We all know that keeping chickens during the winter can be difficult, particularly when the snow and frost comes! So in this article I’m going to share with you 4 steps you can take to keep your chickens happier this winter.
Keeping the Coop Warm
Your hens will be spending a lot of time in the coop during the winter, so the first thing you need to do is make sure their coop is ready. You have three main things to do here:
1. Eliminate drafts
2. Insulate
3. Add heating (sometimes)
As far as eliminating drafts you want to make sure you have no gaps or holes in the coop. If you do they need sealing up, otherwise your chickens might get frostbite. Once you’ve eliminated any drafts you need to insulate the coop. You have a few options when it comes to insulation, but my favorite is to use Styrofoam boards. These boards can easily be cut to size and glued in place; just make sure to cover any Styrofoam with wood because your chickens may peck at the foam and it is toxic for them.
Finally if you live in cold areas (anywhere below freezing) then you may need to consider heating the coop.
Making the Run Safe
Once you’ve made the coop suitable you can turn your attention to the run. You have two main things to keep in mind here: security and comfort.
First let’s look at security. During the winter time predators will get very hungry and with this comes an increased desperation to hunt. This will make them even bolder when it comes to attacking your chicken coop and chickens. You should make sure the perimeter of the run is properly secured using hardware cloth. If you live in an area with predators known for digging (Coyotes or Foxes) then you need to also bury the hardware cloth horizontally to prevent them digging into the run.
Once you’ve made the run secure you need to keep it comfortable for your chickens. When it snows or freezes you need to cover the ground with leaves or straw, as chickens don’t like walking on snow.
Feed Them The Right Food
As your chickens will have stopped laying during this time, you can slightly reduce the protein in their feed, however this isn’t mandatory. Most people will continue to feed their chickens layers pellets during the winter.
You can however, add chicken scratch to their diet during the winter. I like to give it to them as a treat each evening just before they go into roost. Feeding them scratch will kick on their digestive system which will provide them with some warmth as they go to roost.
If it’s exceptionally cold you can also feed them warm porridge in the morning; mine love this! Be careful with adding syrup to it though; lots of sugar isn’t good for your chickens. You should just feed it to them plain or with the occasional piece of fruit added.
KeepThe Water From Freezing
Lots of people don’t think twice about water during the winter but this would be a mistake.
If you’re in an area where it doesn’t freeze you just need to keep to the usual routine. However if you live in an area prone to freeze you need to be very careful with their water. You can either use a heater waterer or you will need to visit the waterer several times a day and break the ice out and replace with fresh water.
I hope these four tips help make your chickens’ lives a little easier during the winter!
David Woods is a carpenter, outdoorsman, and author with more than 30 years of professional woodworking experience. He is the author of best-seller How to Build a Log Home and has educated more than half a million people on how to build a log cabins.
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I'll also agree with RoyPfz (and would love to know the name and/or author of the book you mentioned!) I'll add an endorsement for deep bedding--that is, provide an initial good layer of bedding early in the fall, added to whenever it seems necessary (smell or dampness), and no clean-out until spring. The chickens will scratch around in the litter and keep it aerated, it will begin to decompose underneath providing a little warmth, and it insulates the coop floor. The chickens stay healthy--more so than when kept scrupulously cleaned out! Of course, you don't just forget about the bedding--check to make sure the chickens aren't just packing the top layer down, which can happen if they have to stay inside due to storms and/or if your numbers are pushing the size of the coop. If this happens, just turn the bedding over with a fork every few days and add some fresh. I also provide some feed scattered into the bedding (encouraging the birds to spend time scratching around in it) and the occasional cabbage hung up for pecking. Keeps the biddies busy if they are stuck inside. I'm also able to double their space, for daytime. My coop happens to be up on wheels (posts also work) so there's a good space underneath. Several old storm windows and doors leaned against the edge of the coop keep out most of the wind and snow, and allow the full sun in. Even on sub-freezing days, I'll see the biddies basking in the sun or dust-bathing under there. (As a bonus, the raised coop means rats and other rodents can't burrow and nest under the floor.)
I appreciate your thoughts on winterizing the coop but I feel I need to disagree on a couple points. I live in Northeast Colorado and we have wind and extreme cold during the winter, like 20 below. I have heavy breeds like barred rock, Rhode Island reds and orpingtons and guineas. I have an open sided coop, the south side of course, and I have no issues with the winter conditions. My hens lay through the cold weather and enjoy being out of the coop except when there is deep snow. The only things you need to worry about is drafts, moisture and water. Heavy breeds were bred for all but the hottest weather, your grandparents didn't heat or insulate the coop and their chickens were fine. As long as the birds are dry and out of the wind they can take the coldest of conditions and thrive. Fresh water is always important no matter the weather and I have good luck with a heated base under my waterer. The only time is gets ice on the edges is around 15 below but it never ices over. There is a good book written in the 1930's about open air chicken houses that talks about the problems caused by chicken houses that don't have good ventilation. Just something to think about.