Comfy winter treat to keep warm

[Donna valvano]

6 months old 8 hens no rooster 20 percent protein and 3 hard boiled eggs with shells cut up in morning food. And just added scratch recently
Fresh collards
Raisins
Parsley

 

[rjohns39]

I don't see any issue with what you're giving them, the only recommendation I would have is to separate their treats from their feed. I'd also make sure they have access to grit and oyster shell free choice. Keep in mind that all of the treats you're offering are significantly lower in protein than your feed. Eggs are probably at the top of the list with about 12% protein.

ETA: Merry Christmas to you and yours

 

[Fairview01]

During periods of cold chickens as well as any other war blooded animal kept outside will increase their caloric intake which we see as a higher feed bill during this time. Calorie for calorie fats and carbohydrates provide a more efficient fuel than protein for this purpose. This 10% rule imo can be chunked during the winter. Unless more corn and oats are thrown than can be consumed in about 15 minutes, even 2 or 3 times a day during the middle of winter the flock will still visit the feeder enough inbetween to get adequate protein to maintain muscle.

Here is an interesting link comparing corn and oats. If you want to keep the chickens warm throw oats.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

During periods of cold chickens as well as any other war blooded animal kept outside will increase their caloric intake which we see as a higher feed bill during this time. Calorie for calorie fats and carbohydrates provide a more efficient fuel than protein for this purpose. This 10% rule imo can be chunked during the winter. Unless more corn and oats are thrown than can be consumed in about 15 minutes, even 2 or 3 times a day during the middle of winter the flock will still visit the feeder enough inbetween to get adequate protein to maintain muscle.

Here is an interesting link comparing corn and oats. If you want to keep the chickens warm throw oats.

Mine won't touch oats unless they are rolled oats like oatmeal, those they love. Good ideas.

 

[Fairview01]

Mine won't touch oats unless they are rolled oats like oatmeal, those they love. Good ideas.

I buy what the feed store calls steamed rolled oats but they are more like crimped oats. I remember being able to get the ones that looked exactly like oatmeal. They don't go after it and clean it up like they do the cracked corn. Perhaps I'm feeding to much.

With hunting season coming to an end I'm gonna experiment with my dormant game feeders and see if I can use them to spin out the cracked corn on a schedule. They are just eating too much of the higher priced pellets to stay warm. Not a big deal. Gonna try to find the line where the corn decreases egg laying. Currently I have 16 hens. Right now with 4 hours of extended lighting I collect 13 eggs +/- every evening, 16 when the marans synchronize and all lay on the same day.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I buy what the feed store calls steamed rolled oats but they are more like crimped oats. I remember being able to get the ones that looked exactly like oatmeal. They don't go after it and clean it up like they do the cracked corn. Perhaps I'm feeding to much.

With hunting season coming to an end I'm gonna experiment with my dormant game feeders and see if I can use them to spin out the cracked corn on a schedule. They are just eating too much of the higher priced pellets to stay warm. Not a big deal. Gonna try to find the line where the corn decreases egg laying. Currently I have 16 hens. Right now with 4 hours of extended lighting I collect 13 eggs +/- every evening, 16 when the marans synchronize and all lay on the same day.

Mine get a bit more corn in winter. I feed a higher protein ration which keeps the protein from falling too much. Production isn't that great here in winter due to the cold, but I get enough.

 

[Angela Thomson]

I've been making my own suet for them! They love bacon grease!

 

[GC-Raptor]

I've been making my own suet for them! They love bacon grease!

Makes ya wonder if jungle foul (wild chicken) hunt piglets. I can see it now.. GC

 

[ChickyNicky05]

I've been making my own suet for them! They love bacon grease!

What do you mix in with the grease? I've been thinking of making suit for my girls!

 

[rjohns39]

When it comes to oats and barley there's the potential in poultry to have too much of a good thing. Oats and barley contain a compound that if fed in excess to poultry will act as a nutrient blocker and prevent the bird from absorbing the nutrients in their feed. How much is too much, really hard to say. If the grains are "treated" it can be as high as 50%. My nutritionist recommends not more than 12%-15% combined in my feed. He assumes we'll likely provide scratch and other things that contain oats and barley. Hence the 10% rule of thumb.