Scratch

[ChixFlix]

OK, I def have the weirdest chickens! (10 RIR hens,and one Polish rooster.)

After reading all these posts, I must comment.

My chickens pick the corn OUT of the scratch and leave it lying on the ground. They DO NOT eat it.
They don't like the little round brown seeds, either - the Purina bag doesn't say what they are.

I don't spread it all over the coop - instead, I use the typical plastic feeder, and use 4 cups of starter then add 1 cup scratch for them to find eventually.

They also dislike bread (I had some leftovers and they ignored it) but love berries and tomatoes. They look so healthy, I figure, whatever they want, they are doing just fine without the other stuff.

They're 97 days old tomorrow...

BTW, I love this forum!

 

[nymph&nimor]

so i understand that feeding corn might not be good for your chickens when it is hot out, but does it have any other side effects? i have heard that i can turn your white birds yellow. is that true?

 

[brooster]

yes, its called bronzing or copper something, but it will turn them yellowish.

 

[brooster]

The pic of the week kinda has it, see how it is yellow and black, it is barred so it sould be whit e a black, or its feathers are dirty, but thats how it looks.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

nymph&nimor :

so i understand that feeding corn might not be good for your chickens when it is hot out, but does it have any other side effects?

This is simply NOT true!!!!!

Corn is a highly digestible source of simple carbohydrates for monogastrics. It does NOT produce extra heat during metabolism like is noted when feeding high fiber ingredients that result in fermentation in the hind gut.

Corn is noted as a "hot feed" in the cattle industry since it is so easily digestible and can lead to metabolic disorders such as founder and ruminal acidosis.

Jim​

 

[punkin]

OK, brooster. I was feeding my hens (4-5 months) scratch every morning until I noticed the heating side effects.I thought it would give them something to do, ya know, work for their food. I read that I can feed them oats. They are confined to a 75 sq ft run since we have free range dogs. They have laying mash available 24/7. I also give them treats 2-3 times a day (yogurt & banana in the morning, handfuls of grass mid-day, and chopped veggies from kitchen scraps in the evenings for example). How many "treats" are too much? As long as it is good for them, does it matter?

After Jim's post, now I am really confused.

 

[nymph&nimor]

so another question on the changing of color in white birds. what of the following if any turn white birds yellow? corn, scratch, sunlight. i would appreciate any help on this question that i can get.

 

[dacjohns]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

nymph&nimor :

so i understand that feeding corn might not be good for your chickens when it is hot out, but does it have any other side effects?

This is simply NOT true!!!!!

Corn is a highly digestible source of simple carbohydrates for monogastrics. It does NOT produce extra heat during metabolism like is noted when feeding high fiber ingredients that result in fermentation in the hind gut.

Corn is noted as a "hot feed" in the cattle industry since it is so easily digestible and can lead to metabolic disorders such as founder and ruminal acidosis.

Jim​

No matter how many times you say a lot of folks are going to believe the folk lore.

I tried to do a search on "heat" in corn and how it affects chickens. Was not real successful. Maybe I was using the wrong search terms or maybe the poultry industry doesn't see it as a problem.

I have noticed corn in my commercial chicken feed. It's good enough for the feed producers.​

 

[ibpboo]

I give my chickens scratch and crumble everyday. As a kid, we always fed scratch. I never knew that corn was considered too hot. But then scratch has other seeds in it too. But then, where I live, its not very hot, if it gets into the 70's well, thats hot for here.

 

[Chirpy]

Dilly asked:

Chicks are four weeks old. Can I give them things besides yogurt like bread without using grit. They are gong to stay on shavings and locked in the brooder for awhile longer, so they have no access to dirt or rocks.

If they eat anything other than their chick starter/grower feed they need grit. You can buy it and sprinkle it on their food if you want to give treats and they don't have access to the dirt/ground.​