mixed corn versus pellets

[charliefox]

Why is every time this question is asked its always the same tired answer(i wont repeat it here) after all the proof is in the pudding as they say If i put out two seperate offerings one mixed corn and one layers pellets or mash they always clean up on mixed corn and leave the rest the only way they will eat it is if there is nothing else or i keep them in the run until lunch time they rather forrage than eat layers and i get no drop off in egg production and please senseable answers not money motivated ones all the best uncle fox

 

[Lordcluck]

I'm not sure as to why birds prefer grain over pelleted food, I assume there must be some Evolutionary Hot wiring going on that sends signals to them that grain is preferable,for it's high carb energy value, thus making it's texture and taste more naturally appealing to them over milled feeds?.
Similarly, many animals, ourselves included, are instinctively drawn to sugary, starchy and fatty foods to boost energy levels and provide warmth.For us, a carry over from when we lived a more austere, rugged outdoor existence.
The fact that your hens continue to produce a good number of eggs on corn and Forage, just shows how good chickens are at finding the necessary nutrients to maintain life and limb themselves. They will be gleaning all manner of seeds, vegetation and animal protein in their ranging, sufficient for them to lay, and remain healthy.
Mash/Pelleted foods were first created for birds in intensive/semi intensive environments where forage and sometimes even grain feeds were non existent, providing a fully balanced diet to keep them in production. So given the choice, chickens will follow their instincts and select their own menu, only eating Mash or pellets when it's their last or only option.

 

[chrismahon]

As Lordcluck says, pellets and mash are only for run contained chickens. If they have sufficient space to forage they will find most stuff themselves. In France they free range their domestic chickens over large areas and pellet food is difficult to obtain as there is little requirement for it. Some mixed corn will help to keep the laying rates up but not too much maize or they get fat. We are going to have to go to Holland to fetch Garvo feed when we get over there -1 ton at a time. Problem is we have breeding sets which can't mix so have to stay in runs.

 

[Chuck]

The only problem with mixed corn is the maize which is fattening but if they are out on range they will burn that off.
Sometimes mine are on mixed corn for months and after a time will take pellets in preference but they gradually drift back to the mixed corn. For confined birds it's possible to buy straight wheat thus avoiding the maize. Mixed corn can be diluted by adding more wheat if the birds are confined. The diffeence in price that I pay corn/pellets is neglible.
Natural stockmen work out systems that suit their birds' needs balanced with egg production, if that's why the birds are kept.

 

[Marigold]

Mine are only out in the garden for a couple of hours a day, but evidently they find an amazing amount in that time. I've just completed a week of 'cold turkey' worming, ie confined to barracks with only treated pellets to eat, and found I had to mix more than twice as much as I expected. 4 of them got through nearly 6 kilos of feed, instead of the usual 3. I don't usually worm them this way, but did so because I was providing samples for a before- and- after worming project for a student. On the first sample i was pleased to find only one hen had high enough worm count to really need treatment. I now wait 3 weeks for them to be tested again. At least I now know how much they would eat if treated strictly according to the instructions- in the past i was probably under-dosing, based on how many pellets they eat with some time in the garden - not that it seems to have mattered.

 

[kegs]

That's interesting Marigold. Will you let us know the results?

 

[Marigold]

They are due to be re-tested 3 weeks after worming, so at the end of the first week in April. This is the time lag advised for hens with a bad worm burden, to kill off any residual eggs that may have hatched in that time, so it should show if they have all been cleared, including the one bird which tested positive (Marigold, of course!) What I was interested in was that my giving the dose by the treats method in the past, and at a half dose rate, was effective since 3 out of 4 birds tested had a negative result 5 months later, just before being wormed.. This means that the egg count was below the level where treatment was considered essential, not that they were completely worm-free. Emma Nelder, the student running the tests, says;

'Because of the way the test is run the lowest egg count that it can detect
is 50 eggs per gram, so a negative result doesn't necessarily mean a
complete absence of worms, just that there are very few prodcing eggs are
that time. If one hen had a positive result then chances are the others
may well have had at least the beginnings of an infection, just perhaps
with worms that weren't yet mature enough to start producing eggs, so
worming them all probably wasn't in vein!'

I've always thought that giving the right dose of Flubenvet was a bit hit and miss, with all the variations of appetite, condition of birds, cleanliness of runs and pasture etc, so since the treats method appears to have worked previously, I shan't shut them up on a restricted diet in future. I suppose I should increase the dose, though, now I know how much feed they would get through if not finding any from foraging in the garden for greenstuff etc. Previously I've added enough Flubenvet for the 3 kilos I thought they would eat, mixing it in with seven eggcupfuls per hen of attractive seeds and grains, and giving one eggcupful of the mixture per bird in the afternoon. This went down the hatch in a flash every afternoon with no trouble at all, and no need to change anything else about their diet or routine. I suppose I can still do this, although maybe double the dose to what they would eat in 6 kilos? But then, if the half dose was effective, should I do this?
All very interesting!

 

[chrismahon]

Our birds hate staying in the runs and eating only Flubenvet premix. We can't get it in France either so intend to mix the dose in Olive oil and administer it daily as we let them out. Lot of work I know but have always suspected some are not eating enough and it isn't flushing all the worms out. Worked a treat with Claude! And what else have we got to do anyway as we will have retired?