How To Care For Your Chickens In Winter
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Chickens are surprisingly hearty animals when it comes to cold winter weather. We live in Michigan and get some pretty extreme weather in the winter. It's common to experience temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Our chickens always pull through our cold winters without additional heating in our coop.
Obviously, these extreme cold weather stretches are not ideal living conditions for our flock. And just because our chickens are surviving, does not mean that they are comfortable or happy. So anything additional I can do to provide extra comfort to our flock during the winter climate is a good thing.
Why don't I heat our coop?
It's a common myth that chicken coops need to heated thought the winter months. I've experimented with heating our chicken coop over the years, and through trial and error, have come to the conclusion that it's just not a good idea. Every time I've provided an additional heat source to our flock, they end up with respiratory issues. Our experience is common among backyard chicken keepers, and most agree that heating a coop can do more damage than good.
A lot of people who insist on heating their coop do so by adding a heat lamp. Heat lamps are inexpensive, easy to install and found readily. However, they are dangerous and can easily be knocked down and cause a coop fire.
Cold is less of a killer than moisture, drafts, and poor ventilation. When a coop is heated moisture and condensation can build in the air of the coop causing respiratory problems and a plethora of other health problems. In the winter, chickens will spend more time in the coop, so chicken poop accumulate faster, creating poor air quality. When moisture is added, it's a perfect breeding environment for bacterial infections. Good ventilation, even without heat, is crucial. Cold fresh air is better than warm dank air.
Drafts are also dangerous and can bring on illness like pneumonia, frostbite (see below) and hypothermia. Stacking straw bales up on the north side of your chicken coop can help to block cold winds. Attaching clear plastic over window panes works well to seal out cold drafts.
A good plan is to insulate the walls of your coop, but provide adequate ventilation in the upper areas and away from direct weather.
Keep the Water from Freezing
Another important aspect of keeping chickens in winter is providing water that isn't frozen. The best solution that I've found is to run an extension cord out to the coop and set up a heated water bowl. They sell chicken specific waterers with heaters built right in, but I find that when you are out in the cold trying to give your chickens water from a bucket, the dog bowls style is the easiest to dump, wipe out and fill again.
We have used this Heated Livestock Water Bowl that we got on Amazon for years and love it.
Make sure you dump the water outside the coop so you don't get ice build up. I also like to put it up on something like a pallet, so spilled water doesn't build up as ice.
The cold, winter weather is drying and chickens will consume more water in the winter than in moderate temperatures. So be sure to check the water levels often.
Artificial light for laying.
Chickens will stop laying in the winter. They do this for a couple of reasons. Birds are instinctively tuned in to the number of daylight hours. The shorter days are what ques migratory birds to start heading south for the winter. As the day length shortens, this signals the hen to stop releasing eggs. This is good because baby chicks would not survive winter conditions. Chickens also need the extra energy that they use to create and lay eggs in order to keep their bodies warm during the winter.
Chickens need around 14 hours of light to signal the body to lay.
You can provide your chickens supplemental light to encourage their bodies to continue to lay fresh eggs. If you choose to keep your chickens laying throughout the winter, I recommend using a timer set in the morning. In the dead of winter when you're only getting 8-9 hours of sunlight, set your timer for 5 hours before the sun comes up.
We choose not to provide supplemental lighting for our flock. I believe it is hard on their systems to provide eggs year round, especially through the winter months. Battery hens, who are kept in industrial farming situations are usually culled at age 2 because their bodies have burned out. I believe it is more natural and more healthy for your chickens to take a break over the winter to reset their bodies and to use all their energy to survive the winter.
(Methods to store eggs for winter coming soon!)
Keeping the coop clean
Your coop will get dirtier more quickly in the winter because your chickens will be spending more time inside to hide from the elements. For those of you who use sand as bedding, you might want to switch to something more insulating during the cold months. While I hate pitching straw, it does work really well to keep your flock warm in the winter. Each piece of straw is a hollow tube, this traps warmth and makes for a nice insulating bedding. I like to put a layer of barn lime, which absorbs odors and deters parasites, then compressed pine pellets, which absorbs tons of moisture, then a layer of straw. I still use wood shavings in our nest boxes, because it's easier to scrape out and it smells nice.
