Brrr! Quick Tips for Wintering Hens

Reader Contribution by Gretchen Anderson
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With two thirds of the country currently in a deep freeze, there are a few things backyard chicken keepers can do to keep their “girls” comfortable. When I teach backyard chicken keeping for beginners, I reassure my students their chickens actually fare better in the winter than they do during the heat of the summer. But there are a few simple measures that will help them endure sub-freezing temperatures.

Wind proof: Make certain your coop protects your hens from the wind. Don’t insulate the heck out of it, but make certain the girls can get out of the wind. Why do you not want insulation? Because you never want to take the chance of your coop becoming humid. A coop, while being wind proof, should also have terrific ventilation. If it’s not well-ventilated, the humidity sticks to your hen’s comb and feet and can lead to frostbite.

When our Idaho temperatures drop into the single digits, I carefully monitor my hen’s combs and feet. As an added insurance and insulation, I’ll coat their combs and feet with a thin layer of petroleum jelly (Vaseline). I do this every other day.

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