Winter food

[doubleleft]

thank you..i have read about the deep bedding and how the chickens work it into a compost throughout the winter months..i plan on doing that..and putting scratch throughout the coop to give them something to scratch for...i read it also helps work the pooh through the bedding making it less apt for amonia buildup..the floor of my coop is dirt, and i read that that helps with the compost mix..i also read that gathering leaves from your yard and putting them in the coop and runs will help keep birds busy, and add to compost building..do you agree?

Yes, I agree100% ... it's a win-win situation. It keeps your birds healthy and happy year round and the compost is valuable product!!

 

[doubleleft]

That seems like quite a bit. Even at only 4 cups, each bird would be eating 1/4 C. each. More than I'd want to give. As long as they have free choice of their layer or MF, I'd cut that amount of grain in half.



I use DL in coop and run, only buy shavings when I run out of dry leaves. Current coop bedding is leaves, grass clippings, and some shavings, with it being almost 12" deep under the perches. Will clean a lot of that out as fresh dry leaves become available next month. Hope to have about 25 bags of dry leaves stock piled to get through the winter.

I love your idea about leaves!! If I run out of leaves I use pine straw(which is a deterrent to mites & etc). My next choice is oat straw( I love Oat Straw most), wheat straw or baled hay of any kind works very good(I love the smell of fresh hay. I would only use shavings as the last resort.

 

[centrarchid]

The soaked grains (I use oats mostly) can be important during periods of extreme cold. I use many waterers that can quickly freeze limiting time to fluid water at less than a couple hours for at least a couple weeks each year. The soaked grains are relatively easy for chickens to chip away away when piled in ice in water bowls. Water intake with that generally enough that the birds show no interest in liquid water when it is provided. The color of the grain in water bowl also speeds melting when suns hits it making so liquid water is available for more of the day.

 

[RonP]

I have about a dozen birds.

They have free choice all flock, grit, oyster shells, and liquid water, all year long. I do nothing special during the winter months.

Most every morning I toss about 1/2 cup of whole corn kernels, just a few at a time, in their outdoor very deep litter run.
Bad weather, I do the same, only in their deep bedding coop.

I'm not sure who enjoys this more.
They come running, even out of the nest boxes, when they hear me shake the "corn can".
Very entertaining watching them chase the corn while I chase my cup of coffee.

 

[pamonarch]

That seems like quite a bit. Even at only 4 cups, each bird would be eating 1/4 C. each. More than I'd want to give. As long as they have free choice of their layer or MF, I'd cut that amount of grain in half.



I use DL in coop and run, only buy shavings when I run out of dry leaves. Current coop bedding is leaves, grass clippings, and some shavings, with it being almost 12" deep under the perches. Will clean a lot of that out as fresh dry leaves become available next month. Hope to have about 25 bags of dry leaves stock piled to get through the winter.

oh, ok..ill cut the amount in half then. That will still be enough for winter? They do have Dumore layer feed available all the time..and fresh water daily...and i give them watermelon a few times a week...and now ill start giving them pumpkin "guts"..just did some pumpkin carving with my twin nephews and i gave the girls a couple cups of the seeds spread out in their run..they loved them...oh, and the pumpkins were grown just up the road from me. Very fresh!! Thank you for the advice. It is sort of confusing not ever having chickens..but ive noticed that they know exactly what to eat and how much..lol pretty smart birds!!

 

[doubleleft]

oh, ok..ill cut the amount in half then. That will still be enough for winter? They do have Dumore layer feed available all the time..and fresh water daily...and i give them watermelon a few times a week...and now ill start giving them pumpkin "guts"..just did some pumpkin carving with my twin nephews and i gave the girls a couple cups of the seeds spread out in their run..they loved them...oh, and the pumpkins were grown just up the road from me. Very fresh!! Thank you for the advice. It is sort of confusing not ever having chickens..but ive noticed that they know exactly what to eat and how much..lol pretty smart birds!![/

I would not cut back on the amount of grain you are feeding, as much needed nutrients are gotten from whole grains, that have been lost in processed feeds ..... plus the exercise your chickens receive.(win-win)
You appear to be a quick learner allowing your birds to live a 'closer to natural life'.
Can you find a better layer feed than Dumor in your area? Tractor supply is good at some things but come up short on others.

 

[pamonarch]

I would not cut back on the amount of grain you are feeding, as much needed nutrients are gotten from whole grains, that have been lost in processed feeds ..... plus the exercise your chickens receive.(win-win)
You appear to be a quick learner allowing your birds to live a 'closer to natural life'.
Can you find a better layer feed than Dumor in your area? Tractor supply is good at some things but come up short on others.

why is that? Is Dumor a bad food? I have had them on it since they were 3 days old...tractor supply also sells two other brands..one is organic and the other is the checkerboard brand.Purina i think?....i noticed the other day that one or two of my girls have a dirty butt...like diaharea streaked...i put some raw vinegar in their water, i read that will help with that?

 

[doubleleft]

I'm not saying Dumor or Purina is bad but just sub-par, I am saying there is some very good chicken feeds out there. Just according to where you live as to what feeds you can find. Tuckers, Showtime, Kent and Bluebonnet all make quality poultry feeds(there are many more brands of quality feeds).

I would be glad to help you find one in your area.

 

[chickens really]

I feed my Birds the same all year around....I do run heat in my Coop although they are never too warm.….

 

[Farm boy 14]

don't feed to much scratch because it is like candy and will make them fat and lazy. .