Deep litter method
There is also the deep litter method. Where the coop is NOT cleaned out before more bedding is added on top. As the under bedding decomposes, the composting effect creates warmth in the coop. We have done this in past years, but you have to be very cautious of ammonia buildup. This is only appropriate for well vented coops.
Feeding in Winter
Chickens eat about 50% more feed in the winter. They do this to build up energy against the cold, I also believe it is due to boredom. They are also not consuming insects, grass and other things available in the warmer months.
If you're already feeding a quality pellet or crumble, your chickens will most likely do just fine throughout the winter. There are a variety of complete layer feeds on the market that provide nutrition for the laying season. But because egg production will be stopping, you can switch them from a layer to a higher protein feed like a grower (18% protein) and add calcium, free choice with oyster shell. They will take in what they need.
We often use the Manna Pro Crushed Oyster Shell which is usually available at our feed store and is also on Amazon for a reasonable price.
You can also increase their carbohydrate intake. These extra calories will help them to keep warm through the winter. Offering cracked corn alongside their regular feed is a great way to up the carbohydrate amounts. If you see them consuming the cracked corn over their regular feed. You can offer it as a once a day feeding.
Extra Protein = Eggs
Extra Carbohydrates = Warmth
Winter chicken treats:
- warm oatmeal
- scrambled eggs
- meal worms
- suet
- greens (spinach, kale etc.)
- black oil sunflower seeds
Grit
Chickens also need a source of grit in the winter. When the ground is frozen and covered in snow, they can't find small rocks to consume and hold in their gizzard. Grit acts like a "tooth" in the gizzard grinding food particles into smaller pieces so they can digest it properly. If you're not already offering grit, it's especially important in the winter. You can find chicken grit like Manna Pro Chicken Grit and a good feeder for it at your local feed store or on Amazon.
Secure the run and coop
Chickens are more likely to be attacked by wild predators in the winter. The wild animals are feeling the effects of winter and, are hungrier and more persistent in their attempts. It's important that you secure your run and chicken coops against predators. Go over your hardware cloth or fencing and make sure everything is buttoned up. Make sure the run has hardware cloth across the ground or buried at least 12 inches deep around the perimeter.
Frostbite
Unfortunately, frostbite is a common problem in chickens. Especially on the wattle, comb and toes. Frostbite appears as black crusty patches, often showing up first on the tips of combs and on the lower wattle where that area comes in contact with the water bowl when they drink. Rubbing petroleum jelly on these areas can provide a good barrier against frostbite. You can also rub it on any areas where frostbite has already occurred. Breeds with larger combs are more prone to frostbite than breeds with small combs.
Selecting Winter-Hearty Breeds
I've raised all different breeds of chickens in winter, and they all do fine to some degree. But one of the best breeds for cold weather are Wyandottes. They have a thick, dense, plumage that keeps them nice and warm, and the rose comb protects against frostbite. Our Wyandottes have always done wonderful in winter.
Most dual-purpose breeds will have heavier plumage than other breeds. They tend to have thick layers of feathers compared to the more egg-centered breeds. And any chicken with a rose comb will be less likely to get frostbite.
Check out these cold hardy breeds:
Buckeyes
Dominiques
Dorkings
Wyandotte
Plymouth Rock
Rhode Island Red
Winter parasites
Over wintering lice and mites can become more problematic in the winter. The chickens are usually huddled up more closely on cold winter nights to share body heat, so these parasites can transfer from one bird to another more easily. The parasites are also looking for a place that is nice and warm so they're more likely to stay on your chickens rather than in the nooks and crannies of the coop. Check your chickens over regularly and if you notice anything, treat them quickly. The added stress of parasites in winter can take a bird down quickly.
