Chicken won't eat cold pellets.

[Sheila Y]

Hi everyone I have two pet chickens and they wouldn't eat their pellets when they're cold. I live in Massachusetts and it gets cold in the winter. Can't keep them warm enough outside (the chickens ) since there's only two, so I bring them in to a back hall when it gets below 20 degrees at night. They love the company. I will be putting them back out in the spring but wonder how to keep the food warmer. Could I use one of those bowls that keep water from freezing, the electric kind.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Hi everyone I have two pet chickens and they wouldn't eat their pellets when they're cold. I live in Massachusetts and it gets cold in the winter. Can't keep them warm enough outside (the chickens ) since there's only two, so I bring them in to a back hall when it gets below 20 degrees at night. They love the company. I will be putting them back out in the spring but wonder how to keep the food warmer. Could I use one of those bowls that keep water from freezing, the electric kind.

It won't work. There is no reason they won't treat regular dry pellets that are cold

 

[Aapomp831]

Hi everyone I have two pet chickens and they wouldn't eat their pellets when they're cold. I live in Massachusetts and it gets cold in the winter. Can't keep them warm enough outside (the chickens ) since there's only two, so I bring them in to a back hall when it gets below 20 degrees at night. They love the company. I will be putting them back out in the spring but wonder how to keep the food warmer. Could I use one of those bowls that keep water from freezing, the electric kind.

They don’t need to be brought in bc there is only two. It’s not snuggling up at night that keeps a chicken warm; it’s their natural ability to harbor heat. It sounds more like you’re spoiling them and they’re getting used to it. They will eat the cold pellets before starving to death.

 

[SwampFlock]

Haha yeah you have two pet chickens is what you have. But hey, we NEED pet chickens for wasting time on Instagram and whatnot

 

[Sheila Y]

They don’t need to be brought in bc there is only two. It’s not snuggling up at night that keeps a chicken warm; it’s their natural ability to harbor heat. It sounds more like you’re spoiling them and they’re getting used to it. They will eat the cold pellets before starving to death.

I don't want to deal with frost bite. I have a thermometer in the coop it's a small coop and when it fall below 20 degrees outside I bring them in. It's easier for me to take care of them. Hence they are spoiled.

 

[Sheila Y]

Haha yeah you have two pet chickens is what you have. But hey, we NEED pet chickens for wasting time on Instagram and whatnot

They may as well be parrots, I have parrots too. If they didn't poo on the floor they'd be house pets. Lol

 

[Sheila Y]

They don’t need to be brought in bc there is only two. It’s not snuggling up at night that keeps a chicken warm; it’s their natural ability to harbor heat. It sounds more like you’re spoiling them and they’re getting used to it. They will eat the cold pellets before starving to death.

Now that they're inside they eat alot of pellets.

 

[Aapomp831]

I don't want to deal with frost bite. I have a thermometer in the coop it's a small coop and when it fall below 20 degrees outside I bring them in. It's easier for me to take care of them. Hence they are spoiled.

Right, but chickens are equipped to deal with freezing temperatures, granted you are providing proper ventilation. Cold doesn’t cause frostbite - unventilated moisture settling on their combs causes frostbite. Bringing them in could actually inhibit their bodies natural ability to create essential warming feathers; and also creates huge inconveniences for you. Chickens are barnyard animals and they belong outside, eating cold food and all. Like I said - don’t pamper them and they will eat and sleep just fine. Plenty of people have chickens in Alaska and Canada and they don’t bring them in at night.

 

[Krazikatlady64]

I live in SC and the coldest it's been was 15 at night. They all, I have 8, made it fine. I do bring their food and water in the house at night if it is getting to freezing. The girls stay outside in their coop. I put food and water back out in the morning. Sometimes before the sun is up and it is below 32, but neither are out all night to freeze.

 

[Sheila Y]

I live in SC and the coldest it's been was 15 at night. They all, I have 8, made it fine. I do bring their food and water in the house at night if it is getting to freezing. The girls stay outside in their coop. I put food and water back out in the morning. Sometimes before the sun is up and it is below 32, but neither are out all night to freeze.

Good idea, we were thinking of keep the food in the house only giving enough for the day. If the water starts freezing, we have an electric heated bowl I could use. One of the chickens spends a lot of time in the coop the colder its gets, only coming out to eat.