How to Choose the Right Feed for Your Chickens During Winter? As winter approaches, your chickens’ nutritional needs change. They burn more energy just to stay warm, and they no longer have access to bugs and fresh greens. You must adjust their diet to help them stay healthy and productive through the cold months. Choosing the right feed is crucial for a happy, warm flock.
Increase Their Energy Intake
Cold weather acts like a furnace, burning through your chickens’ energy reserves. To help them generate body heat, you need to provide more calories. A simple way to do this is by adding cracked corn to their diet as a late afternoon treat. The digestive process of breaking down the corn creates internal heat overnight. You can also switch to a feed with a higher fat and carbohydrate content.
Focus on High-Quality Protein
Hens need protein to produce eggs and grow new feathers after their fall molt. A good layer feed should contain at least 16% protein. This ensures they have the building blocks to stay strong and continue laying, even when the days get shorter. For birds that are still molting, a higher protein feed can help them regrow their feathers faster, which is their primary insulation against the cold.
Provide Grit and Oyster Shell
Your flock can’t forage for small stones in frozen or snow-covered ground. You must provide grit to help them grind down their food in their gizzards. Without it, they cannot digest their feed properly. You should also offer a separate dish of crushed oyster shell. This provides the extra calcium hens need to produce strong eggshells, a need that doesn’t go away in winter.
Visit Pasturas Los Alazanes
Keep your flock in top condition this winter. Visit Pasturas Los Alazanes for high-energy feeds, cracked corn, and essential supplements like grit and oyster shell. Our team will help you select the perfect nutritional plan to keep your chickens warm and productive all season long.