How do free-range chickens get through winter? Key points for winter feeding and management
It has been a few days since the Start of Winter, and the temperature is getting lower and lower, which is a severe test for free-range chickens. Wintering free-range chickens is not like raising chickens in greenhouses; they do not have complete insulation facilities and measures, so how to get through the winter becomes a major problem in winter. So how should free-range chickens get through the winter? Let's take a look together.
1. Cold protection and insulation
The sheds for free-range chickens are relatively simple, mostly just a place to shelter from rain and rest, basically drafty on all four sides, so using them as insulation in winter is completely impossible. In winter, the chicken coop temperature should be kept above 10 degrees as much as possible, so windbreaks can be set up around the coop. To avoid cold wind invasion, plastic sheeting can also be added over wall cracks, doors, windows and other places where wind may leak, and wall gaps should be blocked to prevent drafty winds and cross-ventilation. At the same time, appropriately increase the stocking density and rely on the group's body heat to get through the winter.
2. Increase lighting duration
Light can not only strengthen the chickens' physique, but also promote the secretion of pituitary hormones in hens, making the hens vigorous in egg production. However, because winter has short days and long nights, the lighting duration is relatively short, so electric lights need to be installed in the coop for artificial supplemental lighting. Generally, the daily lighting duration should reach more than 15 hours. For the lighting time, the method of turning on the lights early in the morning and turning them off late at night can be adopted. When the temperature is suitable, drive the flock out of the coop so they can receive as much light as possible; this is also a good time to clean the coop.
3. Increase nutrition
The winter temperature is relatively low, and chickens need to consume more energy to resist the severe cold, while free-range chickens in winter cannot obtain more nutrients from the outside, so these must be obtained from feed. Therefore, in winter, the energy level in the feed for free-range chickens should be appropriately adjusted so that they have sufficient energy to resist the severe cold. In addition, attention should also be paid to the vitamin content in the feed.
4. Strengthen disease prevention and control
Winter is the season when respiratory infectious diseases spread among chickens. Once a disease occurs at this time, corresponding drugs should be used promptly for preventive measures. At the same time, disinfect the chickens with chicken-safe disinfection once every 5-7 days, which can kill Escherichia coli, Salmonella and others. Against Marek's disease virus, Newcastle disease virus and others, this can provide excellent disease prevention.
The above is an introduction to how free-range chickens get through winter. I hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please follow us.