Corn husks...

[GuineaPiggin]

I just picked some up at the grocery store on my way home (have to love free produce), and gave a leaf to each of my pigs. They love them! =)

My question: how much can they have in a sitting and how often can they have them (ie: Daily, weekly, bi-weekly, rarely)?

[PinkRufus]

I'm not sure about the frequency, I think they are safe to use often. I freeze them and use occasionally. Be sure to check them carefully for mold though.

[WEAVER]

I give each pig one "leaf" in a sitting. Mine get them on special occasions, maybe once a month.

[glade]

For the past six years at least, my pigs gorge on them every summer, a couple times a week, a large pile is put in the cage. They would laugh at one 'leaf' :-)

[EllieMom]

Corn husks are a huge favorite around here. The girls love them and try to squirrel them away from the others by hiding them in their pigloos. I love them because they're free! The people at the local fresh market are used to us picking through the discard bins and ask, "so how are the guinea pigs?" when they see us doing it.

[slavetofuzzy]

I've started picking through the big garbage can next to the corn. Mine think they are candy. They, too, get more than one leaf at a time! The silk is nummy too.

[Aertyn]

I think mine would slip out of the cage and slit my throat if I gave them only one lol! Or at least eat my kidney...

Whenever I have corn in the house they get 2-3 leaves each per day.

If you want to make it more entertaining I make little corn husk parcels. You finely dice veggies, herbs etc then put a little pile in the end of the husk.

Fold each end over and tie with another piece of husk that is about 1cm wide. My pigs absolutely love these and have so much fun opening them up to get to their treats.

(course their's nothing better than a parcel where you can eat both the present AND the wrapping) :P

[slavetofuzzy]

Ooh. I like that idea Aertyn! How fun.

[Aertyn]

Of course if your pigs do 'the flinging thing' (ie pick up food and throw it from side to side) it's all the more fun...for us...Caramel just about concussed Josephine last time. Course sometimes I'm not to sure if there is anything TO concuss *sighs*

[salana]

Last night, Jackie was lounging on his side, eating the last few husks. He looked so lazy and fat that all he really needed to complete the look was a can of beer and a little TV to watch.

[Deceptipiggies]

Aertyn that’s a great idea. We’re having corn on the cob tonight
so the piggies are getting the husks and I’ll have to try that.

[Amy0204]

At this point, I buy the corn so that the pigs can have their husks. We seldom eat enough corn to keep up. Does anybody have any suggestions as to what I can do with it all?

[EllieMom]

Amy, do your stores have bins next to the corn on the cob where people peel off the top husks and throw them out? That's where we get almost all of our husks for free. We'd be awash in corn if we had to eat enough corn to keep up with the girls' husk habit.

[Amy0204]

No...I've asked many times since it seems such a waste. I was told I could contact the produce manager about stuff that they throw out early in the morning when they're putting out fresh veggies. But I've seen those bins and people use them for trash as well as for the veggies. There might be other stores that do it differently, so one of these days, I'll check.

[Fourboys4now]

Corn husks are a favorite around here too. I feed it to my boys probably 2-3 times a week. They get so excited about them. I'll have to try wrapping their veggies in them, I bet they'd love it.

[babytulip07]

My girls love corn husks, I was hoping Maddie would eat them to help wear down her teeth. I think they are too fibrous for her to eat though, she tries but it seems like she can't chew them. Maybe it has something to do with her undersized molars.

[Animalz_Rule14]

My pigs get the entire corn, husks, silks and all about twice a month. I don't bother doing anything with it just throw one in for each pair of pigs, it's COMPLETELY gone within hours!

[DaCourt]

So the next question is...Is there any nutritional value in corn husks and corn silks? Funny thing this thread came up tonight becuase I was just havng this conversation tonight.

[EllieMom]

Usually our local Fresh Market has a husk bin but Whole Foods doesn't. As I walking out today, though, I noticed one woman tearing the husks off a bunch of corn and getting ready to throw it out. You should have seen her face when I asked if I could have her husks for my guinea pigs. She was happy to share her garbage with them.

[Bethie]

Amy, won't the produce guy save some for you? Our produce guy would think it was fun to save stuff like that for me. Unfortunately, our corn is sold in the husk.