Protect Your Flock From the Cold With a Quality Diet

Your chicken's dietary requirements during the winter are vastly different from what they are in the warmer months. Although winterizing the coop is an important step in protecting your chickens from the cold, make sure you have your flock's meal plans sorted out as well!

When it's cold, chickens enter a recuperation phase that ensures they are ready for the following Spring. If you want your hens to be able to perform at their best you need to help them get the most out of their recuperation phase! Laying eggs is very draining, and without proper downtime, they will not be able to keep up the following year!

During the egg-laying season, hens depend on protein, but during the winter, chickens require an increase in carbohydrates to keep their bodies warm. In the winter, they will typically eat 1.5 times the amount they usually do, so stock up on plenty of nutritious food items for your flock!

Foods To Feed For Winter

• Layer pellets: pellets are a no-nonsense way to fulfill your chicken's nutritional requirements while keeping them healthy!
• Grit: Grit is gathered when they peck and scratch at the ground, but during the winter months the earth often freezes over. To help them out make sure your commercial feed contains grit or sprinkle some crushed grit in their area.  
• Oats: Cook up some oatmeal and put it out for them on chilly days! The warmth will heat them right up.
• Cracked corn: Since corn takes time to digest, a bit before bed helps keep them warm overnight! Corn is greater than 75% carbohydrate, so is a great source of this nutrient chickens need in the cold.
• Greenery: Think carrots (and peels), cabbage, spinach, kale, chard, pumpkin, squash, and even hay. 
  
• Protein: Protein is especially useful if any of your feathered friends are still molting. Look for insect sources that are rated high in protein such as PopWorms! ECO. Use the code 2019 to get 30% off until 1/31/2019!
  

Bonus Winter Tips

• Winterize their coop: Make sure you have proper insulation bedding to ensure you have a warm, happy flock! But don't forget: proper ventilation is essential to avoid moisture buildup!
  
• Avoid frozen water: Just like us, chickens need to drink plenty of fresh water during the winter. To keep their water from freezing, change it frequently or invest in a heated water dish. 
  
• Keep an eye out for eggs: Eggs can freeze over in the winter so collect more than usual if your hens continue laying.
  
• Clean often: If your chickens are spending more time inside it goes without saying their coop will become dirty faster. Check out our blog post on tips for keeping your coop clean!
  
• Combat boredom: Up the healthy treats and toys to keep your chickens entertained. Below are a couple of chicken toys to help keep them active:
  
  • Lixit Chicken Toy
    
  • Peck N Play Chicken Ball
    
  • Chicken Swing
    
• Roomy Roost: Roosts give chickens a place to huddle to stay warm. Make sure yours is spacious enough for your entire flock!
  

If you have any additional tips or tricks you'd like to share, let us know in the comments!