Uncooked Grits

[Bear Foot Farm]

Nothing "swells" when eaten by a chicken (nor any other creature) since it's ground up in the gizzard

 

[AlieaMikel]

Grits aren't just dried corn, though, they're more dried hominy (alkali treated corn). Dried corn is cornmeal; this is why coarse cornmeal and uncooked grits LOOK alike but don't cook or taste the same. I was wondering about hominy and grits for my hens, also. Still haven't found much, if I do I'll post back! Thx.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Soaking corn in LYE makes some of the proteins more digestable

 

[AlieaMikel]

I looked back in on this a little and I agree with Bear Foot Farm that soaking in lye will make the proteins in corn more digestible. I'm always looking into homemade versions of everything, but not having the experience with lye my previous generations had I'd likely stick with some of the safer baking soda or limewater recipes online or a commercially prepared alkaline mixture (following the instructions) for a while; or by far the simplest, just buy a commercially prepared dried grit/polenta.I've been giving my hens leftover grits since I saw this and they love them. No trouble at all.

 

[RedDrgn]

But it does swell when it is cooked.

So does regular corn.

We feed ours uncooked grits from time to time. My father works at a surplus food warehouse, so they sometimes end up with several pounds of grits and popcorn that doesn't get sold before the date stamped on the bags. So we happily take it and the chickens devour both. Never had any problems, but we only give it to them like we do scratch (as a supplement to their normal feed and free ranging; never as a staple of their diet).

 

[Jojoand chicks]

Still dont know cooked or not for stone ground yellow grits