Oatmeal for chickens makes a warming breakfast on cold mornings, especially when mixed with cooked winter squash. These simple, inexpensive additions to your flock’s diet provide a little variety during winter weather.
As the days get shorter, we chicken keepers start heating the coop waterers. Chickens are hardy animals, but that doesn’t mean they’re always comfortable in the cold, especially if some are molting late in the season. A warm meal can make a cold morning a little more bearable.
Key Takeaways
Warm oatmeal makes an inexpensive, hydrating breakfast for chickens during cold weather.
Cooked pumpkin and other winter squashes provide vitamins and beta-carotene.
Soak old-fashioned oats in hot water and check the temperature before serving.
Cook and cool winter squash before offering it to your flock.
Preparing Winter Squash for Chickens
Pumpkin, like other winter squashes, is high in vitamin A, vitamin C and beta-carotene. It’s just as healthy for chickens as it is for us (when we don’t purée it into a custard full of sugar).
To cook a ripe pumpkin, break off the stem, stab a few holes around the top, and bake at 350°F for one hour. To contain the mess, put the pumpkin in a 9-by-13″ pan lined with aluminum foil. After an hour, turn the oven off and leave the pumpkin in the hot oven for 20 minutes or so, just to make sure it’s nice and soft. After the pumpkin cools enough to touch, slice it into quarters, let it cool a little more, and then serve it to the chickens.
If you try baking a fresher pie pumpkin or other winter squash, like butternut or spaghetti squash, you’ll find they’re very tough to cut into with a knife. In these cases, grab a drill and make two holes in the top of the squash using a 1/2-inch drill bit. This not only saves fingers, but it lets the steam escape the squash so it doesn’t explode all over the oven.
Some people feed their jack-o’-lantern pulp to their flocks when they’re carving pumpkins for Halloween, but I haven’t had success with this. My picky flock will only eat pumpkin seeds if they’re cooked. If you find your flock is like mine, and you can get to your jack-o’-lantern before it starts to decay, cut it up and steam the pumpkin flesh for your flock so it doesn’t go to waste. It’s a great supplement, low in calories and makes a small dent in feed costs.
Warm Oatmeal for Chickens
What I love about feeding warm oatmeal for chickens to my flock, especially on the coldest mornings, is that it’s cheap, it’s hydrating and I can mix in kitchen scraps to make it a little more exciting for the foragers.
I don’t bother cooking the oatmeal because then I have to wait for it to cool. Instead, I put about one cup of old-fashioned oats into a glass bowl, then simply add hot water from the tap. I let the oats soak for a few minutes and sometimes add a little more water.
I always stick my finger into the oatmeal to see if it’s warm enough. If not, I’ll microwave it for 30 seconds, but not more without checking the temperature. I don’t want to risk burning the chickens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can chickens eat oatmeal?
Yes. Chickens can eat plain oatmeal made from old-fashioned or rolled oats. It can be served dry or soaked in warm water. Oatmeal should be offered as an occasional treat rather than a replacement for a nutritionally balanced chicken feed.
Is warm oatmeal good for chickens in winter?
Warm oatmeal can be a comforting treat for chickens during cold weather. Mixing oats with warm water also provides some additional hydration. Always check the temperature before serving to make sure the oatmeal isn’t too hot.
Can chickens eat cooked pumpkin and squash?
Yes. Chickens can eat cooked pumpkin and other winter squashes, including butternut and spaghetti squash. Allow the squash to cool before serving, and offer it in moderation alongside their regular feed.
Warm squash and oatmeal are easy ways to add variety to your flock’s winter feeding routine. Just remember to keep treats in moderation and make sure your chickens continue to get a balanced diet.
This article about warm squash and oatmeal for chickens was written for Chickens magazine. Click here to subscribe.
