Believe it or not, corn has become a controversial topic when it comes to chicken keeping. 

You might have been told - or read - not to feed corn to your chickens in the summer because it will raise their body temperature as they expend energy trying to digest it and they will overheat. 

So, is that true?

The short answer is, yes it is true. To some extent. 

But chickens can absolutely eat corn. However, it does depend on the form of corn we're talking about and the time of year.

So, yes it is true that one way chickens stay warm in the winter is digesting whole and cracked grains,  including dried corn, overnight. Their body creates energy (and warmth) as they digest the food in their crop that they ate throughout the day. 

So the type of corn that should be fed in the winter should be dried whole or cracked corn. That helps the chickens stay warm naturally.

In the winter, dried corn can actually be very beneficial. In fact, much of what is in scratch grains (the most popular winter treat) is corn. It's important to remember, though that scratch grains are formulated to merely be a treat, not a complete feed, and are designed to be fed to chickens in the cold months just before bedtime or in the late afternoon.

And yes, that will help them to create energy as they digest the corn which in turn keeps them warm at night. 

But corn isn't terribly nutritious compared to other seeds and grains, so it needs to be fed in moderation.

Corn does contain some antioxidants, a few vitamins like B6 and C, and folate, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, and potassium. Corn also contains a bit of protein and also lots of fiber, and is a complex carb, which provides a ton of sustained energy. So it's a great winter treat.

That said, tossing your chickens a handful of dried corn in the summer isn't going to kill them, but it's probably not a great idea to feed them dried corn during a heatwave, for example. 

There are much better choices for warm weather treats that are going to be much more beneficial to them, providing them moisture and water content, etc.  

So that's dried corn. Now let's talk about fresh corn, right off the cob (or on the cob) from the garden, in a can, or frozen.

Fresh corn is another story. I give my chickens corn on the cob in the summer. They love it. 

Or I'll buy a bag of frozen corn or I'll scrape the kernels off the cob and toss them in the water for the ducks. The chickens abs ducks also love the cobs once you've eaten the kernels. They'll pick them clean. So after a barbeque or summer picnic, collect all the cobs and toss them to your chickens. 

And don't throw out the husks and silks. They are also nutritious - and ducks, especially, LOVE eating the corn silk. Corn silk is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and it helps to manage blood pressure and cholesterol. Corn silk contains Vitamin K which is essential for proper blood clotting.

Fresh corn can be frozen into ice cube trays or a cake pan with other veggies to be added to the flock's water on hot days to keep the water cooler. 

Corn also aids eye health and digestion. It helps support the heart. Corn is a healthy treat for chickens, but remember, it is high in sugars and carbs, so too much can put weight on poultry and lead to less than optimal health. The heavier breeds of ducks are especially susceptible to gaining extra weight, so keep an eye on them.

Like most other things, moderation is the key. 

So you should feel comfortable feeding your chickens fresh corn in the warm months and dried corn in the winter to take advantage of its inherent benefits throughout the entire year. 

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