During winter new chicken keepers start to panic. "How will my chickens survive the cold?" "Do I need supplemental heat?" "Are there any cracks in my coop?"
Don't worry, there are lots of tricks to help your chickens stay warm in the winter. Here are some ways of keeping your flock warm over winter as gathered from our BYC members in our poll: How Do You Keep Your Flock Warm In The Winter?
The results are sorted in order of most to least popular:
1. Nothing, their feathers keep them warm
How feathers help keep a bird warm is simple. Most feathers consist of at least two of three parts; all feathers have a 'rachis', a supportive structure also known as the shaft, and most have either a vane, or both.
The central shaft is what gives the feather its shape and attaches it to the bird. The vane is the flat, smooth section of the feather toward the top, and the down is the fluffy, loose part at the bottom of the feather.
Down feathers, as you probably are aware, consist entirely of down with a soft and flexible shaft, sometimes only consisting of the quill tip. Contour feathers have a vane and some down on a stiffer shaft. Semi-plumes are somewhere in the middle, with more down and less of a vane that is not held together as smoothly compared to contour feathers.
The vane of the contour feathers forms a tight, sealed barrier from the outside air, restricting the heat the bird produces from leaving its body. The downy section of all of these feathers then traps that heat beneath that barrier, and holds it close to the bird’s body. By fluffing out their feathers, chickens produce an even thicker layer of insulation - and as long as the vane barrier is uninterrupted by wind or wetness, that heat can be held onto easily to maintain the bird’s body temperature.
Feathers are such excellent insulators that you may notice that the surface of your birds’ feathers actually feels cool to the touch in cold weather. Want to know how cold your chickens really are, though? Lift up your bird’s feathers and put your fingers down into their down near their skin. It’s quite warm in there, isn’t it? This is also the reason why chickens struggle more in extreme heat than in cold. It’s easy to keep in the warmth they produce, but releasing it is more difficult!
2. I provide lots of draft-free ventilation
Ventilation is actually more important in winter because cold air can't hold nearly so much water vapor before it gets saturated i.e. really damp and humid and clammy - which invites frostbite and respiratory disease.
How? The moisture will settle on combs and wattles- freeze- and cause frostbite.
So yes, your vents will be letting in cold air, but that's OK as long as it is not breezing down directly at your chickens. Bad ventilation also makes the air stale and dusty, which isn't very nice to breathe. So make sure to give your coop more ventilation than you think it needs.
3. I use the Deep Litter Method
DLM is basically a method in which you allow your coop litter to build up over a period of time. As the chicken manure and litter of choice compost, it helps to heat the coop, which in turn helps keep the chickens warmer. Plus it has the added advantage of you cleaning the coop once or twice a year, as opposed to weekly cleanings.
4. I've Insulated Their Coop
Whether or not to insulate is a hotly debated topic. Keep in mind that chickens over the age of 6-7 weeks do come with built-in insulation, in the form of a well designed feather blanket that helps them regulate their body heat. Some less cold hardy breeds may benefit from extra protection against extreme colds, but most hardy breeds will do fine in well built, properly ventilated coops and will not need insulation or extra heat.
However, insulating has its benefits. If you live in an area where it gets below -10°C, insulating can increase egg production, decrease frostbite, keep it warmer in winter and cooler in summer, and increase longevity. It can decrease food consumption as well.
5. I use Heat Lamps
In conditions where the temperature reaches extreme lows, you may decide to provide supplemental heat. That is entirely your choice for your flock, and not one to be ashamed of if you are at least keeping in mind the many risks and dangers.
Heat lamps are a good way to warm up small birds or injured birds. Young chicks and bantams may need them in extremely cold environments. Although many are worried about fire hazards with heat lamps, if the heat lamp is 18" above bedding and dust-free, there is minimal risk. Be aware that using a heat lamp often requires you to reclimatize birds.
For some, heat lamps are successful because they heat up objects and not the air. Heaters that heat the air cause birds to become unused to cold, so if a power outage hits or your birds go outside they could easily become ill, frostbitten, or die.
Further Reading:
Keeping Flocks Warm In Winter
Insulating Your Chicken Coop
Chicken Coop Ventilation
To Insulate or Not To Insulate
It's Cold - Keeping Flocks Warm And Healthy In Winter
Deep Litter Method - The Easiest Way To Deal With Chicken Litter
The Ultimate Wintertime Chicken Keeping Preparation Checklist
Cold Weather Advisory - A Detailed Look At The Question of Supplemental Heat
So how do you keep your flock warm in the winter months?
