Warm Mash For Cold Chickens

With the cold weather upon us again here in the Ohio Valley of Western Kentucky, the concern for keeping all my farm animals warm and comfortable has become a top priority. Chickens are especially susceptible to cold weather injuries, like frostbite, when there is too much moisture so a dry coop is important. Thankfully my animals have warm bedding in strong, wind resist shelters but just like my family, they always look forward to a warm meal on chilly winter days! For several years I have been making a hot mash for my horses so when I began adding other animals to our farm I started to tailor my hot mash recipe to the needs of the rest of my farm animals. Most of the ingredients I've included are pantry staples and are inexpensive and readily available!

A good, inexpensive base that will warm and fill quickly is the key to making this mash go as far as possible. I use old fashion oats, amounts ranging any where from 2-8 cups, depending on the amount of animals you're feeding. Pour desired amount into a LARGE mixing bowl. On stove top, heat water to boiling. Again, the amount water depends on the amount of the oats. I usually add water until the oats are slightly moist but still "crumbly". For chickens, you can also add any type of(organic) broth. Broth is high in nutrients like amino acids, collagen, and other nutrients that support immune systems, good digestion, and brain health. While the water/ liquid is heating up, prepare apples and carrots by chopping in small pieces ( be careful and use kitchen safety while using sharp knives). Carrots and apples both contain important minerals and vitamins and are fairly cheap. I can also feed these two ingredients to all my farm animals. When preparing the apples remember to core it, removing all the seeds. Apple seeds contain cyanide, which is highly poisonous and can be deadly in high doses!

After the water has been incorporated into the oats (remember the oats should be crumbly and not completely mixed) add the chopped carrots and apples. Mix with oats until evenly distributed.

At this point, if you're making it for horses, goats, etc., you can also add their regular daily feed to the Mash.

To continue making the mash specifically for chickens, I add scratch grain. Mix until incorporated. Scratch grain is a great additive on cold days because their body creates energy (heat) while digesting the grain! Keep in mind as well, if your chickens aren't able to free range or the ground is frozen, its important to offer grit, free choice. Chickens don't have teeth so they need some kind of grit to help break up their food in the gizzard. Not providing grit can lead to digestive issues.