How will my chickens do in snow?

[woodmort]

FYI--a few years ago I had an EE go wild. For whatever reason she won't come near the coop or rest of the flock but lived in the hedgerow for over a year--cold, snow, sleet, etc. I have no idea what she ate when the ground was covered. She survived quite well until she tried to cross the road and some idiot hit her. Point being, they aren't as fragile as you may think they are when it comes winter weather. You probably worry more about it than they do.

 

[ajackalope]

None of my girls will let their feet touch any snow. Even if there is a tiny bit between their run(which has heavy netting over is so very little snow gets in) they will do the most amazing leaps to get over it.

 

[Sharwig]

Cracked corn and/or scratch grains is supposed to help keep them warm during cold weather, especially at night b4 roosting.

 

[TooCheep]

Sorry. That is wrong. That is exactly like you eating a donut to keep warm at night. Cracked corn and scratch grains are pretty much pure carbs. They are fine as a treat, but don't provide bursts of warmth.

 

[aart]

Cracked corn and/or scratch grains is supposed to help keep them warm during cold weather, especially at night b4 roosting.

Nope.

Sorry. That is wrong. That is exactly like you eating a donut to keep warm at night. Cracked corn and scratch grains are pretty much pure carbs. They are fine as a treat, but don't provide bursts of warmth.

That cracked me up!!...and too true.


Any feed provides 'energy for warmth' as it digests.
Most feeds are mostly corn anyway......best that they fill their crops with a good chicken ration before roosting for maximum nutrition.

 

[woodmort]

Sorry. That is wrong. That is exactly like you eating a donut to keep warm at night. Cracked corn and scratch grains are pretty much pure carbs. They are fine as a treat, but don't provide bursts of warmth.

While this is true, the extra carbs in the cold weather will help keep the birds warm as they are burned. Also, I'd rather they went to roost with something in their crops--kind of a bedtime snack--that will give their digestive system something to do overnight. I don't give plain corn scratch BTW, but scratch grain--corn, millet, sunflower seed mix. Has worked for me for 30 years so guess it's ok.

 

[woodmort]

Sorry. That is wrong. That is exactly like you eating a donut to keep warm at night. Cracked corn and scratch grains are pretty much pure carbs. They are fine as a treat, but don't provide bursts of warmth.

While this is true, the extra carbs in the cold weather will help keep the birds warm as they are burned. Also, I'd rather they went to roost with something in their crops--kind of a bedtime snack--that will give their digestive system something to do overnight. I don't give plain corn scratch BTW, but scratch grain--corn, millet, sunflower seed mix. Has worked for me for 30 years so guess it's ok.

 

[aart]

Also, I'd rather they went to roost with something in their crops--kind of a bedtime snack--that will give their digestive system something to do overnight.

They do this anyway.....all year round.
All my birds spend time at the feeder filling up before going to roost.

 

[woodmort]

They do this anyway.....all year round.
All my birds spend time at the feeder filling up before going to roost.

True but tossing some grain to them makes me feel like I'd doing something.

 

[aart]

True but tossing some grain to them makes me feel like I'd doing something.

Yeah, but what makes us keepers 'feel good', might not be the best for the birds