Free range and feed

[ChickenGirl2010]

Add several months of below zero temps, multiple ice and snow storms, nostrils freezing shut when you go outside, and your cheeks stinging when the air hits them, then, Georgia WILL feel like Maine!

@ChickenGirl2010, There is no need to limit your flock to being out in their run when temp gets down below 20. If you wrap the run in plastic, you'll be surprised at how much warmer the run will be, even when temp gets down to single digits.

As for your feed plans, I'd simply give them access to good free range, start planting your property to provide improved forage for them. Birds really benefit from deep mulch in run and on their range. They also benefit from having wide variation in their forage: Wooded, field, lawn, garden, deep mulch. Provide them with a good formulated feed (but remove it at night to discourage vermin) and they will eat what they need to to supplement their free range.

I don't unless it has snowed but most of the time they don't want to come out when it gets much below that lol my current chicks are a bit of cowards. And my run is just a 4 foot high fence. I can't wrap it in anything unfortunately. They do have excess to all these kinds of areas as I live out in the country thankfully.

 

[ChickenGirl2010]

So sorry but I have to add this I LOVE your avatar! Sibs are just as addictive as fowl.

View attachment 1248493

Ok back to chickens, this winter has been really mild and my chickens haven't been eating that much feed verses 3 yrs ago when we had a bad ice storm and it felt like Georgia was really Maine.

Oh thank you I no longer have him but he was beautiful