Cold weather treat suggestions....

[littlebirchfarm]

We give them dried Mealworms also, along with a salad of yogurt, garlic and Quinoa. We put the yogurt salad in an old pie plate - it doesn't stick around long! They love it but we have to hold our breath when we go into the coop after they eat it - they have stinky garlic chicken breath!

Steve
Little Birch Farm

1 Seabrite, 1 Chinese Crested, 1 Brahma, 2 Cochin, 2 Cochin Roosters, 3 Black Austerlorp, 4 Ameraucana, 5 Danish Brown Leghorn, 5 New Hampshire Red, 5 Mottled Anconas, 5 Gold Laced Wyandotte, 3 Black Indian Runner Ducks, 3 Blue Swedish Ducks, 9 Canine family members

 

[Mac in Wisco]

I noticed my girls are trying to eat feathers (again

) it is CRAZY cold here in nj any high protein suggestions?? Can only make so much cottage cheese n ground beef b4 I wana

I doubt they need more protein in the winter than what a regular layer ration provides. They are consuming so many calories to maintain that they get plenty of protein in the winter. Overdoing it with scratch feeds and other supplements is what causes problems as it reduces their consumption of their layer ration which already has the appropriate level of protein, vitamins, and minerals. I'd worry more about providing extra protein in the heat of the summer when their feed consumption is down.

Are they pulling feathers from each other, or just eating some loose feathers on the floor? Eating some loose feathers can just be normal feeding behaviors.

 

[McChicken lover]

My chickens love warm porridge on a frosty morning - with apples or kiwis chopped in there - yeah, spolit I know!!

 

[JacobMaxwell]

My chickens love warm porridge on a frosty morning - with apples or kiwis chopped in there - yeah, spolit I know!!

I gave my chickens oatmeal for the first time last night. They weren't sure at first but once they tasted it, FEEDING FRENZY! It was gone in five minutes.

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Quote: Mine are eating feathers from the floor, I was worried about them. But this is just normal behavioor?

 

[hearts34]

I haven't seen anything a chicken wouldn't eat. I thought everything was normal. If chickens are looking puny, losing feathers, they may be molting. I was told that a small amount of styrofoam would help when they are molting. I don't know how, that's just what I was told.
Mine get a good dose of that when free ranging. They wear the side of the house where some styrofoam insulation is exposed out pecking it. Must feel good to their beaks.

 

[ChuckGeek]

I fed mine Tofu. Very soon after my hens looked healthier.

 

[KayTee]

Am starting to think our girls are becoming picky. our grass and weeds are
starting to green up around here. They are still scratching the dead stuff and
completely avoiding the green. I even picked some out for them and added
fresh parsley from the planter and they just run away picking on more dry
dead stuff. Maybe they are finding some small bugs but I haven't seen any.

Chickens are so weird in their tastes. Mine will bite my hand off for swiss chard and chilli pepper plant leaves, but walk away from cabbage and cauliflower as if I'm trying to poison them. It's so peculiar - they HATE parsley and coriander - won't even look at it growing in the border, but decimated all my fully grown rocket within an hour of being let near it! (I've seen coriander on a list of stuff you should never give chickens, but I think mine must have read the list - they don't even attempt to eat the coriander, rhubarb and clematis that are all within easy reach, and are all supposed to be poisonous to them !!!)

 

[dianehodges]

My chickens get live & dried meal worms,sunflower seed, sweet potatoes Also been working in the garden so they have gotten some rye grass clumps of dirt Georgia weather has been up and down but now we are getting more warm than cold weather so they will have a variety of treats from the garden My chickens are penned but can go out into a fenced area, so I try to keep it as close to free ranging as I can

1 veteran 1 choco lab 3 cats 1 roo 9 hens God Bless Amercia

 

[hotchicks5]

I love giving mine warm porridge ( just made with water ) They love drinking the warm liquid,and then pecking at the creamy oats