Some may be a little nervous about caring for your flock during the winter months. You feel prepared with a chicken coop, chickens, and chicken feed. Are your feathered friends truly ready for winter weather?
Heat Lamp
Make sure chickens stay warm with a red heat lamp. It is best to get one that has a thermostat control so that you can keep the temperature steady.
Yummy Entertainment
Chickens bore easily. During the dury winter months, give them some entertainment. A head of cabbage to peck, mealworms to snack on, whole dried kernels of corn are also a clever treat. The chicken's gizzard will work to digest the corn and keep the chicken warm so it's an ideal snack for winter.
Well Vitaminized
Your feathered friends will need some extra supplements to get them through until the grass grows again . Apple cider vinegar is a frugal choice and it is chock full of vitamins and minerals. Just pour a small amount into their drinking water for maximized results.
Mites to Ashes
Chickens greatly enjoy baths and proving ashes from your fireplace is a great way for your chickens to have a dust bath to rid themselves of mites. If you don't have a fireplace yourself, ask a friend for a bucket of their fireplace ashes.
Young & Old
Please be sure not to introduce young chickens into your already established flock. This could lead to fatal bullying. Wait til they are at least 6 months old before bringing the whole feathered clan together.
Boxes, Eggs, and Other Fun Stuff
Be sure to give the chickens plenty of nesting boxes to lay eggs. It is recommended that 1 box be provided per 5 chickens. Speaking of laying, did you know your egg production doesn't have to drop during winter months? Feeding your flock a few slices of sandwich bread keeps them happy and laying all season long.
Do you have any tips about raising chickens in the winter? Leave your comments below!
Interested in other winter tips? Look through some of our other blog posts.
