February 03, 2025

What to Feed Chickens in Winter?

Winter presents unique challenges for backyard chicken keepers, as cold weather increases your flock’s dietary and hydration needs. Ensuring your chickens stay healthy, warm, and productive during this season requires a thoughtful approach to their diet. This comprehensive guide will explore what to feed chickens in winter, incorporating scientific research, expert opinions, and practical tips to help you care for your flock. We’ll also address common questions like “Do chickens eat more in winter?” and “Can chickens eat snow?”

Why Diet is Critical for Chickens in Winter

Winter poses a unique set of challenges for backyard chickens. The drop in temperature means chickens need to expend more energy to keep warm, which increases their caloric needs. Proper nutrition ensures chickens can meet these energy demands and stay healthy. If their diet isn’t adjusted, chickens may suffer from:

Reduced Egg Production: Cold stress diverts energy away from egg production. Chickens use more energy to maintain body temperature, reducing the energy available for laying eggs. As a result, egg production may slow down or stop completely.
Weakened Immunity: A chicken's immune system relies on a balanced diet to function optimally. Inadequate nutrition weakens their defenses, making them more susceptible to diseases, which can lead to costly vet bills or even death.
Difficulty Staying Warm: Insufficient caloric intake can lead to poor feather condition and insufficient body heat production. A lack of energy can compromise a chicken's ability to produce heat, leading to potential frostbite or even hypothermia.

Research in Avian Biology Research underlines the importance of providing chickens with balanced diets during the colder months. Not only does this support their physical health, but it also boosts their resilience, helping them withstand the harsh winter conditions.

Best Food for Chickens in Winter

1. High-Protein Feed

Protein is especially important during winter as it helps with muscle maintenance, feather regrowth, and the production of body heat. During the winter months, chickens tend to molt, shedding old feathers to grow new ones. Feather regrowth requires protein to ensure that the new feathers are healthy and functional for insulation against the cold.

Recommended Protein Sources

FlyGrubs Dried Black Soldier Fly Larvae: These larvae are not only high in protein but also packed with calcium, making them an ideal addition to a chicken’s winter diet. They promote overall health and contribute to eggshell strength for laying hens.
Cooked Legumes: Peas, lentils, and beans are excellent sources of protein. Cooking them helps break down anti-nutrients, making them easier for chickens to digest and absorb.
Meat Scraps or Fish Meal: These can be offered in moderation as a supplemental protein source. However, they should be used sparingly, as excess salt or fat can lead to health issues in chickens.

2. Whole Grains

Whole grains provide a slow-release energy source, which is particularly important as chickens need extra calories to keep warm. These grains are digested slowly, which helps chickens generate heat over time. Feeding grains, particularly in the evening, ensures that chickens have a steady energy supply overnight.

Additional Grain Suggestions

Wheat and Quinoa: These grains offer more than just calories. Wheat provides additional fiber, while quinoa adds essential amino acids, making it a complete protein.
Grain Blends Fortified with Vitamins: These blends can provide a balanced mix of carbs, fiber, and micronutrients that enhance the health of your flock during the winter months.

3. Warm Mash

During the cold months, warm food can help keep chickens comfortable. Cold, dry feed can be unappealing in freezing weather, so providing warm food can improve their eating habits and overall well-being. A warm mash made by mixing their regular layer feed with warm water or unsalted broth will offer nutrition and a comforting heat source.

This can be particularly helpful for

Young Chickens: They may have more difficulty adjusting to cold temperatures, so a warm mash is especially beneficial for them.
Molting Adults: During molt, chickens need extra nutrients to help regenerate feathers, and the warmth can stimulate their appetite during an otherwise stressful time.

4. Fresh Vegetables and Scraps

Incorporating vegetables into a chicken's diet not only helps balance their nutrition but also provides essential vitamins and minerals. Vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants, which help boost the immune system during the winter months.

Recommended Vegetables

Kale, Spinach, and Collard Greens: These leafy greens are rich in vitamins A and C, which help strengthen the immune system and promote healthy feather growth.
Carrots and Squash: Packed with beta-carotene, these vegetables support healthy vision and skin, which is especially important in the harsh winter conditions.
Pumpkin Seeds: These can act as a natural dewormer, helping to keep your chickens free from intestinal parasites during the winter when they might be eating more scraps.

