Official BYC Poll: What’s the most challenging part of chicken keeping for you during winter?

[Littleone393]

My flock seem to be a bit less active here and there in winter and when it is really cold, they look even more quiet. I make sure to give them vitamin drink, extra heavy duty protein, garlic and apple cider vinegar to bring them through winter.

Our winter here is mild, no snow, but there are a handful of night that the temperature gone to to 9C=48F, that is not that cold compare to other part of the world.

Do you have a specific recipe you use? I'm looking for something to give my girls during the winter when it gets cold to keep them strong.

 

[SkyAJK]

Do you have a specific recipe you use? I'm looking for something to give my girls during the winter when it gets cold to keep them strong.

I read corn before bed time keep chickens warm as it process during the night. It heat up their body temperature.

I give my chickens corn before bed time every day in winter. A few times a week individually feed them cut out small pieces of ginger or turmeric. They do not eat those themselves that is why I have to feed them individually. They only eat the leaf of those plants growing near the fence. Turmeric and ginger warm up the system.

Sardine in water is the extra protein I got from Aldi, over here it is A$0.90 per can. My chickens love it.

I also rubbed on each of them on the combs, under their wings, and beaks a bit of VetRX. Everything inside the coop smell really cosy.

The vitamins drink, the sardine, the ginger/turmeric, the corn, and the VetRX. It is a lot of work, but it better than treating an illness.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

None of the items listed are a problem for us now. We have electric heated buckets, our coop is adequately ventilated, predators are not a problem bc of the dogs, our chickens mostly have pea combs, etc. I just clicked low production due to shorter days, but we are supplementing light a bit after everyone is done molting, so production should pick up soon.