Can Chickens Eat Corn on The Cob? Do They Like it?

Can chickens eat corn on the cob? Yes – they absolutely can!

Chickens would love to strip the cob and eat the corn by pecking away. Corn has high nutritional values, making it a good food for your flocks. 

Chickens can eat the whole corn without having to cook them. They will enjoy eating the corn kernel until they break it into small chunks. 

Corn is also a high-calorie food; hence it is suitable for chickens during winter days. Chickens like to feed on high-calorie food during winters to keep them warm. More details regarding chickens eating corn cob are mentioned throughout the post, hence continue scrolling through. 

Do Chickens Like Corn on the Cob?

Yes – chickens like corn on the cob.

In fact, most flock owners like to feed their chickens corn cob.You can give raw or cooked corn cobs to chickens, and they will enjoy munching on the delicious treat. 

If you strip off the corn from the cob, half of it gets ripped off. Hence, instead of wasting the remaining corn, chuck the whole cob into your flock’s diet. 

The feeding process is also quite easy. Just put a few corn cobs during the feeding time, and they will eat them without any difficulties. 

Is Cooked Corn Good for Chickens?

Yes – cooked corn is good for chickens.

As also said above, chickens can eat both raw and cooked corn. 

When cooked, corn gets softer and easier to peck on along with the cob. Moreover, cooked corn exudes a delicious smell which chickens love even more. 

Can Chickens Eat Raw Corn?

Yes – chickens can eat raw corn.

Chickens can eat corn in the form of- frozen, shredded, raw, or cracked corn. However, make sure that the raw corn is not flavored with butter or salt as it is not safe for the birds. Also, it is better if you give chickens fresh corn and keep away from feeding them dry corn like popcorn and similar varieties. 

Can Chickens Eat Whole Corn?

The answer is YES

You don’t always have to cook the corn or break it down before giving it to the chicken. As soon as you give the corn, your flocks will start pecking on the kernel until they break it into small chunks. 

Can Chicken Digest Corn?

As a flock owner, you might want to know which food items are good for your birds and which are not.

When it comes to digestive matter, you might wonder whether chickens would be able to break down the corn shells. As far as I have noticed, my chickens did not have any issues eating and digesting corn cobs. 

Chickens don’t have teeth like us humans; they instead have a thing called the gizzard, which helps them to munch their food. The gizzard is a large muscle that chews up the food; hence corn doesn’t stand a chance to go undigested. 

Is Corn Good for Chicken Health?

Corn has an essential nutritional value which is beneficial for chicken’s health.

But just like overeating other fruits or vegetables will harm chicken’s health, the same goes for corn as well. Corn is a high-fat food item which, if overeaten, won’t be healthy enough for chickens. 

Comparatively, corn, whether shredded or eaten as a whole, is a big portion for chickens. If you don’t control the portion, they will fill the chicken’s stomach leaving no space for eating other foods on the coop. 

If your chickens start eating corn regularly, you will notice a change in their health. For example, they will lay fewer eggs with very thin shells. These delicate shelled eggs would break the second the chickens leave them; hence they won’t be good either for eating or hatching. 

In conclusion, we can say that corn cobs are a nutritional food for chickens but only when given in moderation. Try to mix other vegetables or fruits with corn before feeding.