ChrisEllis Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Why feed mixed corn? We have Chickens and Ducks and we spoke to a duck owner who said that mixed corn is just a waste of money and not worth buying? Is this true...why would i feed a mixture of mixed corn and layer pellets and not JUST layers pellets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Most people do feed just layers pellets, corn is just a bit of a treat in that case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Treekeeper Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I bought a large sack of mixed corn for £4 recently. They almost kill to get to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I use it as bribery to get them back in the run and as a filler at bedtime in cold weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Mine are fed on poultry wheat, rolled barley and corn so now don't find mixed corn a treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chunky_Monkey Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Mine love it. It's great to scatter around the run when we go out - it gives them something to do scratch up for a few hours to keep them from becoming bored. I think for a 25kg bag from our local farm it's £6.90, but it lasts for a good few months for the 8 of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisEllis Posted March 9, 2010 Author Share Posted March 9, 2010 ok, well i'll stop feeding what we have and scatter it now and again and then probably stop buying it after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockadoodle1 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I mistakenly filled my feeder with mixed corn yesterday. When I realised the error I emptied most of it out. When tucking them up for the night the little minxs' had thrown out all the pellets on the ground and eaten all the corn. Moral of this post Look what you are doing when filling up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 Mixed corn is nowhere near as nutritious as layers pellets. The most common way to feed your hens is to have layers pellets as the bulk of the diet, with free ranging, greens, and extras, such as mixed corn later on in the day, so that it doesn't crowd out the good stuff. Chucking a handful of corn into the run will get them all back in at bedtime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 And it is good in the depths of winter as a late treat to warm tums before bed - partic for the little polands who aren't exactly well endowed in the fluff department! I tend to feed mixed in with warm pellet porridge when its really bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
batcatz Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 And it is good in the depths of winter as a late treat to warm tums before bed - partic for the little polands who aren't exactly well endowed in the fluff department! I tend to feed mixed in with warm pellet porridge when its really bad. That's what I do too. Half a cup of corn between 4 chickens just before bedtime. Also to bribe them to go back in their run! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted March 10, 2010 Share Posted March 10, 2010 If you were raising chickens for the table,ie eating them-then you would feed them mixed corn because it puts weight on birds quickly and makes the meat juicy.Thats why intensivley reared chickens are ready for culling at around 6 weeks. Chickens generally will die for corn and is great as a persuader plus makes the yolks go orangery yellow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 Our just get a little corn as a treat at the end of the day along with a few mealworms, both of which they would kill for. I would have real trouble getting ours back into their respective runs without corn rattling around on my trusty blue scoop. It is nice to give them a treat after a hard day of laying, they are not machines after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted March 11, 2010 Share Posted March 11, 2010 I do the same - handful of mixed corn (the Smallholders one with split peas and pulses in it) to get them in the run of an afternoon, and more if it is cold. Remember that it's like chicken sweeties, and fat hens won't lay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
