Why Crack Corn for Chicken Feed?
Cracked corn is often mixed with other foods (grains, greens, and so on) to feed chickens. Most popularly, it is combined with whole wheat to make a feed called chicken scratch. Though it's appropriate for part of a chicken's diet, it should not constitute the majority of its food, as corn is lower in protein and higher in fat than many other grains. Cracked corn can be purchased at feed stores.
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Mainstream Popularity
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Though cracked corn is a good base for chicken feed, it should not be the only feed Cracked corn is a popular base for chicken feed. It is a grain that is easy to find, relatively inexpensive to buy, and higher in fat than many other grains. Because of the higher fat content, however, the cracked corn should not be the only food the chickens receive.
Mixtures
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There are many types of grains that can be mixed with cracked corn for chicken feed There are many grains that can be mixed with cracked corn to feed chickens. Though whole wheat is often mixed with cracked corn to make a combination called chicken scratch, you can also use millet, oats, barley, brown rice, and other grains to mix with the cracked corn for chicken feed.
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Other Additives
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United Poultry Concerns, an activist group fighting against cruelty to domestic fowl, recommends using a good base of about 65% grains for chicken feed. The rest of the feed is suggested as follows: "10% alfalfa meal or ground hay; 16-20% sunflower or oil seeds, dried peas, cooked soybeans or soybean meal--don't feed chickens raw soybeans, which have toxins; 7% hydrated lime for extra calcium for eggshell formation; 1% trace mineral salt" (See Reference 1).
Foraging
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Insects and worms are a positive addition to a chicken's protein needs On top of these recommendations, one of the best ways that chickens should supplement their diet is foraging. Since cracked corn is relatively low in protein, for chickens to eat worms and bugs from the ground is a prime way for them to increase their protein requirements (See Reference 2).
Storage
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Keep the cracked corn safe from other animals who also might like to add it to their dinners Cracked corn should be kept in a clean, dry, rodent-proof container. Chickens are not the only animals who like to eat it.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of fernando rosales Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Francisco Javier Espinoza Pérez Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Bruno Monteiro Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Phil
