What to feed in winter

[LynneP]

Shredded cabbage is a good option in winter- inexpensive and they love it.
Also, if you have a garden next year the hard-skinned squashes will keep a long time in a cool place. Just carve a few holes to start the chickens and they'll play with them and hollow them! You can also recycle some kitchen scraps, most plant materials ( no potatoes) through the hens. Be sure to offer crushed oyster shell and grit to compensate for the lack of calcium and rough material fro the crop, and have a large stone, cinder block or brick in the coop so they can dull their nails and beaks on it.

 

[noitulover]

i like to go to the pet store and pick up freeze-dried meal worms... they go crazy over them! they're a little expensive to feed in large quantities, but if you dump a capful of them on the ground maybe twice a day, it's not too bad and they sure do love them!

 

[Sissy]

I too hard boil eggs when I
have to many and crush them all, theres protein in the egg
and shells gives them some grit and good calicum.

Welcome to Byc

 

[SurprisingWoman]

I have been picking the heads off my sunflowers and drying them to toss in the cage this winter

 

[werecatrising]

I am raising mealworms so I'll have plenty this winter.

 

[Monk]

Quote:
That's my plan next year, planting sunflowers for the winter and cabbage too.

 

[Amethyste]

omg my girls LOVE oatmeal!!

In the winter, I make them nice warm oatmeal. They go thru it like you wouldnt believe. I also make them scrambled eggs <cos we have so many left over> mixed in with some of their feed, and some scratch oats/corn, and cooked carrots/peas/etc mixed in. It is attacked as soon as I get clsoe enough lol

I also hang cabbages/lettuces from the ceiling for them, and I have a flock block too. I also make sure they have plenty of things to keep them busy lol Hardboiled eggs, all squished up so they dont look like eggs lol Alfalfa pellets/hay to mess aroung in and nibble on....and even the occasional mashed potato with cracked corn and thawed peas.

The favorite tho is the suet block! I only do it in the winter, but they LOVE that thing...its in a metal cage thing and its huge....its gone in a week at most.

Winter here in the Pacific NW can be cold...not as cold as some places, but we have our moments. Last year at our house we got 18 inches of snow or more..and we are less than a mile from the sound! The temps dropped to 10 degrees....so the girls stayed inside a lot. They got LOTS of good warm mashes and things to nibble on...cos no way were they going to go outside in that weather.

 

[cafarmgirl]

When ever I make a bag of frozen mixed vegetables for dinner the chickens get the leftovers and they love them. Sometimes I make a small bag just for them.