What to Feed Chickens in Winter to Keep them Warm?

Cold drafts and dry air in winter can take a toll on your chicken’s health. You’ve got to keep them warm and continue supplying nutrient-rich food.

To generate extra warmth, your flock needs a protein- and fat-rich diet. As a chicken keeper, the challenge is providing that diet when you’ve got limited options during the colder months.

Along with protein-rich feed, you also need to keep the chicken coop warmer. Even though some breeds handle winter well, regular care still can’t be ignored.

Winter brings frozen ground and scarce vegetation, making it nearly impossible for chickens to forage naturally.

Your flock’s feed intake can increase by 20–30% during winter because they burn more calories to maintain body temperature.

Understanding these increased nutritional needs helps you plan a feeding strategy that keeps your birds healthy and productive throughout the cold season.

The key to successful winter chicken keeping is offering consistent, high-quality nutrition that makes up for the energy lost to cold exposure.

When chickens don’t get adequate nutrients or go without feed for even 24 hours, their internal temperature can drop by about 2.5°F, putting them at risk of illness and lethargy.

By adjusting their diet proactively, you help them stay resilient against winter challenges and maintain good health until spring returns.

Importance of Changing Diet in Winter

To maintain the internal body temperature, chickens significantly use extra energy in colder months.

Accordingly, you must make diet adjustments that are essential for their survival and productivity.

Winter-specific feeding helps chickens stay warm, get proper nutrition, and maintain health when natural food sources disappear.

The goal is to balance energy intake with other nutrients so nothing goes to waste while still meeting their high caloric needs. Feed should be available throughout the day in winter.

Protein is crucial in winter because chickens finish molting and need extra nutrients to regrow feathers and stay warm. It supports energy, muscle strength, and good feather condition for better insulation.

Laying hens also work harder in the cold, needing more fuel and minerals to maintain body heat and keep laying. Without proper winter nutrition, chickens become weak and more prone to illness.

Different Chicken Feeding Methods for Winter

High-Quality Complete Layer Feed

Start with a good commercial layer feed that provides complete, balanced nutrition. Adult laying hens usually eat 1/4 to 1/2 pound of feed daily, but this amount increases in winter.

Choose layer feeds with 16–20% protein and all the essential vitamins and minerals hens need for health and egg production. Layer feed also contains calcium for strong shells, which is important even when laying slows down.

Commercial feeds are carefully balanced, which is hard to achieve with homemade diets. Winter is not the time to reduce protein or calcium—your birds need both for warmth, feather maintenance, and production.

You can increase the energy content by adding small amounts of oil or fat to support their higher winter calorie needs.

Also Read: 9 Ways to Winterize Chicken Coop

Whole Grains and Mash Feeds

Whole grains are especially useful in winter because they take longer to digest, producing more internal heat. Hopper feeding hard grain and dry mash throughout winter ensures your birds always have access to food.

Fermented feed is another great option. Soaking grains or mash for 24–48 hours improve digestion, boosts gut health, and reduces waste.

Chickens eat less fermented feed but get more nutrition out of it—perfect for winter when feed efficiency matters.

A mixed feed of grains, pellets, and crumbles adds variety while still delivering balanced nutrition. It’s great for picky eaters and keeps the diet interesting.

Scratch Grains for Evening Warmth

Offering scratch grains in the evening gives chickens a quick energy boost that helps them stay warm overnight.

Cracked corn, oats, and mixed scratch are great supplements, and black oil sunflower seeds add extra fat.

Give just a handful per bird at night. Scratch is energy-dense but not complete nutrition, so use it as a supplement, not a main feed. The digestive heat they generate helps chickens handle the coldest hours of the night.

Also Read: 19 Cold Hardy Chicken Breeds that Tolerant Winter

Protein-Rich Supplements

Extra protein keeps chickens warm, supports feathers, and maintains egg production. Good protein boosters include mealworms, fish meal, meat meal, sprouted grains, or small amounts of cooked meat or fish.

Offer protein treats a few times a week, especially during or after molting. Laying hens benefit the most, as they need high protein to keep producing through winter.

Winter Greens and Vegetables

Fresh greens give your flock vitamins, minerals, and fiber when nothing is growing outdoors. Leafy greens like kale, lettuce, and spinach are easy to find in winter. Hanging a whole cabbage keeps them busy and provides steady nutrition.

Safe kitchen scraps like carrot tops, broccoli stems, or small amounts of cooked squash add helpful variety. You can also mix boiled potatoes, turnips, or carrots into crumbly mash for extra nutrition.

Just avoid toxic foods like avocado, uncooked beans, onion, raw potato skins, and fruit pits.

Also Read: 70 Things Chickens Can Eat & 30 Food Items to Avoid

Sprouted Grains and Legumes

Sprouts are nutrient-dense and easy to grow indoors. Lentils, mung beans, and wheat sprout well. Soak, rinse, and sprout them for 3–5 days and offer them fresh.

Sprouts are rich in vitamin C, boost immunity, and offer a crunchy treat. You can also soak or boil whole grains and mix them with mash and vegetables for a warming, nutritious feed.

Winter Squash and Fruits

Pumpkin, butternut squash, and acorn squash are excellent winter foods. They provide vitamins, natural sugars, and extra calories. Offer them cooked or raw, or mix cooked squash into mash.

Fruits like apples and pears supply vitamins and hydration, but feed them in moderation because of the high sugar content.

Free-Choice Grit

Since chickens can’t find grit outdoors in winter, you must provide it. Offer free-choice grit in a separate container. Choose the right size grit for your birds’ age and type.

Laying hens also need oyster shells or limestone for calcium. Without grit, chickens can’t break down whole grains properly, which affects digestion and nutrient absorption.

Milk as a Protein Supplement

Milk can be a useful protein supplement for laying hens, but they usually don’t drink enough in cold weather to fulfill their entire requirement. If you do use milk, pair it with other protein sources like meat meal, fish meal, or layer concentrate. Provide bone meal separately to maintain calcium balance.

Also Read: How to Keep My Chickens Warm in the Winter?

Consistent Feed Availability throughout the Day

Keep your feeders full during winter because chickens naturally eat more. You may need more feeders than in summer. Make sure feed stays dry—wet feed spoils or freezes quickly.

If rodents are a problem, remove feed at night and put it out again first thing in the morning. This keeps pests away while still giving your flock enough calories during the day.

Managing Feed Quality in Cold Conditions

Store feed in dry, protected areas to prevent moisture, mold, and freezing. Check feeders daily and remove wet or frozen feed. Using protected or insulated feeders helps keep feed in good condition.

Make sure water sources stay unfrozen, because chickens need steady hydration to digest their feed properly. Dehydration reduces feed efficiency and makes it harder for them to maintain body heat.

Also Read: 27 Herbs to Feed Chickens to Keep them Healthy

Conclusion

Winter feeding takes planning, but it makes all the difference for your flock’s health.

Combining a high-quality complete feed with supplements like scratch grains, protein boosts, fresh greens, and sprouts gives your chickens the energy they need to stay warm and keep laying.

Remember, chickens often eat 20–30% more in winter—and that extra feed is essential for their survival.

Proper winter nutrition works alongside good shelter, ventilation, and unfrozen water.

Winter feeding is more than just filling a feeder—it’s about making sure your birds get the calories, protein, and nutrients they need to thrive. With consistent feeding, good quality control, and smart supplements, your flock will stay healthy, active, and productive all winter long.