Feeding at night when cold out
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Any advice in this section should not be taken to overrule advice by a certified licensed veterinarian. You should always consult a veterinarian for treatment or diagnoses of animal disease or injury. The information in this thread is simply the experience of board members and is not to be taken as a substitution for veterinary advice or treatment.
Any advice in this section should not be taken to overrule advice by a certified licensed veterinarian. You should always consult a veterinarian for treatment or diagnoses of animal disease or injury. The information in this thread is simply the experience of board members and is not to be taken as a substitution for veterinary advice or treatment.
Feeding at night when cold out
This is my first winter with my chickens. I'm worried about the cold nights. I've heard giving them scratch at night helps raise their body temp for the night. However when I get home it's dark and they are all settled in for night. Should I turn on light and give them some anyways? What do others do? Also do you make your own scratch or just buy it?
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Doug The Chickenman
- On the Roost
- Posts: 198
- Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 7:40 pm
- Location: near Kemptville south of Ottawa
- x 210
Re: Feeding at night when cold out
We close them up just before dark and let them out in the morning.
So make sure that they had some scratch, Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) or high protein food for the day.
If really cold we will leave them locked in for a bit longer in the morning as if you do open them up all they will do is tend to stay in anyways . then by the time they do decide to get moving the waterer is frozen.
We hall the 19 waterers a day both out then in every day and use rubber horse containers for the ducks and hall buckets of water out for them.
So make sure that they had some scratch, Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) or high protein food for the day.
If really cold we will leave them locked in for a bit longer in the morning as if you do open them up all they will do is tend to stay in anyways . then by the time they do decide to get moving the waterer is frozen.
We hall the 19 waterers a day both out then in every day and use rubber horse containers for the ducks and hall buckets of water out for them.
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SandyM
- x 4839
Re: Feeding at night when cold out
I would just make sure they have enough food available for them, right till bedtime and maybe mix in scratch. I can imagine not being home makes it harder to give them a scratch feeding before bed, so perhaps a surplus of food to last the full day.
If uneaten food being left out for critters is a concern, bring in house at end of day when you get home.
I also bring waterers in for the night. I have 2 sets. One that goes out in the morning and if they freeze during the day, the 2nd shift goes out and the 1st shift comes in to thaw.
Since we haven't had excessively cold days for the winter, as of yet, I haven't tested my 'more water takes less time to freeze' theory. I have some food grade buckets to fill and make available when/if it gets real cold. That little bit of water doesn't take long to freeze in the tray of the typical waterers.
If uneaten food being left out for critters is a concern, bring in house at end of day when you get home.
I also bring waterers in for the night. I have 2 sets. One that goes out in the morning and if they freeze during the day, the 2nd shift goes out and the 1st shift comes in to thaw.
Since we haven't had excessively cold days for the winter, as of yet, I haven't tested my 'more water takes less time to freeze' theory. I have some food grade buckets to fill and make available when/if it gets real cold. That little bit of water doesn't take long to freeze in the tray of the typical waterers.
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Re: Feeding at night when cold out
I have a heated water bowl inside for them and they have access to crumble all day in the fence in run. I do give them a mix of black sunflower seeds, kelp, whole wheat and crumble every morning. Which they love. Maybe I might add something else like scratch to help. But it supposed to warm up so that's good.
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Epona
- Starting to Crow
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- Location: Alnwick / Haldimand Twp
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Re: Feeding at night when cold out
I up the amount of scratch to a 50% mix with layer. Took awhile to find a feed store w great scratch. Like you, I don't get home till they have gone into the coops and settled. If the weather tends to be brutal for any length of time, I will add straight cracked corn on top of normal ration. As noted above, because I've added considerable more feed to the feeders, I make sure all are picked up and binned for the night. I don't have much in leftovers. I always add to the quantity of feed till there is leftovers at night. I also add an extra feeding station to make sure the timid ones are getting good access.
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Re: Feeding at night when cold out
Great idea with adding more feed station Epona. I will do that too
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