04/06/2025
❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄Winter is here! ❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄❄
The days are getting shorter, the girls are finishing up their molts, and you are getting less eggs as winter approaches. You might be wondering, “is this normal?” The answer is, yes, it’s perfectly normal.
Chickens need about 16 hours of light per day to produce eggs, with the exception of some over-eager first year hens who may lay throughout winter. But with the shortened daylight hours, and the cold weather requiring more of their energy resources be directed to keeping their body temperatures where the need to be, egg production will go down.
Just because your ladies have slowed down on their egg production, or even stopped, however, doesn’t mean they need less nutrition. Continuing to feed a quality, nutritious, energy-providing diet, just like you would through the warmer months, will help your girls continue some egg production and provide them the energy reserves they require to stay warm and fit. It will also help them show up next spring in prime condition to start laying regularly again.
Winter Poultry Nutrition Essentials
🐔Protein: Boost for Health and Laying
Vital for egg production and feather health, especially during cold, wet weather.
Young birds need extra protein to support growth and development.
Sources include quality commercial feed, mealworms, lupins, and leafy greens.
🐔Carbohydrates: Energy for Warmth
Grains like wheat, barley, and corn give birds the extra energy they need on cold days.
Feed a grain mix in the afternoon to help chickens generate warmth overnight.
🐔Greens & Vitamins
Leafy greens are packed with Vitamin A, E, and calcium—perfect for immune support.
Winter foraging is limited, so supplement with kitchen greens like spinach, silverbeet, or broccoli (avoid anything from the “do not feed” list below).
🐔Water: Always Available
Chickens still drink a surprising amount, even in cool weather.
Make sure water is clean and unfrozen; upsized drinkers or automatic systems help ensure they don’t run dry.
🐔Grit & Shell Grit: For Digestion & Shell Strength
Grit helps chickens grind their food in the gizzard.
Shell grit adds calcium to prevent thin or soft eggshells.
🚫Foods to Avoid (Even in Winter)
While chickens love scraps, some foods should always be avoided:
Avocado, chocolate, caffeine – toxic to chickens.
Onion & garlic (in excess) – can cause anemia.
Raw/dried beans – toxic lectins can cause serious illness.
Green potatoes/tomatoes, rhubarb leaves, citrus – digestive upset or toxicity.
Choose High-Quality Australian Made Feed available here at Condell Park Produce.
Feeding a balanced, locally made poultry feed ensures your flock gets everything they need—especially when winter conditions limit foraging.
www.condellparkproduce.com.au
