic when they have to wait and we joke we are like drug dealers and or customers need a fix. If your hobby isn't fun.. It's not a hobby anymore.. It's a job.
Thanks for responding! May the chickens be with you, always..

 

[jeria]

Farmer Connie, so funny. I understand the hobby being a job, happened to me with quilting. I'll get back to it eventually but burned out from the pressure of quilting for others. How long do you soak the flower parts?

Pecheron, that sounds like a fun chicken project.

 

[Percheron chick]

If your alfalfa has flowers than it is mature and a low quality product with mature high fiber stalks. Save that for the horses. Dairy quality alfalfa is cut at an optimal immature stage pre bloom when the plant is most nutritious. Don't soak it. You'll end up with a slimy mess. Just let them pick and scratch through it. Mine mostly clean it all up. What is left just ends up as part of the litter.