What to Feed Chickens During the Winter

A balanced diet is important year round to keep your flock healthy. During the winter, your flock’s dietary needs change slightly due to weather changes, decreased activity, and the increased need to stay warm. If these changes are not met, your flock could suffer from a deficiency or surplus in their diet, which can lead to health issues. Minor modifications or some simple supplements can be added to your homestead flock’s diet during the winter to meet their new dietary needs. These 6 tips on what to feed chickens during the winter will help you keep your flock warm and healthy all winter long!

Disclaimer: I am not an avian vet or poultry nutritionist. All opinions are my own and the information is based off of personal experience and research.

The information that I have provided with these winter diet considerations are just the basics. The complete information on how to use the winter supplements and implement these diet changes can be found in the Winter Chicken Keeping handbook, now available in The Trading Post!

#1. Increase the Protein

An essential part of a chicken’s diet is protein. The eggs that a hen produces contains protein that is beneficial to us. The feathers that cover a chicken’s body are made up of 85% protein. Proteins come from amino acids, of which a chicken needs 22 different kinds of amino acids. For chickens, 11 of those amino acids are essential amino acids. Essential amino acids can only come from sources in the diet.

Complete protein sources, meaning protein sources that contains all of the essential amino acids, help chickens stay healthy. Theses proteins help chickens produce anti-bodies which fight off illnesses. During the winter, a chicken’s protein needs increase since stress and colder temperatures causes a chicken’s body to use more protein.

There are two types of natural protein sources: animal protein sources and plant protein sources. Animal protein sources are complete protein sources and have all of the essential amino acids. Plant protein sources are incomplete protein sources. They will need to be mixed in such a way as to provide all of the essential amino acids needed by a chicken.

Animal Protein Sources

• raw, organic, non-GMO meat (venison, beef, pork, lamb, fish)
• cooked meat (chicken and other meats)
• eggs (scramble, bake, or boil the eggs first)
• mealworms and black soldier fly larvae (buy from reputable sources)
• high-quality canned cat food (not dog food)

Plant Protein Sources

• sprouted grains and seeds (oats, barley, wheat, etc..)
• soaked sunflower seeds
• sprouted or soaked legumes (soybeans, alfalfa, field peas)

You can increase the protein in your flock’s winter diet by offering them any of the protein sources listed above. You can use them as boredom busters, treats, or mix them into your flock’s feed. If you opt to mix additional protein into your flock’s feed, use the Pearson’s Square to help you figure out how much of a certain protein supplement to mix into the feed. Do not go above a protein percentage of 20% in your flock’s feed.

Learn more about Balancing Protein in a Flock’s Diet so you can know when to increase and decrease protein levels.

#2. Supplement with Greens

Greenery can be scarce in the winter months, but your flock benefits from, and will enjoy, having some green foodstuffs throughout the winter. Leafy greens provide an abundant amount of vitamins and minerals that will help keep your flock healthy. Of all the table scraps and treats you can give your flock, leafy greens are the healthiest for them and can be offered the most frequently.

There are various ways that you can offer your flock some greens. Salad bars, mini gardens, and veggie pinatas are just a few ideas to make giving your flock greens beneficial and keep them entertained. You can give your flock greens on a weekly basis, even up to everyday if the greens are given in moderate amounts. Offering your flock free-choice access to leafy greens during the winter can help supplement their diet in a beneficial way.

Here are some greens that you can consider incorporating into your flock’s winter diet.

Greens:

• Lettuce (not iceberg lettuce)
• Kale
• Spinach
• Swiss chard
• Herbs
• Sprouts
• Fodder
• Microgreens

#3. Provide Digestive Aid

Digestion is the main process that converts a chicken’s food into energy and allows the components of the food to be utilized in the body. Energy is essential during the winter since chickens put so much of it towards staying warm during cold weather. When there is a lack of energy to stay warm, chickens will start to experience cold stress. Giving your flock foods that aid digestion will allow your chickens to get the most out of their feed and will help them stay healthy.

During the winter months, your flock will probably be eating more of their feed than they do in the summer. The increase in feed consumption can be due to the increased energy needs and/or boredom. Due to their diet being higher in grains, your chickens may benefit from some digestive aid since grains can be harder to digest.

Here are some ways you can aid a chicken’s digestion or make the foods a chicken eats more digestible.

Digestive Aid

• Sprout grains
• Ferment feed (here is a post on Fermenting Chicken Feed)
• Soaking seeds
• Supplement with apple cider vinegar (ACV)
• Herbs- make the herbs into teas or sprinkle powdered herbs over fermented feed and other warm treats

Apple cider vinegar should only be added to your flock’s water on occassion. It helps break down the protein components in chicken feed, but it also requires extra calcium in order for the body to properly utilize the vinegar. Some good herbs to offer your flock that will aid digestion include turmeric, dill, lemon balm, dandelion (especially the root), and cumin.