Don't worry, there are lots of tricks to help your chickens stay warm in the winter. Here are some ways of keeping your flock warm over winter as gathered from our BYC members in our poll: How Do You Keep Your Flock Warm In The Winter?
The results are sorted in order of most to least popular:
1. Nothing, their feathers keep them warm
How feathers help keep a bird warm is simple. Most feathers consist of at least two of three parts; all feathers have a 'rachis', a supportive structure also known as the shaft, and most have either a vane, or both.
The central shaft is what gives the feather its shape and attaches it to the bird. The vane is the flat, smooth section of the feather toward the top, and the down is the fluffy, loose part at the bottom of the feather.
Down feathers, as you probably are aware, consist entirely of down with a soft and flexible shaft, sometimes only consisting of the quill tip. Contour feathers have a vane and some down on a stiffer shaft. Semi-plumes are somewhere in the middle, with more down and less of a vane that is not held together as smoothly compared to contour feathers.
The vane of the contour feathers forms a tight, sealed barrier from the outside air, restricting the heat the bird produces from leaving its body. The downy section of all of these feathers then traps that heat beneath that barrier, and holds it close to the bird’s body. By fluffing out their feathers, chickens produce an even thicker layer of insulation - and as long as the vane barrier is uninterrupted by wind or wetness, that heat can be held onto easily to maintain the bird’s body temperature.
Feathers are such excellent insulators that you may notice that the surface of your birds’ feathers actually feels cool to the touch in cold weather. Want to know how cold your chickens really are, though? Lift up your bird’s feathers and put your fingers down into their down near their skin. It’s quite warm in there, isn’t it? This is also the reason why chickens struggle more in extreme heat than in cold. It’s easy to keep in the warmth they produce, but releasing it is more difficult!
2. I provide lots of draft-free ventilation
Ventilation is actually more important in winter because cold air can't hold nearly so much water vapor before it gets saturated i.e. really damp and humid and clammy - which invites frostbite and respiratory disease.
How? The moisture will settle on combs and wattles- freeze- and cause frostbite.
So yes, your vents will be letting in cold air, but that's OK as long as it is not breezing down directly at your chickens. Bad ventilation also makes the air stale and dusty, which isn't very nice to breathe. So make sure to give your coop more ventilation than you think it needs.
3. I use the Deep Litter Method
DLM is basically a method in which you allow your coop litter to build up over a period of time. As the chicken manure and litter of choice compost, it helps to heat the coop, which in turn helps keep the chickens warmer. Plus it has the added advantage of you cleaning the coop once or twice a year, as opposed to weekly cleanings.
4. I've Insulated Their Coop
Whether or not to insulate is a hotly debated topic. Keep in mind that chickens over the age of 6-7 weeks do come with built-in insulation, in the form of a well designed feather blanket that helps them regulate their body heat. Some less cold hardy breeds may benefit from extra protection against extreme colds, but most hardy breeds will do fine in well built, properly ventilated coops and will not need insulation or extra heat.
However, insulating has its benefits. If you live in an area where it gets below -10°C, insulating can increase egg production, decrease frostbite, keep it warmer in winter and cooler in summer, and increase longevity. It can decrease food consumption as well.
5. I use Heat Lamps
In conditions where the temperature reaches extreme lows, you may decide to provide supplemental heat. That is entirely your choice for your flock, and not one to be ashamed of if you are at least keeping in mind the many risks and dangers.
Heat lamps are a good way to warm up small birds or injured birds. Young chicks and bantams may need them in extremely cold environments. Although many are worried about fire hazards with heat lamps, if the heat lamp is 18" above bedding and dust-free, there is minimal risk. Be aware that using a heat lamp often requires you to reclimatize birds.
For some, heat lamps are successful because they heat up objects and not the air. Heaters that heat the air cause birds to become unused to cold, so if a power outage hits or your birds go outside they could easily become ill, frostbitten, or die.
Further Reading:
Keeping Flocks Warm In Winter
Insulating Your Chicken Coop
Chicken Coop Ventilation
To Insulate or Not To Insulate
It's Cold - Keeping Flocks Warm And Healthy In Winter
Deep Litter Method - The Easiest Way To Deal With Chicken Litter
The Ultimate Wintertime Chicken Keeping Preparation Checklist
Cold Weather Advisory - A Detailed Look At The Question of Supplemental Heat
So how do you keep your flock warm in the winter months?
