Best thing to feed them to generate their body heat

[Ciqala]

Winter's here {second night in a row below zero with howling winds} and I'm curious what is the best food and/or treats to give my flock on frigid days or right before they go to roost to help heat them up internally {I do not heat my coop}? I do provide them with warm water in their food, to drink etc.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Offer them free choice access to a quality chicken feed and water along with a draft free coop and your chickens will deal with the cold.

 

[chfite]

Provide feed, their bodies will take care of the rest.

Chris

 

[ChickenLegs13]

Give them proper feed and they won't need anything else. "They say" feeding them corn in the evening (which I do) keeps them warmer, but I never actually measured them with a thermometer to see if it was true.

 

[mamabigbird]

i give mine COB (corn, oats and barley with a molasses coating) I think it is meant for horses.
They absolutely love it. I think the corn does rev up their metabolism.
If it falls way below freezing for a while (rarely here) I'll cook them up a pot of rolled oats before they roost and feed it while warm.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

i give mine COB (corn, oats and barley with a molasses coating) I think it is meant for horses.
They absolutely love it. I think the corn does rev up their metabolism.
If it falls way below freezing for a while (rarely here) I'll cook them up a pot of rolled oats before they roost and feed it while warm.

This is the type of improper advice that occurs too often. Adding corn doesn't magically increase metabolism or the "heat" of the bird.
Geeez.....

 

[mamabigbird]

Thank you for your comments and the sharing of your wisdom.
I appreciate the virtual "stinging red hand mark on my cheek".
Obviously I am not an expert in the field of animal nutrition, merely a chicken loving country woman willing to share what I "do" and not necessarily what I "know".
I'm sooo glad that we can all share ideas and information on this site so freely without fear of bullying or chest bumping.

GEEZ (Ditto)

 

[pdirt]

This is the type of improper advice that occurs too often. Adding corn doesn't magically increase metabolism or the "heat" of the bird.
Geeez.....

Hey LJF - I'm sure you've got some excellent advice you could offer here, but unfortunately this does not add to my experience here on BYC. I also wouldn't construe what most folks here on BYC are sharing as advice, but simply their experience. I take what everyone says with a grain of salt and weigh it against my own experience.

So, from your experience, does adding corn to a chicken's diet in cold winter climates do ANYTHING? Assuming they are already getting an appropriate and quality feed.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

Corn doesn't magically increase boy temperature, PURE and SIMPLE. Provide a quality feed to your birds and they will typically consume enough to meet their wintertime energy needs.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

So, from your experience, does adding corn to a chicken's diet in cold winter climates do ANYTHING? Assuming they are already getting an appropriate and quality feed.

Simply adding corn to a chicken's ration will reduce protein intake, hurt egg production, lead to fat birds.