Helping My Chickens in Winter
After weeks of frigid below-freezing weather, we're expecting temperatures to climb to the high 30s today and the rest of the week - a welcome change for all at my farm.
When conditions are extreme, it's important that my crew checks the animals several times a day to ensure they are all warm and comfortable. When it comes to my chickens, I make certain they are housed properly, fed all the best, most nutritious foods, and have enough room to roam and range happily in their pens. This year, I felt they needed extra support for the bitter cold. My neighbor, Gregory Goodwin, who shares my passion for raising chickens, makes his own feed and bedding mixes to keep his birds calm and well-nourished during winter's coldest days. He shared some with me and the flocks are loving it.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Here in the Northeast, we’ve been battling bitter cold for three weeks – snow, ice, and temperatures in the single digits. This kind of weather can take a toll on the animals, especially the chickens.
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- My chickens have full access to heated indoor coops…
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- But they are also free to roam in their enclosures during the day. I line areas with hay to cover snow and ice.
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- But this year has just been so cold, I wanted to provide a little more support for these wonderful birds.
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- My neighbor and friend, Gregory Goodwin, also lives on a farm and cares for many animals. He creates these tonics to help his birds through the season. He saves some to give as gifts and recently dropped off some at my farm to try.
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- Gregory gets his corn from a restaurant depot. Corn provides energy through its high carbohydrate content. When chickens consume it, they need to work harder to digest it. In turn, this increases their activity and generates added internal heat.
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- Chickens can be given fresh or cracked, dried corn. I provide lots of high-quality corn for my birds – they love it.
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- Gregory’s Winter Poultry Tonic includes the corn, wheat berries, and regular feed. The mix increases both their calorie and carbohydrate intake to raise and maintain their body temperatures and overall health.
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- And then he adds some extra water to keep the chickens well-hydrated.
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- Gregory mixes it up and offers it to his flock as a porridge.
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- Here he spreads it out on a tray and serves the birds.
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- His chickens seem to love the added treats.
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- This is Gregory’s Calming Poultry Bedding Mix. He combines equal parts – 1/3 lavender, 1/3 dried oregano, and 1/3 chamomile. He sprinkles it onto newly changed bedding to keep his chickens close to the heated coops. It encourages them to scratch up the bedding mix and keep them active.
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- Gregory dropped off some of his tonics for me to try. These tonics also help to keep the chickens calm and relaxed during times of stress, such as extreme weather.
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- Cesar pours generous amounts into their feeders and mixes it with their regular feed.
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- My birds are offered many feeder type options – with both dry and wet mixes.
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- They all seem to love the tonic mix.
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- It’s also very important to keep all the birds well hydrated during the cold. My chickens have multiple waterers that are checked and changed frequently. It is crucial to the water does not freeze.
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- This is a White Sultan Rooster – one of the birds I got from this year’s Northeastern Poultry Congress in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is doing well adjusting to the new environment despite the winter cold.
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- And the hens are still producing lots of eggs – did you see my Instagram post @marthastewart48? One day last weekend, I picked 49 eggs! It was the coldest day of the season. Thank you, ladies! If you raise chickens and live in an area where temperatures can get extreme, be sure to fortify your poultry food with good, high-calorie, stress-reducing ingredients and herbs – they’ll keep your chickens warm and happy.
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