2023 Autumn Winter Feeding - Barastoc Poultry

Autumn is a significant season for your chooks.

As daylight hours diminish, their egg production tends to drop off or stop altogether. Any feathers that need replacing are shed – usually around their tails or necks. This is because they’re getting ready to rest up and replenish for the laying season.

To best prepare your birds for autumn, look to high-quality feed with lots of protein – such as Barastoc Champion Layer, Mixed Flock, Grains & Greens or Top Layer. A protein-rich diet is important because their feathers are made up of 80-85% protein. With the right nutrition, they’ll have the energy and protein reserves for feather rejuvenation – which not only keeps them warm and protected as the temperature drops, but supports overall wellbeing.

Top Tips for happy hens in Autumn

Wondering how you can give your girls the best care and nutrition
during autumn? Download our handy guide to preparing your birds for autumn.

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Give them a high protein, high energy diet

In the cooler months, hens need to increase their internal body temperature to compensate for the loss of external heat. This can be quite nutrient-demanding, which is why it’s important to ensure that they are fed a balanced diet with top-quality feed that’s higher in both protein and energy compared to their usual diet.

Encourage
foraging

Avoid cabin coop fever and keep chooks engaged by encouraging them to forage for food. Our Grains & Greens mix is perfect for this and includes sunflower seeds and Lucerne plus essential vitamins and minerals to ensure they are still getting what they need to stay healthy.

Create outdoor roosts

Chickens love to hop up on things and stand on things, and this also helps them get off the cold ground. Use boards, branches, ladders or perches to create a jungle gym of sorts or place stumps of different lengths along the fence so your chooks can perch and watch the world go by. Another great idea is a swinging bench!

Make time for supervised free range

Just like us, chooks need fresh air and space to stretch their legs. Once a day, make time for supervised free range time so they can roam and enjoy the daylight. Try tossing some treats along the way to lure them further and further from the coop.

Set up a sheltered dust bath

Keep your chicken’s regular bath area mudfree by setting it up in a sheltered area or put out a large tub or kiddie pool on a warmer day as a way for them to spend the afternoon. Dust bathing is also an important way to help keep parasites at bay!