Silkies and corn

[Sonoran Silkies]

It's milo, not millet that can turn a white bird yellow. I've had silver gene white silkies turn yellow with corn.

Also, corn grown in soil lacking in selenium can cause a nutritional deficiency in birds--they are not able to absorb sufficient vitamin E and this can result in crookneck/stargazing.

 

[pipermark]

Summarize - corn is good to give birds in winter as an adjunct to their normal rations - the high amount of starch helps maintain body temp.

Corn is probably never good to give birds you intend to show or sell, since it will affect their coloring.

No, the coloring change would not be passed on to the chicks it is a pigmentation change not a genetic one.

Corn as a sole food source is lacking in the proper nutrients. Chicken feed has been scientifically formulated to provide you bird, at whatever stage of life it is at, with the nutrients it needs and should be used as the primary source of nutrition whenever finances allow.

(Free Rangers please don't take offense, my comments are made with the majority of us in mind that do not own the amount of land needed to free range our birds). Though if I was free ranging I would still provide a mineral supplement just like I do for my goats.

 

[jossanne]

But is the amount of corn in layer pellets bad for them?

 

[LilPeeps]

In addition to changing feather coloring, corn can also cause white earlobes to become yellow, such as in leghorns and other breeds with white earlobes.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

And on a positive note, if you have a breed with yellow legs, it enhances their colour.