On cold mornings, our feathered friends come running when they see the treat bucket in hand! Our chickens are not the only happy critters on cold mornings. Our Muscovy ducks, quail and Peafowl enjoy the cold morning treats as well! There are several different combinations of treats I use to help bring body temperatures up as well as energy levels. Oatmeal, eggs, molasses, scratch, and dried fruit on some some of the foods I use to make the morning breakfast or evening treat before roosting.

Eggs can either be boiled and chopped with shell left on or scrabbled. Never feed your birds raw eggs for this will become a habit in the coop. . Below are several different combinations I have used in the last few days! I usually feed 150 birds but one must remember that it is a treat and quality chicken feed should be the majority of the nutrients. Furthermore, I use a variety of different feed depending on the bird and age. Also don't forget to keep water containers full and if possible offer warm water. . Keeping water plentiful is just as important as feeding the birds.

Oatmeal and Scratch

4 cups of oatmeal added to 10 cups of boiling water

Add to the boiling water before the oatmeal

1/2 cup of dried cranberries chopped

3 TBS of Molasses

1 TBS of Cinnamon

Once Oatmeal is cooked I add to my treat bucket and then add...

1/2 cup of dried meal worm

1/2 cup of scratch or crack corn

Stir all the ingredients together and serve.

You will have very happy birds!

Oatmeal an Scrambled eggs

2 cups of oatmeal to 5 to 6 cups of boiling water

3 TBS of molasses

Scramble 24 eggs and then chop so they are in smaller pieces

Combine eggs with oatmeal

Add 1/2 cup of scratch or cracked corn

1/4 cup of dried meal worm

Oatmeal Peanut Butter and Bananas

4 cups of oatmeal with 10 cups of boiling water

Before adding the oatmeal add

3 TBS of molasses

1 TBS of cinnamon

3 TBS of peanut butter

After adding the oatmeal to the mixture add

1 1/2 chopped bananas into the mixture.

After adding to treat bucket

Add 1/2 cup of scratch

Oatmeal Peas and Corn

Cook 4 cups of Oatmeal in 10 cups of water

Add following ingredients

3 TBS of Molasses

1 cup of frozen peas (thawed) or fresh peas (canned peas have too much sodium) I simply thaw any frozen vegetable by putting in a colander and running hot water over them

1 cup of frozen corn thawed

sometimes I add 1/2 cup cranberries to the oatmeal while cooking

Cold Weather Treats....

Oatmeal and Scratch

Oatmeal an Scrambled eggs

Oatmeal Peanut Butter and Bananas

Oatmeal Peas and Corn