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Mylied said:
I don't give scratch during the summer because I've always heard it heats them up by being slow to digest or something along those lines. I give black oil sunflower seeds and fruit, like watermelon, strawberries, figs, or pears. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I do it.
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I have been trying an approach that I think alleviates boredom like scratch, but it's basically just using vegetable scraps to make what I call chicken popsicles. Keeps them occupied for a good 1/2 hours pecking away and they get water.
 
I used to give Knock-Out for a treat but a friend told me that it was ok to give just plain dried whole kernel corn as a treat. They seem to love it and I've never observed any issues. I usually feed Superlay22. What is the problem with the corn? What can I expect if I continue and what should I look for? Or should I just stop that?
 
I checked Google Scholar and couldn't find any articles backed by scientific research that supported the no-supplemented-corn-for-chickens-when-its-hot idea. It's really just a personal choice as to what you do. I feed my chickens corn when it's hot and when it's cold and have never noticed a difference in their health. I also continue to give them air-popped popcorn and sliced corn of the cob as frequent snacks.

In addition, most pre-mixed chicken feed is 30% - over 50% corn. Anyway, let your conscience be your guide. lol

Speaking of mixing your own feed, check out the video below. Those who are interested in living through an apocalypse may find it interesting. (Check out the beer-bottle wall.):

 
brucifer said:
I checked Google Scholar and couldn't find any articles backed by scientific research that supported the no-supplemented-corn-for-chickens-when-its-hot idea. It's really just a personal choice as to what you do. I feed my chickens corn when it's hot and when it's cold and have never noticed a difference in their health. I also continue to give them air-popped popcorn and sliced corn of the cob as frequent snacks.

In addition, most pre-mixed chicken feed is 30% - over 50% corn. Anyway, let your conscience be your guide. lol

Speaking of mixing your own feed, check out the video below. Those who are interested in living through an apocalypse may find it interesting. (Check out the beer-bottle wall.):

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Thanks Brucifer. I'd seen that one not long after he posted it, enjoyed it then and enjoyed watching it again. I really like his style and the points he makes but can't get all the items at my local feed store (they also don't sell beer). Wish I could get them all there. As for now and for me, his mix will have to remain "food for thought" rather than food for my flock.

He (Robert Earl) did post a follow-up at:
where he gave instructions on varying the mix with different grains and also suggested some additives.
 
LCcreekside said:
Thanks Brucifer. I'd seen that one not long after he posted it, enjoyed it then and enjoyed watching it again. I really like his style and the points he makes but can't get all the items at my local feed store (they also don't sell beer). Wish I could get them all there. As for now and for me, his mix will have to remain "food for thought" rather than food for my flock.

He (Robert Earl) did post a follow-up at:
where he gave instructions on varying the mix with different grains and also suggested some additives.
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Thanks, John. Loved the follow-up video. He sure is passionate about chicken feed and is very big on adding a pre-mix.
 
I haven't seen any hard data on the corn/heat claim either. I just try to minimize the use of it at our place because it just isn't that useful of a feed, in my opinion. As for the other claims regarding scratch feed ... what naturally occurring food items is a chicken likely to come across when free ranging in the summer? Seeds/grains, right? So my thinking follows nature. If it is what they would find naturally it seems ok to give, imho. But I don't give large amounts.

On a different subject ... anyone here try maggot buckets?
 
One of the things that feed manufactures are allowed to do (and Robert Earl does it too) is state that grains such as corn and wheat have protein, and state that legumes such as soybeans have protein. Such descriptors are really not true. Grains and legumes have incomplete proteins. In other words the amino-acid profiles of grains lack essential amino acids that would constitute a true protein, and the amino-acid profile of soybeans (including soybean meal) also lacks essential amino acids in order to be classified as a true protein.

Although there are some overlapping amino acids in the amino-acid profiles of grains and legumes, each group contains essential amino acids that are mutually exclusive to the other group. However, the good news is that a combination of grains and legumes (e.g., corn and soybeans) make up complete proteins. With that thought in mind, it stands to reason that a quality feed should contain a balance of both grains and legumes. The value of grains such corn, wheat, and rice are not so much in their intrinsic value in protein, but rather how they compliment the amino-acid profiles of legumes in feed to make true complete proteins that are usable by chickens.

Chickens (and humans) can manufacture non-essential proteins in the gut to make up some of the missing amino acids in corn or soy, respectively; however, complimenting essential amino acids must come from an outside source in order to produce true protein. In other words, for feed to contain true protein, it must contain BOTH legumes and grain, OR it must contain an animal-based protein such as fish meal.

It's just a peeve I have that feed manufacturers in particular are allowed use the word protein when independently describing grain and legume profiles, when amino acids would be the more accurate and honest descriptor.
 
GAMarans said:
I haven't seen any hard data on the corn/heat claim either. I just try to minimize the use of it at our place because it just isn't that useful of a feed, in my opinion. As for the other claims regarding scratch feed ... what naturally occurring food items is a chicken likely to come across when free ranging in the summer? Seeds/grains, right? So my thinking follows nature. If it is what they would find naturally it seems ok to give, imho. But I don't give large amounts.

On a different subject ... anyone here try maggot buckets?
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No, and I don't have any plans to do that. Will they keep the fly population down?
 

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