When to start cracked corn

[amos58]

Hello,
My chickens are 2 months old, and in the coop as of yesterday. They still eat the chick food with medication in it. I bought a bag of cracked corn, but I don't know if I put it in with their food, or separate. Do I give them grit once I start feeding them that? And if I supply grit, do I mix some with their food?
Thank you
Diane

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

What do you plan to use as a protein source? Were I you, I would switch to a non-medicated grower feed. Your birds will grow faster, more efficiently, and more cost effectively than on cracked corn.

We must remember that corn is an energy source and not a complete feed, it is woefully inadequate amino acids.

Jim

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, cracked corn is just a treat for them to get them to go to bed or go to work digging up litter.

 

[MissPrissy]

I don't use medicated feed and I don't recommend it.

Cracked corn is like candy for chickens. It has no real nutritional value. Corn is already in alot of their feeds and treats purchased from commercial feed mills.

I use cracked corn only in the winter and give a scoop of it in the late evening to help ramp up their body temps to keep them nice and warm at night more so when the temps are to be near freezing but no so much when the temps are just in the 40's or so. Chickens produce alot of heat and in a proper coop they are comfortable and toasty warm for the most part. As the weather warms up through spring they will not be getting any cracked corn except for what might be in the mixed grains that I leave out as part of their natural diet.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I always keep my chicks on their medicated feed starter/grower til they are ready to lay at 19 or so weeks then I change over to a layer crumble or pellet...Cracked corn should only be given as a treat or heat source in winter....

 

[amos58]

Thank you both, this answers my question, when it is very cold I will give them some at night. Thank you very much.
Diane

 

[Cheryl]

What about the "grit" question, cause this one I don't know either...

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Grit is optional...some feed it free choice to their hens some don't if they free range or have dirt runs....Grit is just to help grind food in their gizzards and free ranging or dirt runs already provide stones and pebbles....

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Quote:
Actually this is not the case, corn is a very ggod energy source with a Metabilizabel Energy value of 3,350 kcal/kg.

Jim

 

[CovenantCreek]

Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay :

Quote:
Actually this is not the case, corn is a very ggod energy source with a Metabilizabel Energy value of 3,350 kcal/kg.

Jim

Energy, yes, it's all sugar, but no protein/complex carbs. It doesn't provide the well balanced diet a chick needs to develop anything but excess fat (just like my mom always used to tell me when she insisted I eat other vegetables, too).​