I like to give my flock fermented feed and sprouted lentils on a weekly basis during the winter.

#4. Immune System Support

Fighting disease is all about having a good immune system. Protein helps stimulate a good immune system which is why additional protein during the winter is helpful for your flock. However, there are also some other foods that can help boost the immune system during the winter months, or all year round!

Cold weather, stress, and other winter factors can all have a suppressive effect on a chicken’s immune system. When a chicken’s immune system is suppressed, it cannot fight off harmful pathogens, bacteria, viruses, or parasites. A strong immune system is built gradually. The immune system is also constantly being assaulted by disease causing pathogens or parasites. Staying on top of immune support is essential for helping your flock stay healthy year round.

A clean, well-ventilated coop, plenty of space for each bird, and proper management can all help keep the immune system from becoming suppressed, but there are a few supplements you can offer your flock to boost the immune system.

Immune Boosting Supplements

• Garlic
• Elderberry
• Turmeric (sprinkle on top of fermented feed or warm treats)

The one supplement that I like to give my flock on a weekly basis for boosting their immune system is garlic. Crushed garlic is so beneficial for your flock! It can help them stay healthy and parasite free this winter!

#5. Circulation Stimulation

Good circulation is especially important during the winter. Circulation brings warmth, nutrients, and energy to body cells. During the winter, a chicken’s body may naturally restrict blood flow to some parts of the body (like combs, wattles, toes) to conserve body heat. Stimulating the circulation system will help keep your chickens warm and prevent health issues like frostbite.

Keeping your flock active and entertained will help encourage good circulation but there are also some supplements you can add to their diet to encourage good circulation.

Circulation Supplements

• Ginger
• Cayenne pepper
• Scratch grains

Of the two herbs mentioned, ginger and cayenne pepper, ginger is the most beneficial of the two. It is a powerful herb that not only stimulates circulation but can also help boost the immune system and aid digestion. Despite the fact that chickens can’t taste spicy foods, cayenne pepper is a very strong herb that is easy to overdoes with. When in doubt, use ginger instead! Ginger and cayenne pepper can be sprinkled on fermented feed or other warm treats.

Scratch grains are very high in energy. The extra energy will encourage your chickens to move around, which stimulates circulation. The tough grains contained in scratch grain mixes also take longer to digest, which can provide some digestive heat internally. Because they are so high in energy and lacking in essential dietary components, you should be careful not to over feed scratch grains.

#6. Regulate the Fat and Carbs

Fat and carbohydrates are two other parts of a chicken’s diet that should be considered during the winter. Regulating the fats and carbs in your flock’s diet will keep them from becoming obese but will still ensure they get the energy they need to stay warm. A chicken’s fat and carb needs change slightly during the cold winter months as they use more energy to stay warm.

Chicken feed contains proper amounts of fat and carbs but additional fat and carbs can be introduced through treats and other supplements. Fat provides nearly twice the amount of energy as carbs do, so providing foods that are higher in fat will be more beneficial than foods that are high in carbs. Fat also takes longer to digest which allows the nutrients from the foodstuff being digested to be absorbed better.

Chicken’s can metabolize all the fats they need from their food except for the polyunsaturated fat called linoleic acid (an omega-6). Supplementing linoleic acid into your flock’s diet will ensure they are receiving the proper fat they need to stay energized and warm. Here are some supplements that contain linoleic acid.

Linoleic Acid Supplements:

• beef tallow and pork lard
• sunflower seeds
• flax seeds
• nuts

A handful or two of these treats during very cold weather can be beneficial for your flock. Try to keep it varied and don’t offer the same treat for several consecutive days.

Word of Caution-

Due to the fact that fat digests slowly, if an excess amount of fat is fed to chickens, they will become obese (fat). Obesity is a very common cause of death in backyard chickens. Fat hens will stop laying and may develop a fat pad in their abdomen that can cause health issues. A chicken’s body tends to deposit fat around the liver (where fat is synthesized) which can cause a deadly condition know as fatty liver syndrome.

You can avoid fat related health issues by correctly regulating your flock’s fat intake. Some fat is needed to ensure your chickens stay warm during the winter. When offering fatty treats, stick to the guideline of no more than 1-2 tablespoons of the treat per bird.

Taking into consideration these minor diet modifications can help you keep a happy, healthy flock this winter. I adjust my homestead flock’s diet to meet their winter protein, fat, and carb needs to ensure they are getting the proper nutrition they need to stay warm. Giving my flock supplements that stimulate circulation, aid digestive, and boosts the immune system will help prevent any winter health issues too. Remember, these are winter diet considerations, so come spring, their diet will need to be slowly adjusted back to normal! 

For more information about managing your flock’s diet during the winter, make sure you get a copy of the Winter Chicken Keeping handbook and become a part of our modern pioneer newsletter for weekly homestead chicken keeping tips!

by Alexa