Using cracked corn as scratch

[kwhorne]

I spoke with the man I got my RIR's from the other day and in general conversation he told me he never gives his layers cracked corn as scratch because it slows down the egg production. He feeds only laying pellets to his laying hens. I give my hens (12 of them) a 12 ounce cup of cracked corn each morning when I let them out of the coop just to get them moving around some. Is there an inexpensive substitute for the cracked corn I could use or should I just stop the scratch feed altogether? My hens are 22 weeks old and not yet laying. I use Purina Layena pellets for my birds. I would like to give them a little scratch of some sort each morning but don't want to screw up egg production. Any advice?

 

[bigchickenman]

Hey there kwhorne. I also raise RIR and I give mine scratch feed and laymesh with grit and oyster shell mixed.I also give them whole corn during the winter.If you use crack corn,when they process it they take out the heart of the corn which is the most beneficial part,so what I'm saying is it's better to give them scratch grain and whole corn.I have thirty hens and I average 22-27 eggs everyday except during the molt. Hope this helps to your question.

 

[bigchickenman]

Sorry I forgot to mention, you can get scratch grain from tsc that is about the same price as cracked corn.

 

[BlackBart]

I give my chickens Hen Scratch which is oats, barley and cracked (and whole) corn. They also get laying pellets/crumble and oyster shell.

A friend of mine who has had laying birds for years gives her hens extra cracked corn and she has never had a problem with egg production.

 

[momof247371]

I mix my own feed and I feed my chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys a cracked corn/layer crumble mixture..plus all the scraps from the garden and canning...I understand that people have chickens soley for eggs but laying an egg is hard on them, thats why most of the time the rooster will out live the hen..IMO
I myself dont stand there and count every egg laid but i do understand those who are worried about it.. I hope you find your answer

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
This is not true. Cracked corn is just that. whole corn that has been cracked into smaller pieces.

Jim

 

[Scott]

During the spring, summer, and early fall, I give my flock cracked corn only as a treat. In my own experience and from my reading, feeding too much cracked corn will slow down egg production. In the late fall and winter, however, I mix in large amounts of cracked corn into their laying crumbles. This extra corn will help them put on weight and help them produce more heat in the colder months. You don't, however, want them eating too much cracked corn during the laying season. It will keep them fat and, quite frankly, lazy. If they are in this condition, they will lay fewer eggs. Keep in mind that layer crumbles are specifically designed to meet the nutritional needs of a laying hen. Cracked corn should never make up the bulk of their diet. During the laying season they need quality layer crumbles and greens because they need to be in top shape for the rigors of egg production. Nothing worst than a overly fat hen that doesnt lay much.

 

[twentynine]

Cracked corn has less protien than laying mash/pellets so yes if feed in an over abundance it will lower egg production.

Tossing a handfull or two out to 5-6 or 10-12 chickens don't think it would make a huge difference.

 

[Scott]

Quote:
Nor I. Its hard to resist doing so... they love it so much.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Mine love it. I mix cracked corn with whole sunflowers and some whole oats. The corn is what they pick out first.