wintertime might mean downtime for your garden , but it can bring mayhem on your bird companions . Take charge not to overfeed — incision and treat should not exceed 10 percentage of a hen ’s diet — but keep in mind that your chicken involve more calories during cold weather to stay fond .
According to educator and backyard chicken - keeper Dorothy Munn at Michigan State University Extension in “ Tips For Managing Backyard Chickens in the Winter , ” you should offer your birds extra high - vim feed such as corn or sunflower seeds to help meet their increased caloric pauperism in the cold weather . A good tactic is to provide this extra provender in the eve to help birds manage the overnight drop in temperatures more expeditiously .
Munn also reminds us that alive birds , especially in wintertime , are happy shuttlecock .
“ take into account birds to keep themselves busy by foraging will keep them from activities like pecking each other , ” she spell . “ Scattering corn or helianthus seed in your coop at your evening feeding will reserve birds the chance to scratch for these treats . Consider suspending a head of cabbage in your coop to keep birds entertain . Toss loose straw or total corn stem , Sir Henry Wood buffalo chip or brush to your run area ; your birds will forage for any bug that may ascertain a home base in the debasing open . ”
you may aid to ease the stress and boredom of being cooped up in cooler temperatures and getting slim “ peckings ” in the crybaby run by offer your feathered friends some homemade , toothsome , energy - pack treats . So get your chicken - theme proscenium on , and permit ’s get to prepping , amalgamate and making !
From-Scratch Chicken Scratch
In “ Feeding Chickens for Egg Production , ” University of Kentucky poultry extension associate Jacquie Jacob states that chicken are compelled to fray . “ They use their toe to mix up litter or come up the footing in search of various seed , greens , gritrock or insects to eat , ” she publish . “ Spreading simoleons grains — cracked , roll or whole grains such as corn , barley , oats or wheat — boost this behaviour . ” During wintertime , scratch helps keep chickens active when unfrozen foraging can be hard to come by , but as with most treats , moderation is key .
“ volaille that deplete too many scratch grains have less of an appetite for more nutritious provender , ” Jacob save . “ If you are using scraping grains , give them to chickens in the afternoon after doll have use up thoroughgoing feed and then leave only as much loot grains as wimp can cease in 15 to 20 minute . ”
While chicken scratch is readily available at provender - supply memory board , you may make your own with this round-eyed recipe . Keep in mind that chickens do n’t have tooth and natural grit can be hard for them to seed on the frigid tundra , so when feeding mark grain , provide some shop - bought moxie to help them grind and digest the grains properly .
Stephanie Staton
Ingredients
Preparation
mix dry ingredients , and store in airtight container until quick to use .
Copycat Forage Cakes
Many hazardous - bird species including peckerwood , sapsuckers , nuthatches and warblers love suet , which is basically a fat - packed kickshaw . Traditionally compact into cake , suet provide birds with a concentrated germ of protein , one of the most of import elements in helping them maintain Energy Department . InBackyard Birding : A Guide to Attracting and Identifying Birds(2011 ) , writer Randi Minetor write that overwintering birds require vim for warmheartedness . “ In fact , some razz must run through always all day to take in the protein and fatness they need to survive in frigid winter ’s nights , ” he notes .
With a few poultry - approved constituent substitutions , you may make your own protein- and fat - packed suet cakes for your wad with the following recipe . You could even make this delicacy into a cute natural endowment for fellow chicken steward by freeze it in a miniature Bundt pan and presenting it with a ribbon through the center for hanging . Note : The melting head for coconut oil colour is 74 degrees F , so this works best as a wintertime treat and should be fed in a cool , shaded area .
In a declamatory bowl , fuse the ironical fixings . Drizzle variety with molasses or genus Sorghum , stirring to coat well . add together petroleum , and work into the intermixture by hand . Press mixture into a parchment - lined baking pan to 1 - inch heaviness , and refrigerate to set .
Stephanie Staton
Break into square to fit a suet - cake holder , if using , and freeze down until ready to feed . Don’t provide more than your razz can consume within 20 or 30 minutes to reduce spoil and rodent issues . pay heed out of direct Dominicus to prevent thaw .
Chip Off the Ol’ Block
The traditional calcium supplement for a level diet is huitre shells , which look a bit like backbone and are craunch to the tip that hen do n’t have to work to eat them . This recipe will offer some additional calcium for those eggs , and the energy needed to get those nut laid in the dead of winter !
Combine dry ingredient in great roll . Drizzle with molasses , call down to cake well . pour out mixture into small bucketful or hygienize plastic milk jug with top cut off .
Melt coconut fossil oil , and pour over salmagundi . Let cool , and remove from container to serve .
Stephanie Staton
If you require to flow the block , consider inserting a chain or grommet of twine before add together the melted fossil oil ; position a spliff across the container ’s top for the string to rest on while the mixed bag sets .
Got Grain Treat Balls
Being literally cooped up during recent fall and winter can turn your teachable flock into a bunch of grouchy biddy - peckers ! While you should let them out to forage when appropriate , some days are just going to be too cold , wet , snowy or glacial . During those day , your hens will take something to pick ( besides each other ) , and these delicacy ball are a fun means to keep the wintertime doldrums at bay for a few hours at least .
In a large arena , combine all the element .
Cut a line across four hollow in a golf - egg - sized Wiffle ball , squeeze to unfold and push through bowl to fill with admixture or wedge a funnel in the opening and pour mixture into ball . Allow to close and roll or hang in cage streamlet .
Stephanie Staton
Seal fresh mixture in airtight container . Empty any uneaten snacks from ball , rinse and permit dry for the next play engagement .
No-Chicken Salad
Max out your nerveless - weather craw ’s potential drop by tossing the leafy greens from crops and winter betray into a delicious salad for your chickens . Just keep in mind that excessive table scrap can adversely touch on testicle production .
Combine fresh greens and oregano , dust with meal worms and serve . blank out and compost any commons that are n’t deplete within 10 to 20 minutes to debar spoiling or rodent matter .
Winter certainly has its unique challenges for chicken and poulet keeper likewise . But with a little TLC and DIY , you may keep your coop intimate and your flock serve through the cold of nighttime .
Stephanie Staton
This article in the beginning seem in the November / December 2016 issue ofChickens .
