How can I find my old pictures?

[eve]

Just made some porriage i put some meal worms in as well my chickens loved it. First time ive made it as so cold here xx thought the treat would do them goid as one is have the biggest moult ive ever seen xx she is bold

[Chortle Chook]

I love giving my chickens their warm winter porridge. Down here we've only had one day so far where they really needed it but I swear they were lining up for it when they saw me coming with the porridge dish I used last year. Then one of my Polands just went and stood in it - warming her feet

This shows some of my lot last year eating their porridge

 

[Grandmashazzie]

Mine love it too. In the cold mornings I make them a mash with their pellets and hot water,in the evenings I make oat porridge with sunflower hearts.One of my Mille Fleur is very bedraggled too,what a time to moult.

[eve]

Pics are lovely didnt gave them any last night as was warmer but when i went out to the bin they went mad making all sorts of noises felt bad as they were expecting me to take the porrige up to them xx

Will do it again this weekend as meant to cold again xx

[Sil-El]

We have recently started giving porridge to our ladies and they just love it.

 

The first time they were initially a bit cautious until Melody stuck her beak in and realised it was yummy and then the other 3 quickly got the idea. My husband put some blueberries in and that was very welcome indeed.

 

I do like to think of them having porridge warming their tummies on cold mornings

[DaisyAndBobby]

I really wouldn't bother giving them porridge as hens don't need warming up. They have a MUCH higher body temperature than us, about 45 degrees, and the porridge will cool quickly inside their crop and turn into a very gooey, sticky mass that can cause crop issues.

 

It's a bit of a misconception that hens need warming up on cold mornings. Firstly they aren't cold. Not only having a high body temperature, but also wearing their own feather duvet.

 

And warming up a chicken internally really is not a good idea. Just because you're cold on these mornings doesn't mean that then hens are. They're very warm inside already!

[Beantree]

I think chickens maintain a body temperature of between 38 and 42 degrees D&B. To do this they need more carbohydrates in cold weather and some of ours eat huge amounts of feed over Winter, even though they are not laying. Because they have a higher body temperature they are prone to lose more heat. Porridge, as I understand, gives them extra carbohydrates so it should be a good idea as long as they digest it quickly. The digestive transit time of a chicken is three hours, so it won't go off. Accepted it may set in a lump but if they are eating and especially drinking the crop contractions will send it through.

 

I was told a feed of wheat late on will give them slow digesting carbohydrate to fuel them over a long night. Important they have ample grit to grind it down though.

[Olly]

It's correct that they eat slightly more in winter, and if you want to feed porridge it probably won't do them any harm but I agree with Daisy & Bobby that there is absolutely no benefit to the hens in feeding it. It's very easy when we're fond of our pets, to attribute the same feelings and wants to them that we have.

 

Hens are well adapted to cold weather and really don't need any special treatment in winter.

[DaisyAndBobby]

Average body temp between 41 and 45 degrees C. They simply don't need the extra heat.

 

I agree that carbs can be useful and when given later in the day allow the chickens to generate heat digesting them overnight whilst roosting. Lots of people use scratch/corn/mixed grains for this as you say.

 

I think it's just simply a myth that chickens need warming up in cold weather with WARM feed.

 

Any hens finishing or having a late moult should probably be filling their crops during the day with as much protein based food as they can. Warm porridge in the morning isn't going to be ideal in these instances.

[mullethunter]

They may have a short digestive transit time but I thought the food sat in the crop during the day before going into the rest of the digestive system.

[Olly]

There's a handy guide here.

[redsunset]

My version of porridge is to make a big soup pan of the stuff but using their mash, and to that I just add any good reduced veggies, like carrots or kale for interest and fact it's warm on very wintry snowy days, means it goes down a treat!

Otherwise an extra top up of grains/corn before bedtime keeps them toasty (rem I have tree roosting chooks) despite the cold weather and they do just fine. Have given up trying to make them go to a coop. Times they will (the few diehards) and times they won't, so I let them decide!

[eve]

Like you say think they would be fine with just corn as treats but its nice to have a change of treat, me thinks every now again .