Re: Wheat vs Mixed corn


" Jill" <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:6vqu5oFlb52hU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sally Thompson wrote:
My vast flock of four layers currently have a scratch feed of wheat
in the evening, but browsing the Dodson & Horrell web site I see that
they only offer mixed corn (wheat and maize). Are there any
advantages or disadvantages in feeding one over the other?

Maize is only any use as central heating in extremely cold conditions for
laying birds. - It has no value otherwise.
It is FAR FAR FAR too high in carbs/fats type which birds do not need,
cannot deal with.
The birds only option is to lay down the excess as hard fat nodules inside
the body cavity which can interfere with the activities of the rest of the
organs, and more critically gets in the way of eggs passing through, so
increasing the likelihood of egg peritonitis.
The livers of birds struggle to handle the processing and, particularly
the more productive strains, it will cause fatty liver syndrome, where the
liver gets soft and then ruptures.
Wheat is better, just a little bit. There is enough in their main diet,
they need very little more.
The reason that the likes of DH do not sell wheat is that the commercail
wheat merchants can always sell it more profitably.
DH and the like are the ones you go to for ration, things that are MADE,
and where their skill, attention to detail and knowledge are so useful.
For Straights, then any feedstore will be provisioned by a distributor who
will get them from the industry.
Straights should be bagged in 25kg, not 20kg, so wheat is also a lot
cheaper.
I get REALLY cross that SO much mixed corn is fed to birds in this country
where very few places are extreme enough to warrent it except for the odd
week a year.
We have fed mixed grain to our ducks only so far this year, and for about
4 days.
We actually do not feed wheat much at all to our hens, they get it only
after periods of prolonged rain to support the constant preening, or like
the mixed grain to the ducks, in the extreme cold and wet.


I rarely use mixed corn unless my farm has run out of it's own bagged wheat
(25kg for £5) but to be honest you could hardly called it mixed corn as
there is so little maize in it.
I cut my layers pellets with a bit of wheat when my rare breeds are not
laying which is Sept-April now they are all getting so elderly. I know you
do not approve of this, Jill - we have discussed it before. It's not done
them any harm at all and most have lived to 10-13 yo. I would not consider
it with hybrids who are bred to lay themselves into oblivion and need high
octane fuel to do it.
When I went to the farm the other day to buy layers pellets I said to the
farmer "do you have anything called *non-layers pellets* that's a bit
cheaper?" ;-)
I haven't seen an egg since September apart from a quick burst of 8 in a
fortnight from one of my Sicilians in November (aged 4, my youngest group
now)

Tina






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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Wheat vs Mixed corn
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