New chicken owners often worry about how best to keep their chickens warm and cozy as temperatures dip and snow piles up. Depending on the breed, most chickens tolerate winters much better than we humans do! By following a few simple steps, your chickens will survive even the worst that winter can throw at us.
Winterizing the Coop
During winter, your chickens spend more time inside their coop, so keeping it insulated—but well ventilated—is essential. On the coop floor, you can incorporate the deep litter method. Lay a 4- to 5-inch-thick layer of pine shavings or other absorbent material on the floor. Turn it over every week or two, adding fresh shavings when needed. The chickens will do the rest by scratching and turning it over. As shavings or straw is added, the additional layers work to increase the insulation barrier. On cold, windy days, my hens stay inside the coop, and fluff into the warm bedding material. If you use a poop board under the roost, no droppings will soil the floor, so it stays clean. I utilize this method year-round and have never experienced any odors from accumulated droppings.
Plexiglass panels, sturdy and reusable, make a great wind barrier for chicken runs.
Check Coop Ventilation
While it’s smart to insulate the coop in colder climates, it’s essential to incorporate ventilation at the coop roofline. Chickens are highly susceptible to respiratory illness. As chickens expel air, their warm, moist breath needs somewhere to escape. If air can’t escape, moisture - and frost - will develop inside the coop. This can be disastrous for your chickens. They can get a bronchial infection or frostbite on their combs and wattles. Check that all ventilation openings are free from obstructions, such as bird or wasp nests left over from the summer.
Nest Boxes and Roosts
As the temperatures dip, your chickens will roost with their feet tucked under their warm bodies to avoid frostbite. To do this, they need a roost wide enough to lay their feet flat. While a tree branch or small board is okay for younger or smaller chicks, adult, full-size chickens need a roosting board that is large enough to sit on flat-footed. For most breeds, a 2-by-4-foot piece of wood works well as a roost. Avoid metal for roosts, which not only retains cold temperatures, but can also become moist and freeze.
Your Chicken’s Food and Water
Even though temperatures will dip, your chickens will still need fresh water every day. If you live in a climate where temps get below freezing, it’s a good investment to purchase a heated waterer. I use the heated dog bowls found at big box stores and never have to worry about frozen water. You can also find waterers specifically for poultry, like the Heated All-Season Poultry Fount pictured at Tractor Supply. If you don’t have a heated waterer, check at least twice a day to make sure their water isn’t frozen.
This time of year, chickens will be coming out of molt, so their food intake will increase. Even though chickens won’t be as active in the colder months, they’ll still expend a lot of energy to keep their body temperatures up, so will need good quality feed.
After all chickens have grown their feathers back from the fall molt, I start offering them scratch grains, consisting mostly of cracked corn. While this has little nutrient value and is considered a treat, giving chickens scratch grains an hour or so before they go to roost will help keep them warm overnight as they work to digest the grains. Avoid giving scratch all day, and save it for a treat right before bed.
Chickens and Snow
Most chickens don’t like walking on deep snow. Keep a path cleared so they can get outside for some exercise, or lay a path of straw for winter strolls. My chickens love to sit out on a sunny day. If they have a dust bath, try to keep that clear of snow as well.
One thing chickens do not like is wind. As long as they have a wind break and are protected from blowing snow, they should be encouraged to get out of the coop as much as possible. I have a small hut in their run, and a couple of shelters outside as well. Sit their food and water outside the coop as well to force them to at least go out for meals.
Bored Chickens
Since your girls won’t get out and about as much in the winter months, make sure to have some boredom busters. I let them peck at leftover pumpkins or sometimes place a cabbage in a swinging basket. They peck for hours, and avoid pecking each other. If you experience pecking or fighting, they’re most likely bored, so find some healthy treats or toys to keep them occupied. My girls are getting a xylophone from Santa.
Avoid Heating the Coop
I’ll say it again, in all caps: PLEASE DON’T HEAT YOUR COOP. I could share images of burnt coops or tragic stories, but just—don’t. We all think of our chickens as pets, but they’re not human. The ONLY time additional heat is necessary is for new baby chicks, which should be kept in a brooder with a heat lamp to keep their body temps up (if they have no mama hen). They don’t need sweater vests or a heated coop, and either could be detrimental to their health.
Wind protection, fresh feed and water, good coop ventilation, wide roosts, and boredom busters are the key to keep your flock happy and healthy through the winter.
