How To Take Care Of Chickens In The Winter

Learning how to take care of chickens in the cold weather months is not as difficult as it might seem.  Most birds are very hardy and take the cold weather in stride.

That being said, some breeds of birds are hardier than others so make sure that you have the right breeds of chickens if you live in an area that that drops below zero regularly.  Some of the more hardy breeds that tolerate extreme cold are: Ameraucanas, Ancona, Black Australorps, Black Giant, Blue Andalusian, Brahma, Buff Orpingtons, Cochins, Delaware, Dominique, Langshan, New Hampshire, Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Red, Russian Orloff, Speckled Sussex and Wyandottes.

These breeds of birds are a little bigger and they tend to have smaller combs so you don't see as much frost bite.  These birds are much easier to take care of in the winter and seem to adapt really well.

It is best to start preparing for winter before it actually gets too cold for you to be outside. Birds need adequate shelter to make it through a cold winter in good shape.  That means they need a coop that is not drafty but has good ventilation.  Improper ventilation can kill your chickens.  You can install screens typically up near the top of the hen house to allow fresh air to circulate.

The coop also needs to be kept dry which means you will have to clean it often.  Some people use straw on the floor of the coop but I personally don't like it.  It clumps together and gets really hard to remove.  I prefer to use shavings.  They can be easily removed and the chickens like to scratch around in them which keeps them dryer.  My girls love to scoop out an area and settle in for a nap. It works really well and wicks up moisture efficiently.

The size of the chicken coop is very important. Your girls need about six square feet of space each and it is important that it isn't too large because their combined body heat won't be able to keep the space warm.  They will huddle together and for the most part should be fine without a heat lamp. 

I have mixed feelings about using a heat lamp in the chicken coop. It usually doesn't get below zero in Kentucky so we don't have the extremely cold winters that some areas have.  My girls seem to do just fine without one. The problem that I have found is that the coop can get very warm and they are very comfortable while they are in the coop.  But once they leave the coop, they seem to be colder and don't stay outside as long.  When the light isn't on, they come right out in the mornings and stay outside all day.  Unless you live in a very cold area of the country, I probably wouldn't use one as they really don't need it.

My chickens free range during the day and are locked up at night to keep them warm and safe.  They eat a lot more feed during the winter since they can't scavenge for bugs.  I make sure that their feed is always full.  I also provide fresh greens for my birds during the winter which they love.  I hang a variety of greens in the chicken run and they pick at them all day.  My girls also like some fruit and it's a special treat during the long, cold winter months.

Keeping water unfrozen can be a real problem in the winter.  I finally bought a heated water bowl and that works very well.  The water doesn't freeze and they have access to water all the time.  It just got to be too much trouble trying to keep the water broken for them and the extra cost for electricity is minimal.

If you have roosters or hens with large wattles, they will be vulnerable to frost bite.  I keep a close eye on them and cover them  with Vaseline when it gets really cold to prevent frostbite. Follow these steps below:

• Apply petroleum jelly liberally to the wattle and comb of the bird. Massage the jelly into all red skin showing on the poultry's head. Finish up by leaving a thick coat of jelly on the comb and wattle.
• Any areas of the wattles that are black may already have frost bite so be extra careful when applying petroleum jelly to this area and the skin surrounding it.
• Reapply petroleum jelly as needed. Pick up a chicken and touch the comb. If the red skin feels dry, it is time to reapply. If the skin still feels slightly oily or greasy the previous application is still doing its job.
• Be careful not to get any jelly in the bird's eyes.

The best thing you can do is to carefully monitor your chicken's behavior. As long as they are moving around and acting normally, they are fine! They will naturally fluff out their feathers or stand on one foot to keep warm so don't be concerned.  If you notice that they are not moving around very much or they appear cold, you may have to add a heat lamp to their area.