Feeding during the winter

[eoliverpeck]

This will be my first winter with my chickens. 3 are 7 months old and the other 2 are closer to 4 months old. Maryland winters are....weird. one day it'll be 70 and the next 30, sometimes we get BAD snow and other winters little to none.

Is there anything I should feed my girls to help them get through winter? Were doing the deep bedding method and I think the coop is too small to add a heating lamp (fire hazard). Someone from a feed store told me to feed a higher protein food like game bird feed instead of the reg laying mash. Just need some advice on feeding.

Were currently going through the slow introduction process with my younger girls to my original established flock and want to just be sure when winter hits ALL the chickens will have access to food and they can survive winter.


Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They don't need heat. Chickens will die a lot quicker from summer high temperatures and bad air rather than cold.
The primary feed doesn't need to be any different.
Non laying birds should have a grower feed(low calcium). Birds in production need a layer feed. If you have a mixed flock(laying and non-laying) feed a grower and provide oyster shell in a separate container for the layers to eat as the feel the need.
Growing birds, like your 4 month olds and birds in molt should be getting the higher protein grower feed.
You can boost the protein with sunflower seeds. I make my own scratch grains. Primarily oats and millet in summer and corn, wheat and black oil sunflower in cold weather.