Cold weather treat suggestions....

[Sp0iledFl0ck]

I buy bags of "Waste Free" wild bird seed; mostly nut meats of sunflower, peanuts, some millet, and a tiny amount of cracked corn in it. They love it.

 

[bj taylor]

The dried mealworms are so great. My chickens scarf them up and i feel that the animal protein helps them during cold times

 

[Rickjenkins47]

I saved scraps from a deer I harvested this year and ground them making meatballs which I froze and give to the girls each week. I also saved the bones which I froze and give them a frozen bone or meatball each week to pick on as it defrosts. I also try to visit local dollar stores and am able to pick up expired cans of mackrel, green veggies and expired eggs which I scramble (shells and all) and feed to the girls. They love the treats!!

 

[Chicks Galore3]

Besides old leftovers from fridge we only treat the chickens black oil sunflower seeds in winter. Only 14% protein but super high in crude fat (25-35%). Just about anything they can scratch around for in winter keeps them from being bored. Gives a highlight to each day at least.

How much do you give them. I would like to know because my chickens are bored and I think they need some more protein because their feathers are lookinga little rumpled and not so shiny.

 

[CRAZCHICKENLADY]

We have gave them warm dog food and sometimes oat meal, and give this to them just before they go to bed.

 

[tgooberbutt]

All super helpful! I don't know if my Dominque is getting bored, finicky, or is just deficient in something...but she'll only eat mealworms and fresh coconut :/
She also has a slightly crooked beak, so it takes her a few tries to pick up any food. She kinda nibbles at clover leaves and BOSS, but is only REALLY interested in mealworms (the matured version beetles too), and fresh coconut....

I'm going to try the cottage cheese, and maybe some canned tuna. Any other suggestions? Her crop's very empty even when the other chickens' are full.

 

[laseterlass]

I melt suet blocks and mix it into a scratch boss mix.

 

[barredbeans7]

cooked

 

[Mygirls20]

Crickets You can buy them from most pet stores. Mine went insane for live crickets. My girls love live or dried mealworms sometimes live is the way to go the def like the live ones better. Hope this helps. I have also heard of feeding them earth worms but have never tried it myself yet.

 

[kacklinkelly]

I have some pretty weird chickens. (they may take after their momma mia)
I have attempted to give them the dried mealworms on a couple of occasions and
mixed in with warm oatmeal. NOPE - neither plain or with the oatmeal. (still have
half a bag left that is grossing out my daughter whenever she comes across it)

They go CRAZY for live crickets. I have stopped by the feed store several times
this winter and picked up several dozen for our three girls. They gobble them down
in seconds.

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.

Good luck -