Storing corn on the cob for chickens...

[Lesa]

Hi Chicken Lovers, My chickens are almost 16 weeks old. I am anxiously awaiting my first egg! I don't log on much, but I read all the posts each day and I am so thankful for all your knowledge and tips! A friend has given me a lot of sweet corn. I have blanched and frozen a bunch for us during the winter, but I would love to keep the rest for the chickens. Does anyone do this? Do I need to take special care. Can I just throw it in a bag, husk and all and freeze? Is there anyway to dry it and not freeze it? Thanks for your help! Lesa

 

[Beekissed]

You can cut it off the cob and dry it on screens or keep it on the cob and do the same, but it will take longer. Often folks just dry it in the husks on the stalk but you don't have that option, so the other should work. Good luck! OR, you could blanch it, cut it off the cob and freeze it to give to people who need it for food. Seems a shame to waste good sweet corn on chickens when its so costly to buy....

 

[keljonma]

Quote:
We have blanched and frozen sweet corn on the cob but broke the ears into thirds before blanching. We heat them before taking them out to the barn in mid-winter. Each bird gets their own little ear of corn. A real hoot to watch them eat it.

You can dehydrate it first and store it in canning jars or plastic zip bags. Take the kernels off the cob, lay them flat on a parchment-lined baking sheet in the oven. Heat to 250°F and then stir it every couple of hours. When completely dry, put into storage containers when cooled. Or if you have a dehydrater follow the manual instructions.

 

[hooligan]

Can you dry entire cobs on a dehydrator?
Our corn here is rarely more than .33 an ear so I buy it often for the chcikens to peck at but soon it will go cheaper and if I can dry some for them I will buy a box or two.

 

[Mr_Jeff]

Ever walked a cornfield after its been chopped for silage? They are usually littered with tons of ears of corn, perfectly dried and still on the cob. Most of it just lays there until spring or gets eaten by deer in the fall. Ask permission to walk someones field and pick up corn, then just store it properly and you have an easy treat to toss into the coop.

 

[AllChookUp]

Well played, Mr. Jeff.

I do that not only for my chickens, but also pick up enough to keep a pheasant feeder crib full all winter for the wild pheasants in my fields.

.

 

[willheveland]

Quote:
I've tried this but it seemed to have too much moisture and got moldy fast.How do you dry it out. Will

 

[Mr_Jeff]

The moisture content of corn chopped for silage is higher than corn that is combined. Silage is the corn, the cob, the leaves, and the stalk all chopped up and blown into a silo to ferment. It may take some room but if you can lay it out and keep air moving over it to finish the drying process it should be okay. Storage should be well ventilated, lots of air moving around the corn. This is where people with limited means have to get creative. One possibility is something like a laundry hamper, the kind with the great big wide mesh openings. Kind of like a mini corn crib.

 

[orbirdman]

why dry it and freeze it? we have large BBQ's and tell everyone to pitch their cobs in the yard for the birds. there isnt much left the following day. just freeze the stuff and cook it if you feel necessary then give it to the birds.