Hot weather feeding

[katmvincent]

It’s been super hot and dry where we are in south Louisiana. I’ve been giving my girls a tray of frozen fruit and whatever leftover protein from dinner to help cool them off. The problem is now they are not eating their chicken feed at all. Should I stop giving them frozen treats until they start eating their feed again?

 

[southwestclucker]

Not sure how the mornings are where you are, but here in the high mountain desert, the mornings are cool, so I make sure they have only their feed until the temps have increased later in the day, then I start giving cool-down foods when it is needed. I also find that if I mix in crushed ice with the fruit or whatever, I can lessen the amount of the fruit and their cores cool down by taking in the ice chips. They also seem to think ice chips are fun.

 

[nuthatched]

Cut out the treats and feed them their feed. Focus on hydration, not cooling since cold food won't cool them down, you can mash a mash out of their feed, just add water.