Fall Feed Guide: Preparing Livestock, Poultry, and Pets for the Cold Months

When the temperature drops, feed does more than fill a belly. It becomes the fuel your animals burn to stay warm. Getting feed right in the fall means healthier livestock through winter, steady egg production from the flock, and pets that hold condition when they are working or living outdoors. Here is how to set every animal on your property up for the cold months.

Livestock: build condition before the cold

The single most important fall job is getting animals into winter at the right body condition. It is far easier and cheaper to add condition in October on good pasture than to chase it in January.

• Assess body condition now. Thin animals need extra energy well before the first hard freeze. Cattle burn significantly more feed just to stay warm once temperatures fall below their comfort zone.
• Increase energy, not just volume. As pasture quality drops, supplement with quality hay and, where needed, an energy feed to maintain condition through cold snaps.
• Keep minerals in front of them. A fall and winter mineral program supports immunity and prevents deficiencies when fresh forage is gone. We carry loose mineral and mineral feeders to keep it clean and available.
• Do not forget water. Animals eat less and lose condition when water is icy or scarce. Plan now for heated water bowls or de-icers (covered in our fall freeze-up checklist).

We stock hay, energy feeds, loose mineral, and feeders. Talk to us about a program matched to your herd or flock size.

Poultry: feed for shorter days and the molt

Fall is hard on a laying flock. Shorter days and the annual molt pull birds off lay while their bodies rebuild feathers.

• Move to a quality layer feed with the protein and calcium hens need. Feathers are mostly protein, so a slight protein bump helps birds through the molt.
• Offer supplemental calcium such as oyster shell to keep shells strong on the birds still laying.
• Add scratch grains sparingly on the coldest days. The extra energy helps birds stay warm overnight, but scratch is a treat, not a complete feed.
• Keep feed and water from freezing and protect feed from rodents (see storage below).

Pets and working dogs: more fuel for the cold

Outdoor and working dogs burn more calories keeping warm and moving through fall chores and hunting season.

• Increase intake or step up to a higher-energy formula for active and outdoor dogs as the weather cools.
• Keep cats and dogs on a complete, quality food through the season. We carry trusted pet food brands and can help you match a formula to your animal’s needs.

Wild birds: fall is when feeding pays off

As natural food gets scarce, backyard birds rely on feeders. Fall is the time to clean feeders, stock high-energy seed and suet, and enjoy the traffic all winter. We carry wild bird seed, suet, and feeders.

Protect your feed: rodent-proof storage

Fall is when mice and rats move indoors and into feed rooms. Spilled and open feed is an open invitation.

• Store feed in sealed metal or heavy-duty containers, off the floor.
• Clean up spills promptly.
• Set out rodenticide or traps at the first sign of activity. We stock effective rodent control to keep your feed and barn clean.

Get set for winter

Whether you are feeding cattle, a backyard flock, working dogs, or the birds at your window, Glencoe Country & Garden is the feed store Glencoe and Southwest Middlesex rely on for the feed, mineral, and supplies to carry you through the cold season. If you have searched for a feed store near you, we are right here in Glencoe. Stop in and we will help you build a plan.

Browse Livestock Supplies, Poultry, Pet Food & Supplies, and Wild Bird Feed & Supplies.