What is the best winter feed.

[coopmstr1985]

I have fed my other livestock corn to help bulk them up for winter. I have also heard that corn "helps build and release" body heat in chickens. is there any basis to this other than the extra calories and sugar energy from the corn. and what type of chicken feed would you recomend for a colorado winter?

 

[sheila3935]

I would mostly feed chicken feed. You can give corn as a treat but not the main diet. I also give mine cabbage, alfalfa, kale any kind od veggies but only as treats as they cant range and there isnt any greens in the winter.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I feed the same base feed in the winter that I feed in the summer. I use a layer feed, as that's the type of flock I have. You can give them a small amount of scratch before they go to roost at night.

Since they don't get all the green feed they'd get while free ranging in the growing season, I also give them some wheat grass, alfalfa and other sprouts from time to time.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I also just continue my regular, high quality layer mash. It is made from a high percentage of corn anyhow. Feeding addition corn would simply be providing more carbs without the protein, minerals, amino acids and vitamins, so I no, I make no effort to feed extra corn. It would likely whack out our egg laying production if it became a substantial portion of their diet. We've found that even dropping from a 17% protein Hubbard layer feed down to a no-brand 15% layer feed had an impact on production.

Our hens DO tend to step up their caloric intake by 10% during the winter, however. That's understandable. They must generate body heat for self warming.

 

[goldtopper]

I just mixed up a winter blend:
40# Game bird feed @ 20% protein
10# BOSS
7# cracked corn

I leave oyster shell and grit out for free choice.

 

[Clay Mudd]

Fred's Hens :

I also just continue my regular, high quality layer mash.

That's way too simple and reasonable.

 

[booker81]

I just feed the regular feed, but I usually pick up a Flock Block and put in the coop since they won't leave the coop when there's a lot of snow - and that could be for a couple months. It keeps them occupied and I don't have pecking issues.

I also have a big tupperware dish I chuck kitchen scraps in for them. The rest of the year, they get scraps thrown in the run

 

[OwensMom]

coopmstr1985, I live in Co as well and I feed game bird pellets all year. I read somewhere here that the corn thing is a myth. I usually bed my coop deeply with shavings. As a matter of fact, I was just cleaning out my coops this am and replacing with clean wood shavings. I suppliment with warm oatmeal when it gets really cold!!

 

[coopmstr1985]

Thanks for all the input! going to the feedstore tomorrow to get my next batch of feed.

 

[pamelameyer]

I feed my flock of 40 laying hens and 1 Rooster. Canned cat food (shredded) about 5 cans a day, during the winter months. From December to March. Along with their laying crumbles, and cracked corn. I also put a feeding block in the coop. I also feed scraps from our table. They have 2 heat lights and 1 heater in their coop. I get any where from 26 to 36 eggs a day from my flock, all through the winter. They also have 40 gallon water feeder that sets on heater to keep water from freezing. Pam in Denton, MD