Can chickens have something really hot in the winter?

[chickenluver10]

Hi, I have read that giving your chickens ice water in the summer kills chickens because they can not regulate their body temperature quick enough, but my stupid question is: Is it the same for hot stuff in cold weather? I know a lot of people give their chickens hot oatmeal, but what about water? Not boiling or too hot for them to drink, of course, but....just wondering.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Warm foods are enjoyed by them certainly, but they don't benefit from it the way humans do.

Everything they take in goes through the gizzard. It cools rapidly and does not provide inner warmth like soup does for humans.

The ice water is similar in that it goes through the gizzard as well. Ice in water melts fast. What most have found is that the chickens prefer cool water to hot in summer and therefore drink more staying better hydrated in the heat. They don't get a core temperature change from drinking cool water the way a human would.

Nothing should be served in a really hot state.

 

[Chickassan]

Mine like warm oatmeal mixed with their crumbles when it is very cold. Always test with my finger, chickens will burn their tounge and keep on eating if i didn't.

 

[Wolfgang B.]

In order to keep our chickens' drinking water from freezing we bring them lukewarm water 3 times a day. A tea here and there seems to be appeciated too. Lukewarm as well, of course.

 

[chickenluver10]

OK, thanks!

 

[21hens-incharge]

I re read your first post......
Where did you read giving them ice water in summer kills them?
You got my curiosity up.

Many people, especially in super hot areas, actually freeze gallon jugs of water and set those in the water dishes in summer.

 

[sylviethecochin]

x2

It's really very common practice to feed frozen watermelon as a treat in summer.

 

[aart]

Too much cold 'food' too fast can cause them distress.
I suppose a bird that was in a delicate state due to heat could die from the shock of too much cold water...same goes for other animals, including us.

I have seen a bird with an 'ice cream headache'....I used to put out shallow pans of ice water, one gorged on it then swayed, shaking her head, gaping her beak.
Now I just put out those shallow pans filled with ice cubes and no water,
ice will slowly melt to sip at and they walk around in them too cooling their feet.

I keep melon rinds in the freezer...the 'meat' of the melons are for me...they like those too but can't get too much ingested at once to cause a problem.

Feeding warm food in winter is silly IMO.
It's for the keepers 'comfort', not the birds.
Steaming food can cause condensation to gather on their face/combs/wattles,
upping the risk of frostbite.
They don't care about warm food/water.
My waterer is heated to 68F with an aquarium heater,
doesn't stop them from noshing on the snow banks.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

In order to keep our chickens' drinking water from freezing we bring them lukewarm water 3 times a day. A tea here and there seems to be appeciated too. Lukewarm as well, of course.

Tea? Like brewed? Or am I missing a joke?

 

[BantyChooks]

Feeding warm food in winter is silly IMO.
It's for the keepers 'comfort', not the birds.
Steaming food can cause condensation to gather on their face/combs/wattles,
upping the risk of frostbite.
They don't care about warm food/water.
My waterer is heated to 68F with an aquarium heater,
doesn't stop them from noshing on the snow banks.

If mine have two choices of water, one cold/icy and one warm(ish,) they go for the warm one every time. Same as with other livestock. I think they enjoy it. Sure, they "nosh" on snowbanks too, and with great enjoyment, but my birds drink more with warm water so that's enough evidence for me. Plus warm water makes it easier to chip the ice out of the bowls, lol.
I don't have a heater for my flock's water so that's probably the difference.

I don't make them "warm food" though. Actually, they dislike that, if anything. If they get L/O warm oatmeal from breakfast they'll turn up their spoiled beaks at it and go for, say, the carrot scraps or their regular food. They don't like sticky stuff much.