Do chickens eat significantly less in the winter?

[Overeasyplz]

well, there's your answer! lol Mine eat more, it's so cold here. They hardly ate any grain in the summer, at a ton of grasshoppers, grass, bugs, flies, and oh yeah MY GARDEN..

 

[ranchhand]

I can't definitively say what's too much, since they get other treats too. On my own, I would just start cutting the other stuff and watch the feed level closely. The scratch does add carbs for better body heat when it's cold, so just try to find a balance point. I'd also give each an exam by picking them up, feeling for some weight on them and thoroughly enraging them.

Anyone too skinny needs some TLC.

 

[gumpsgirl]

Quote:
It might be. Try cutting back significantly on the scratch and treats to see if that helps. My flock of 15 hens and rooster get about a cup of scratch in the mornings for the extra calories. I have a lot more birds I'm feeding that cup too than your 4 pullets.

 

[justmeandtheflock]

Mine are ating alot more, especially on days when the ground is covered in snow. There is usually some feed left in thier 3lb feeder at the end of the day but some days I am finding it empty and having to refill earlier. I am feeding them all 20% protien Flock Raiser right now. I give my 14 big birds (all laying but under a year old) and 13 chicks (all feathered) 3 handfuls of scratch mixed with BOSS tossed into the bedding each night so a cup for 4 birds might be too much. I think they need more food in order to keep their body temp up in the cold but that just a guess on my part, I haven't researched.

 

[Lucy4]

All right, thanks folks. I'll cut back significantly on the scratch... they also have a BOSS block in their coop too to keep them occupied, so I guess they're turning into snackaholics. Hopefully they'll go back on their pellets once I trim the treats. Time for Mean Mom.

 

[chicketychicken]

Mine are eating more! And if they aren't getting enough from me thrown in the yard they come and look in the backdoor to get more (it works every time!!!). Who can resist a chicken who has enough sense to come to the door for food???? NOT ME!

 

[feathersnuggles]

I only have one with a poor appetite and I think it's cuz she's molting.

 

[digitS']

Your 4, 9 month-old pullets should be eating 16 ounces to 32 ounces of feed each day, depending on breed (and 32 ounces is probably for the very largest chickens around).

The scratch I buy weighs 4 ounces per cup.

If they are a light-weight breed, a cup of that scratch would amount to 25% of their 16 ounce rations.

"A general rule of thumb is to feed only as much scratch as the chickens can consume in about 20 minutes, or about 10 to 15 percent of their total daily food consumption. . . . Table scraps and greens . . . The same rule applies here: the total supplementation of scratch and table scraps should be no more than can be cleaned up in about 20 minutes." Oregon State University, How to feed . . .

I hope that helps. It's very easy to give them more scratch and scraps than probably they should be getting. It has a lot to do with their enthusiasm for more, more, more . . . My birds eat about one-third more feed now than they did when it was still warm about 3 months ago. Daytime temperatures are not rising above freezing.

Steve

 

[95yj]

my general rule of thumb is keep their food bowl full 24/7 to let them eat as much as they want and throw some scratch out ounce in a while. you won't catch me out their in the sub zero temps with a measuring cup worrying cause a couple of chickens ate a little extra at dinner. although all birds will probably eat more during winter if you live anyplace north of Virginia, and when i get my meaties in spring i do measure stuff out towards the end of eight weeks.

 

[Lucy4]

digitS' :

"A general rule of thumb is to feed only as much scratch as the chickens can consume in about 20 minutes, or about 10 to 15 percent of their total daily food consumption. . . . Table scraps and greens . . . The same rule applies here: the total supplementation of scratch and table scraps should be no more than can be cleaned up in about 20 minutes." Oregon State University, How to feed . . .

That does help quite a bit. Thanks. Today is warm, so they are out foraging. But when the temp drops again tomorrow, they'll be getting a lot less scratch and treats than I was giving before!​