Frosty Bites and Barnyard Delights - The Cooler Side of Feeding

When the summer heat cranks up, your Loop load can become more than feed, it can become entertainment. If you have freezer space, the possibilities are endless!

Few things in life are as satisfying as watching a chicken aggressively peck a frozen watermelon like it owes her money.

Freezing parts of your load is a simple way to cool animals down, stretch usability, and add a little comic relief to your day.

Here are some clever farmer-tested ideas:

Slice melons, thread them onto a rope or string, freeze them, and hang them in the coop. It becomes part snack, part game, and part poultry theater.

Chickens stay cool, stay busy, and you get front-row seats to the show.

Yogurt Pops for the Herd

If yogurt comes through your load, freeze them!

Pop them out for a refreshing treat on hot afternoons.

Perfect for pigs, goats, and other curious taste-testers.

It’s basically a barnyard dessert.

Toss berries, chopped fruit, leafy greens, or veggie scraps into containers of water and freeze into blocks. Serve as enrichment and cooling all in one.

Animals work at it slowly, which keeps them occupied and hydrated.

Mix produce pieces into feed buckets and freeze partially for a longer-lasting cool meal.

Especially useful for pigs or animals who enjoy rooting through their food.

Bonus: it slows down fast eaters!

Coop Cubes

Freeze small portions of fruit or vegetables in ice cube trays. Scatter them for chickens or ducks to investigate. It turns snack time into a scavenger hunt.

Fill a bucket with mixed produce, add water, and freeze. Flip it out for a giant icy centerpiece in the yard.

Great for larger animals and excellent for laughs.

Nothing says summer like watching a goat try to outsmart a frozen cabbage.

Hot weather can be tough, but with a little creativity, your Loop load can help animals cool off while giving everyone a reason to smile. Sometimes the best farm moments come wrapped in frost.