Winter weather can bring challenges to many backyard chicken hobbyists. You may be wondering how you can keep your flock happy and healthy during the cold winter months. Follow these simple strategies this winter to keep your hens safe and productive. Here are some tips to help you with your chickens:
Feed: Chickens will often adjust their consumption rate of feed based on the temperature. Consider allowing your flock free-choice access to feed this winter to ensure they are getting enough to eat. If you feed outside be sure to bring the feed inside at night to keep rodents and other animals away. You can also offer your birds a high energy feed such as corn or sunflower to help them manage the colder nights of winter. Your hens will need more calories in the winter to help them stay warm and maintain egg production.
Water: Chickens, like any other animal, need a consistent source of water. In the winter when water freezes be sure to refill your birds' water throughout the day. If you use plastic buckets for water, consider using aluminum or rubber buckets during the winter. Plastic has a tendency to crack when water freezes and expands. If you aren't able to consistently refill water to keep it from sitting frozen, consider getting heated waterers for the winter.
Lighting: Keeping your coop lit with supplemental lighting can increase winter egg production. Using a timer will ensure the light is on at a set time every day. You don't have to worry about forgetting to turn the lights on or off.
Ventilation: A well-ventilated coop will keep your chickens healthy during the winter. Windows should be closed, though. You don't want drafts in your chicken coop. Coops without good ventilation can trap excess moisture, leading to mold and respiratory issues for your birds.
Bedding: Keep a thick layer of bedding in your chicken coop during the winter. The bedding can be up to a foot thick. This will help insulate the coop. Turn the bedding weekly and add bedding as needed.
There's a reason for the expression of feeling "cooped up". Chickens get bored, too. Being cooped up all winter in their shelter can lead to bored and unhealthy birds. Let them out in their run as much as possible. You can scatter seeds to give your birds a chance to scratch for their food. Add straw or wood chips to the birds' run area to allow them to forage for any bugs that might live underneath. Keep your chickens as active as you can during the winter to help them thrive.
Hog producers around the globe are on high alert following the recent outbreaks of African Swine Fever (ASF) in China. Here in the United States, you need to know how this disease affects you and your pigs.
Take action now to educate yourself on African Swine Fever. Here is everything you need to know about ASF.
Feeding a quality calf milk replacer offers many benefits to your calves. It can result in higher growth rates among other advantages.
However, to maximize these benefits you need to make sure you are correctly mixing the milk replacer. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your milk replacer.
Producers that fail to remove the net wrap from their round bales could be causing serious problems for themselves and their herd in the future.
Net wrap refers to the wrapping or string that binds hay together. Round bales are commonly fed to cattle and the net wrap that keeps them together comes in different materials.
It doesn't matter what type of wrap is used or whether the hay bales are fed whole or after grinding, many producers leave the wrap on.
Caitlyn Andrews
Author