Does anyone use vegetables/fruit to supplement WATER in winter

[Uzuri]

(geeze, you can tell how dull this weeks has been at work... how many new posts have I started in the last three days? )

So, does anyone here give their chickens something with a decent water content to help them through cold days? I've found that if I toss a zucchini in with them it takes longer than the water to freeze solid and they really hit it pretty hard. I wouldn't completely replace the waterer with vegetable matter I don't think, but it's nice to know that they're able to get moisture even if the water freezes before I can get home to break it up for them.

So does anyone else do this? And what foods have you found work best/have the highest water content/take the longest to freeze?

 

[LynneP]

Yes. I'm using the last of my acorn squash in the coop. Just put a couple of slits in the skin to motivate the birds and they will go through one every day or two. I simply put on the shavings in the coop. I also use some diced apple with shredded cabbage morning and evening so that their crops contain some plant enzymes and moist feed.

I also have wild bird suet in the coop at all times to increase the fat content in their systems during the cold.

 

[little_grey_bantam]

Lettuce. I give my boys and girls a bucket full per coop

They LOVE it!

 

[jjthink]

Year round:

A variety of cut up:

grapes
blueberries
blackberries
raspberries
apple
tomato
squash
cantelope
watermelon
and so on....