I think if you have whole pumpkins it would make a big difference.
I split whole pumpkins in half with a hammer and spread them around for the chickens.
They really love the seeds and the pulp of the pumpkins and jack ol anterns don't really have much for them to be interested in.
If they had the seeds and pulp to start with then they may continue to finish off the flesh and rind.
How old were these jack o lanterns?
It may be that they have been sitting around too long and the chickens can detect that something is off about them a slight smell or something.
Some chickens may eat anything but others will not eat anything that is even slightly starting to turn.
Mine eat the whole pumpkins down to nothing except a couple of small pieces of the skin and when the kids carve the pumpkins we throw them all the pulp and seeds.
Pumpkin seeds are a natural dewormer so its good if you can get some into them.
I decorate the yard with pumpkins and give the chickens one or two per week in October and November and if I have any left over I put them aside to feed to them during the winter months.
I don't cook them or anything, the cold weather keeps them pretty well.
Steve, have you thought about hanging treats inside the coop to keep them busy?
I hang cabbage or homemade seed balls from a string in the coop, I stick one of those tent stakes through them and the chickens love to jump and peck at them.
Purina also sells a 25lb feed block that keeps them busy and helps by allowing them to use their pecking instinct when they can't scratch and peck around outdoors.
I have to say, I must be lucky because most of mine love going out no matter what the weather.
If I leave the coop door open while I am feeding they will walk out in the snow and rain.
They are only in when there has been a snowstorm and we only shovel out a pathway to their door so we can take care of them. Even then there are always some chickens walking up and down the pathway from their coop to our backdoor.
