sweet corn ~ how much is to much?

[Dawggy Stile]

We have a sweet corn grower in town thats allowed us to go through the fields after they have picked through it.
There is still alot of editable corn left, some not as pretty as others.
We send the spent ears out to the chickens..ones we ate and ones we have cut off the cob for freezing. Others, the not so pretty ones, we have blanched and frozen whole and thaw out and they love that to.
They have their regular feed and they free range. Corn isn't their only source of food.
If we had the freezer space, the chickens could have corn all year long..
Now how much would be to much to give them?
Thanks!

 

[NYREDS]

They can't OD on corn.

 

[Two Creeks Farm]

Feed them all they want!

 

[mississippifarmboy]

Quote:

I agree though, we feed ours lots of scraps including corn, both fresh and leftover cooked corn. As a matter of fact I threw out a bushel of shucks, bad ears and nubbins yesterday. The chickens sorta half heartedly pecked at it then went on about their business. I guess they've had thier fill of it the past few weeks. The horse on the other hand thinks corn shucks are candy.

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
What a clever idea. I've been bringing out the "used" corn cobs, one or two a day after we eat corn for dinner and my pullets always peck them down to the bare cob. I feed it to them more as a treat and entertaining activity (for both me and them) but it always makes me happy to take something that would end up in the trash or compost pile and see them happily eating it...turning landfill into eggs! There is enough corn grown here in Colorado that perhaps if I even ask at the local farmer's markets or road stands for their "culls" I might be able to pick up some chickie treats to supplement for the winter.

 

[southerndesert]

I would moderate some and use the corn like treats... Their layer feed should make up a larger part of the diet in my opinion.

 

[lauriej57]

Corn is really not good for layers, except as a treat. It build fat and helps them to keep warm, which they don't need during hot weather.

I have been giving my chickens corn from our garden, but only in the evenings, when I know the temps are going to be under 70 degrees.

Their egg production has really slowed down, and I'm blaming it on too many treats, so they are cut off treats for the next week.

I do, however, freeze the bad ears of corn, whole, and feed them to them in the winter, for those nights when it's going to really cold and blizzardy, and they love the special treat in the winter.

Too much fat can cause fatty liver which is not a good thing.