Vegetables to Avoid

Spoiled, Moldy, or Toxic Scraps: Always ensure that you’re feeding fresh vegetables, as mold or spoiled foods can lead to illness.
Onion, Avocado, or Chocolate: These are toxic to chickens and should never be fed, regardless of the season.

Food to Keep Chickens Warm in Winter

Certain foods help stimulate digestion and create internal warmth, which is crucial during winter. Foods like corn, oats, and black soldier fly larvae are not only nutritious but also generate body heat as they are digested. By incorporating these foods into your winter feeding routine, you can ensure your flock stays warm and comfortable.

Do Chickens Eat More in Winter?

Yes, chickens eat more in winter due to the increased energy demands placed on their bodies. Studies show that chickens’ energy intake can rise by 10-15% during colder months. They require more calories to produce the body heat needed to maintain their internal temperature. However, it is essential that chickens have access to free-choice feed at all times so they can eat as much as they need to stay healthy.

Ensure Continuous Feed Availability: Make sure your chickens have access to feed throughout the day, especially in the morning and evening when their energy needs are at their highest.
Monitor Feed Consumption: Sudden changes in eating habits, such as a drastic drop in feed consumption, could indicate health problems. Keep an eye on their eating patterns to detect any potential issues early.

Protein for Chickens in Winter

Protein plays a crucial role in supporting chickens' muscle maintenance, feather regrowth, and overall warmth. During the molt, chickens need extra protein to grow new feathers, which serve as insulation. Feather regrowth also helps prevent cold stress, as chickens rely on their feathers for warmth.

Optimal Protein Levels

Layer Feed with 16-20% Protein: This protein level is sufficient to meet the needs of most adult hens during the winter months.
Mealworms or FlyGrubs: These protein-rich snacks can be added to their diet to ensure they meet their nutritional requirements.

Can Chickens Eat Snow?

Chickens can technically eat snow, but it is not an ideal source of hydration. Snow contains little nutritional value and can lower their body temperature, increasing the risk of hypothermia. Additionally, if snow is contaminated, it could cause health problems.

Provide Clean, Unfrozen Water: Always ensure that your chickens have access to clean, unfrozen water, as dehydration can occur quickly in cold temperatures.
Heated Waterers: Consider using heated waterers or insulated containers to prevent water from freezing and to ensure that your chickens have a reliable water source.

Winter Chicken Feeding Tips to Follow

Frequent and Balanced Feedings

Providing your chickens with multiple feedings throughout the day can help maintain their energy levels. Offer feed in the morning and evening, as these are the times when they require the most fuel to stay warm. By keeping their energy intake consistent, you'll help them handle the cold more effectively.

Treats in Moderation

Treats like scratch grains can be beneficial for added energy, but they should not replace their balanced feed. Limit treats to no more than 10% of their overall diet. Overfeeding treats can cause nutritional imbalances, potentially leading to health problems.

Supplement With Calcium

Although egg production slows down during winter, calcium remains essential to keep laying hens' eggshells strong. Provide crushed oyster shells or other calcium supplements to maintain egg quality.

Add Probiotics and Supplements

Using apple cider vinegar in the water can support digestive health by helping maintain a healthy gut flora, which is particularly important when chickens are under stress during the winter. Probiotic powders can also enhance gut flora and immunity, helping chickens stay healthy.

Electrolyte solutions can be used to combat dehydration during extreme cold, as they help restore essential nutrients lost through stress.

Provide Shelter and Bedding

While not part of their diet, ensuring that chickens have access to dry, well-insulated shelter is vital during winter. Adequate bedding such as straw or wood shavings helps to insulate the coop, making it easier for chickens to conserve energy. Well-maintained, dry bedding also reduces the risk of frostbite and other cold-related injuries.

Explore Other Winter Feeding Options

Discover premium winter chicken feed at FlyGrubs

Conclusion

Proper winter feeding is essential to keep your chickens healthy, warm, and productive. By offering a balanced mix of high-protein feed, whole grains, and fresh vegetables, you can ensure your chickens are ready for the challenges of winter. Remember that hydration, frequent feedings, and a carefully selected diet will help your flock stay strong throughout the colder months. With these steps, your chickens will not only survive the winter but thrive, keeping you with healthy, happy birds all season long.