Winter treats!

Since we have had snow on the ground for the longest stretch this winter, the ladies, and Mr. Roo, are getting a bit bored.  When it is not too bitterly cold out, they do venture to free range.  BUT with all the snow what is there to find?  They scratch and find some leaves, or on 35 degree days they might get another dirt bath by the sunny front window, but otherwise it is mostly slim pickins'!  The kids have played with the field corn from the garage enough in their pretend "farms" that the hens can find piles of corn hidden in the snow, but they LOVE scraps!  We basically save any food scraps from the kitchen unless they are rotten, burn, or citrus.  These things the chickens won't love.  They run to me, after me, and follow me to the coop when I am coming out of the house with a bucket.  They just race to get the leftover noodles, veggie scraps, and meat bones!  It is quite funny to see them fight over little jewels of food we deem trash. 

These pictures are from earlier in the year when I wasn't freezing my hands off to take pictures.  YUM Macaroni!

Hey lady, we raced you here, where is the food!  Got any of that steak from dinner last night?

 

Our chickens always get feed from the store or local elevator, with scraps as treats.  We also supplement with some corn and soybeans in the winter for extra body warmth.  It is all mixed together and only fed for the coldest days as too much corn can heat them up too much, and be hard to digest after prolonged feeding.  We grind the corn ourselves with our heavy duty blender, and the beans have to be boiled, baked, and ground a bit for them.  The soybeans have an enzyme that is harmful to be ingested unless they are cooked.  I HATE the smell in the kitchen when Alex is baking the beans, but luckily my essential oils, Purification to be exact, kick the smell immediately once diffused. 

 

Soybeans being baked/dried after boiling. 

 

Also, on the really really cold days I give them warm oatmeal.  They scarf it down, and sometimes a second helping is needed for the adolescents who get left out, and the bantam who can't always squirm her way into the fray.  I am looking into other treats to hang with grains they would love.

  

This is the usual scene lately, only the brave peek out to see if the snow is gone.  I leave the door open, but usually they stay close to the coop on these days. 

 

Get ready for warmer weather, their favorite treat is.........Watermelon rind!  It is picked clean down to only the green skin layer.  They devour it!  Also, grapes are pretty comical to watch as they fight over them :)  Keep Warm!