Chilly Chickens

It's 15 degrees Fahrenheit (about -9 Celsius) in the unheated chicken coop. They say chickens can take the cold, but we like to give them a little something extra when the temps go below zero.

This is some of last years pumpkin crop which we pureed and put into the freezer.

First mixed with some hot brown rice....

Then the addition of a few heaping tablespoons of crushed egg shells. We save all our eggshells to be used as a supplement for the hens, and also for adding to the planting hole when transplanting our tomato plants to help prevent blossom end rot.

And now the finishing touch, a good handful of worms from the mealworm farm.

It might seem logical to just put the bowl down and let them go at it, but the shyer ones would stand on the outside and not get any. We find it better to spread it around so they all get a taste. Candy is more interested in sniffing the hens than the pumpkin treat.