Official BYC Poll: Winterizing your flock's feed: Do you change or supplement it?

[Scots in France]

I buy a general mixed feed as we have a majority of young birds, with layer feed available for the laying hens.
We grind down the grains for the young ones. I have been making "porridge " with the ground grains with grated apple / carrot, whatever is to hand, and then mix in an egg and some couscous to soak up any extra liquid. They get this warm in the evening and cold the next day if there's leftovers.
I also soak whole grains to feed the big birds and the ground grains for the young ones.
And about a month ago I started sprouting grains to give them for treats!
The pampered chooks get 3 meals a day and are ALWAYS happy to see me!

 

[Araucana Nest]

The opposite in hot humid Florida. I supplement during summer because the heat and storms are hard on them. Winter is a big relief most of the time.

 

[Brooks_]

I increase the amount of scratch/treats (still within reasonable limits) because the shorter days gives them less time to scavenge the yard.

 

[lauraschicks]

Be it good or bad, the entire mixed flock gets free choice flock raiser in pm. They can fill up before bed and work on the leftovers all day. I also take two scoops of low corn whole grains and 1 scoop bsf and cast it over their free range area. They have to hunt all day for it. The crumble feed is there pretty much all the time.. I dont give them more at night til they finish what I gave them. I keep a kiddie pool of water and 2 half size pools of water for the geese and duck, and multiple waterers around all the time inside and out. Too hot this year. Luckily we have well water cause I have left the hose on filling up the pools multiple times this summer trying to get to the hospital on time, just to realize midday that I forgot to turn them off (which the waterfowl absolutely love!). My brother says he's seen the chickens standing in them as well (did I say how very hot it has been this year?) That will probably be different during freezing weather, but the rest will stay the same. Mine live in an open air coop, but I will expect they will do fine with that here in SE TN.

 

[BDutch]

In winter my chickens stop laying eggs for a couple of months. The shops don’t sell all flock here. And there’s not much choise in non-GMO.

I make my own winter melange with 1 bag of layer feed, 1 bag of chick crumble (30%) and a bag of hemp seed (3%) . Main reason I give less layer feed is because it has lots of Calcium in it. Chick crumble is more nutritious with barely Calcium. Hemp seed is supposed to be good for supplementing a winter diet and to enhance laying eggs.

I don’t need to give extras for the cold because we have a mild climate here. On average we have one week with freezing temps during the winter period.

 

[Sablehaven]

I supplement with lots of treats, including warm cream of wheat with cayenne. More protein and calcium mostly, since they are used to bugs.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I keep them on the same feed free choice year round.
But they do get double Scratch Grains, 2 Tbsps daily per chicken compared to summer's 1 Tbsp daily.
I also buy a bale of Alfalfa hay for winter season and toss a flake into the pen or coop weekly to supplement the lack of greens. GC

GC, where do you get alfalfa hay? I’m in CT as well.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

I mix cracked corn into their feed during the winter. I combine 50lb of corn with 100 lb of feed. I store in metal garbage cans like the pic in the OP, and they hold the 150 lb of total feed. I do this for the chickens and our ducks. I do not change the feed though beyond adding corn. The chickens get the same balanced feed year round and the ducks are on meat bird year round with peas as supplement for niacin. The only other changes in feed are a lot of "treats" in the late summer and early Fall (now) because the scraps from cleaning the garden go to the birds. I like to think they are getting a lot of nutrition from the overgrown and overripe produce along with the weeds, some garden plant leaves and stems and the grass.

You are cutting their Vitamins, Macro and Trace Minerals dramatically with this method. Plus you are altering the energyrotein ratio which will result in fat birds. Fat birds don't lay well when they return to production. Just stick with the complete feed and provide it free choice for them.

 

[BReeder!]

You are cutting their Vitamins, Macro and Trace Minerals dramatically with this method. Plus you are altering the energyrotein ratio which will result in fat birds. Fat birds don't lay well when they return to production. Just stick with the complete feed and provide it free choice for them.

I appreciate the input, and respect your right to your opinion. I don't appreciate being told what to do though. You have a right to your opinion, but not a right to impose it on me.

I am happy with my birds putting on fat in the winter. That is actually the intent. I get plenty of eggs here in the Spring, Summer and Fall. The birds lay well in my opinion. And the added calories in their feed support biothermal energy transfer to keep my birds warm even in wind chills down to -40F here. They quickly shed that added fat in the Spring when the added corn is removed from their feed.
As for cutting vitamins, macro and trace minerals, my birds have access to feed constantly and are not dumb. If they need more feed, they eat it and leave to corn to the side. If they need calcium, they eat oyster shell. Also, their grit is a mineral based gravel that supports their health while aiding in their digestion.
As for, "Just stick with the complete feed and provide it free choice for them." It's high time you just stick with your opinion and leave me with my free choice.

 

[Lazy J Farms Feed & Hay]

I appreciate the input, and respect your right to your opinion. I don't appreciate being told what to do though. You have a right to your opinion, but not a right to impose it on me.

I am happy with my birds putting on fat in the winter. That is actually the intent. I get plenty of eggs here in the Spring, Summer and Fall. The birds lay well in my opinion. And the added calories in their feed support biothermal energy transfer to keep my birds warm even in wind chills down to -40F here. They quickly shed that added fat in the Spring when the added corn is removed from their feed.
As for cutting vitamins, macro and trace minerals, my birds have access to feed constantly and are not dumb. If they need more feed, they eat it and leave to corn to the side. If they need calcium, they eat oyster shell. Also, their grit is a mineral based gravel that supports their health while aiding in their digestion.
As for, "Just stick with the complete feed and provide it free choice for them." It's high time you just stick with your opinion and leave me with my free choice.

I'm not telling you what to do rather I am providing information for others why your method is not appropriate for feeding poultry and the potential impacts of diluting their nutrition with the addition of cracked corn.

As to sticking to my opinion, I'll continue to rely on my 25 years as a PHD trained animal nutritionist. You can have your opinions.