As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, it’s natural to wonder how your backyard hens will cope. The good news? Chickens are surprisingly resilient. With the right nutrition, they can handle winter conditions far better than most animals.
When temperatures fall, hens need to work harder to maintain their internal body heat, compensating for the loss of external heat. This task is quite demanding and uses a lot of energy. Hens burn fat, carbohydrates and protein for energy and the amount of heat that they can generate depends on the quantity and quality of feed consumed.
Like us, chickens tend to eat more when it’s cold. They have a natural ability to adjust their intake based on their energy needs. However, this only goes so far, especially for younger hens, who often can’t physically eat enough to support these key biological functions:
- body maintenance
- warmth
- feather condition
- egg production
When that happens, hens shift into survival mode, prioritising their own health over laying eggs.
Feed for energy and protein
To support your hens through winter, it’s important to step up their nutrition. A premium and balanced feed ensures that hens receive an adequate supply of nutrients to sustain their body metabolism and growth and have enough nutrients left for the production of eggs. Considering that most hens would have just undergone a moult going into winter, the extra nutrients from the feed will also assist in replenishing the hens’ body fat reserves, promoting feather growth and rejuvenating their reproductive tracts, preparing them for the next laying cycle.
Choose the right feed
During winter, look for feeds that offer elevated protein levels and balanced energy.
Barastoc have four feeds with higher levels of protein that can help your hens get through winter.
Options include:
- Barastoc Champion Layer and Top Layer Mash both have 16.5% protein and are available in short cut pellet or fine mash, respectively.
- Barastoc Grains & Greens has 18.5% protein and presents as a grain, seed and Lucerne mix.
- Mixed Flock is great for a multi-species flock, with 22% protein.