Feeding your flock during cold winters

[centrarchid]

I feed an all flock almost year round. Where I deviate from most is during the winter months. My birds must deal with cold more than most, even when compared to those kept much further north, and artificial light is not enough to keep them in lay during the first 2/3's of winter. Their need for feed varies markedly with weather. When wind chill increases (increasing wind and decreasing temperature) the need for energy increases. Before the winter really kicks in I get a good idea about how much flock raiser they eat when conditions are thermally neutral. When temperatures drop, they will consume more, and the intake rates can easily double. That increase in energy demand does NOT have to be met with the nutritionally complete flock raiser. What I do then is provide a limited ration equal to that they consume when temperature is in the mid 50's F and in the evening provide them a scratch grain mixture to provide the additional energy. The amount provided is such that the birds have a full crop going into night with all flock raiser and scratch grains consumed.

My approach requires frequent checking of birds and I do not expect egg production from hens when cold stress is high. This allows me to save a modest amount on feed bill without compromising health of birds. It forces more diligence making sure feed allotments are appropriate, supplemental calcium (crushed oyster shell) is always present, feed feed storage containers, and especially more labor. A major upside is less feed is left out overnight for rodents.

Note edit. I am having major internet connectivity issues.

 

[Folly's place]

@centrarchid has lots of experience, and it's a much more labor intensive method, including planning for nearly no egg production over winter.
Do you have your birds in different age groups, separated by breed, and sex? I can't see it working in a mixed age, breed, and sex flock like mine. And here there's a light on 4am to 8am daily to encourage winter laying, so these hens and pullets need more of their base diet, not more scratch.
It sounds like a good plan for @centrarchid , but not so much for lazier folks like me, or for people with less experience.
Mary

 

[TARDIS37379]

I have a waterer with a warmer that keeps the water about 40 F.
I have two peckomatics hanging in the coop and one outside for food. The girls eat what they want and need.
im in the mid south in Tennessee so we don’t get that cold. If we do get a polar blast it usually only last 1-3 days and then it’s 55 again.
The low this morning was 44 and the girls were out the moment the doors opened.

 

[Folly's place]

It does get colder here, although not usually below zero F. for very long, and with frozen ground, there's not much to eat besides their feed, so lots more is consumed over winter. The spring chicks are slowing their early growth, so don't eat as much as they did, but egg laying and staying warm consumes more calories too.
And I'm not really managing a spread sheet over this, so just keep the feeders full.
And yesterday got the rotten groundhog who was eating that chicken feed in the coop during free range time!!! Yahoo!
Mary

 

[NatJ]

If I add water to crumbles, how much would you give per 8 chickens?

Try a small amount the first day, so they can try it and decide they like it. Maybe 1/4 cup of dry crumbles plus water on the first day.

After that, increase it each day until you find the largest amount they will clean up in a timely fashion. I'm guessing the final amount might be 1-2 cups of dry crumbles plus however much water makes a good consistency.

You don't have to be too precise, because they can be fine with 100% wet food or 100% dry food or anything in between. You just don't want it to sit around long enough to freeze (winter) or spoil (summer.)

 

[centrarchid]

It does get colder here, although not usually below zero F. for very long, and with frozen ground, there's not much to eat besides their feed, so lots more is consumed over winter. The spring chicks are slowing their early growth, so don't eat as much as they did, but egg laying and staying warm consumes more calories too.
And I'm not really managing a spread sheet over this, so just keep the feeders full.
And yesterday got the rotten groundhog who was eating that chicken feed in the coop during free range time!!! Yahoo!
Mary

Groundhog is a rodent.

 

[Folly's place]

Big rodent. Fine out there, but not eating chicken feed, or undermining buildings!
We'll see if it was only one, or more.
Mary

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Try a small amount the first day, so they can try it and decide they like it. Maybe 1/4 cup of dry crumbles plus water on the first day.

After that, increase it each day until you find the largest amount they will clean up in a timely fashion. I'm guessing the final amount might be 1-2 cups of dry crumbles plus however much water makes a good consistency.

You don't have to be too precise, because they can be fine with 100% wet food or 100% dry food or anything in between. You just don't want it to sit around long enough to freeze (winter) or spoil (summer.)

Personally in my flock, a few prefer it to be soupy and most prefer for it to feel like a mud consistency

 

[Farmgirl1878]

I couldn't help but notice that perfect swirl in the bowl of swirly slurry

Lol, yeah, the silicone cake pan is shaped like a rose! I’ve got a few different ones and they’re all girly!

 

[Sunshine_Chick]

Lol, yeah, the silicone cake pan is shaped like a rose! I’ve got a few different ones and they’re all girly!

Ahh you're such a fancy, swirly, girlie