Using adult birds as a guide where they get a balanced diet of about 16 to 18% crude protein during the summer, as temperature falls and feed intake increases, I make certain they get the same amount of balanced nutrients as provided by the summer diet all year round but when additional intake is involved that is dominated (with respect to weight) by whole corn. BOSS and oats are also involved with latter soaked when temperatures make keeping liquid water available all day impractical. When temperatures get really cold the whole corn can represent 25% of the diet, sometimes more for short periods. I watch closely to make certain cheery picking for corn does not limit intake of the balanced component of the diet. This means I look on ground and feeders after dark to get a handle on what is going on.
