Recipe for "warming" food for layers

[EmpressNoId]

Hi,
Up here in the cold north of Idaho I was wondering about a "warming" recipe someone gave me for my girls. I have 10 SLW that are just 6 mos old and are laying. We supplement daylite for them up to 14 hrs. A friend said that I should mix a bit of karo syrup and some cayanne pepper in their daily scratch treat to keep their innards warm. She said it helps layers who live in cold climates.
Anyone ever hear of this? Or have their own little warming boost that you use?
Thanks,

 

[liz_s]

I'm sorry, I don't know about the ingredients your mentioned, but I give my girls quick-cooking Irish oatmeal in the morning. It takes a few minutes to cook in the microwave, and then I let it cool down a lot, but they get it while it's still warm and go nuts for it! You can also put just about anything in it to add to the excitement

 

[Annie's Backyard Flock]

I do the Irish oatmeal treat as well. I put some yogurt or cottage cheese, black oil sunflower seeds, some partially cooked corn on/or/off the cob (leftover from friends poor harvest he gave me) and left over greens from last night's dinner. I get practically mugged on the way into the run.

 

[elmo]

Karo syrup is just corn syrup, and I really wouldn't give something that's so high in sugar to my chickens. I'd be concerned about driving down the protein ratio of their diet, because that could actual depress laying.

I have some bearded chickens in our flock, so instead of oatmeal (which sticks to the beards), I cook up a pan of quinoa for a warming treat. It's a fairly high protein grain, cooks in 15 minutes, and is not sticky.

 

[cindylo]

I give my gals treats like canned dog food (vet recommended a change for our dog but we still had some of the old brand left). Windfall apples are a special treat, and leftover cooked rice, cereal, or non greasy entree items are appreciated. They are big yogurt fans too. Scrambled eggs are offered occasionally too. There isn't realy anything they've turned up their beaks at - so I'm starting to believe they are part goat?

 

[Happy Chooks]

On really cold mornings, I'll do warm oatmeal with smashed banana's in it and a little buttermilk. The buttermilk is great for their gut with the probiotics in it. But pretty much anything that gets them moving will warm them up.