Wintering Chickens: Tips for Keeping Your Flock Happy and Healthy Through the Cold Months

Winter can be a challenging time for backyard chicken owners, especially in places like Alberta, where temperatures can plummet and snow blankets the landscape for months. But with proper care, you can ensure your flock stays comfortable, healthy, and continues to thrive through the harshest weather. Here are some essential tips to help you winterize your chicken coop and provide your birds with the support they need.

1. Insulate the Coop, But Allow for Ventilation

Chickens are surprisingly resilient to the cold, but they can’t tolerate drafts or damp conditions. A well-insulated coop is key to retaining warmth without creating moisture buildup. Here’s how you can balance warmth and ventilation:

Seal Drafts: Walk through your coop on a windy day and feel for drafts around doors, windows, or cracks in the walls. Use weatherproofing materials like foam insulation or caulking to seal these gaps.

Provide Ventilation: Although drafts are bad, airflow is crucial to prevent moisture buildup, which can cause frostbite. Install vents near the roof of the coop to allow moisture to escape without letting cold air blow directly onto the birds.

Deep Litter Method: One effective way to generate warmth and insulation is by using the deep litter method. Instead of cleaning the coop regularly, allow bedding (such as straw or wood shavings) to build up over time. The natural composting process will create a small amount of heat while keeping the floor warm. Just make sure to stir the bedding periodically and monitor for ammonia buildup.

2. Protect Against Frostbite

One of the biggest risks to chickens in winter is frostbite, particularly on their combs, wattles, and feet.

Preventative measures include:

Petroleum Jelly: Apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly on their combs and wattles to help shield them from frostbite.

Keep Feet Dry: Ensure that the coop and run are kept dry and free of standing water. Wet feet combined with freezing temperatures can quickly lead to frostbite.

Heated Perches: If your area is prone to extreme cold, consider using heated perches or wrapping perches in insulating material to provide extra warmth for their feet.

3. Provide Plenty of Food and Fresh Water

Chickens burn more calories in winter to maintain their body temperature, so they’ll need extra fuel.

Increase Feed: Offer a bit more feed than usual, as your flock will need extra calories to stay warm. Layer feed can be supplemented with high-energy treats like cracked corn, sunflower seeds, or kitchen scraps.

Warm Mash: Mixing their feed with warm water to create a mash is a great way to help them stay warm and hydrated.

Fresh Water: Keeping water from freezing is critical. Heated waterers or a submersible water heater can prevent the constant chore of breaking ice. If heated waterers aren’t an option, check waterers frequently and replace the water throughout the day.

4. Provide Supplemental Light (If Egg Production Is a Concern)

Hens naturally lay fewer eggs in winter due to the reduced daylight hours. If maintaining egg production is important to you, you can provide supplemental light.

Use a Timer: Set a timer to add a few extra hours of light in the early morning. Hens need about 14-16 hours of light per day to maintain regular laying. However, don’t overdo it, give them some natural rest to avoid stress.

Keep the Light Low and Gentle: Use a low-wattage bulb to avoid overheating the coop or disturbing their natural rhythms.

5. Keep Them Active

Chickens can get bored and stressed in winter if they’re confined to the coop due to heavy snow. Boredom can lead to pecking or aggression within the flock. Here’s how to keep them entertained:

Hanging Vegetables: Hang heads of cabbage or other vegetables in the coop for them to peck at.

Scatter Treats: Scatter grains or mealworms in the bedding so they can scratch and forage.

Outdoor Time: If conditions permit, let them outside into a snow-free run or cleared area for exercise and mental stimulation. Spreading straw or hay over snow-covered areas can help encourage them to explore outside.

6. Monitor Their Health Regularly

Cold weather can make chickens more susceptible to illnesses, especially respiratory problems due to poor ventilation. Keep an eye on your flock for signs of distress or illness, such as:

Lethargy or reluctance to eat and drink

Discharge from the eyes or beak

Labored breathing or coughing

Address any health concerns immediately and ensure the coop remains clean and well-ventilated.

7. Minimize Moisture in the Coop

Moisture is the enemy during winter because it can lead to frostbite and respiratory issues. Here’s how to manage it:

Dry Bedding: Keep bedding dry by replacing wet areas frequently.

Limit Water Spillage: Place waterers on raised platforms to prevent them from tipping over and soaking the bedding.

Ventilation, Ventilation, Ventilation: As mentioned earlier, proper airflow will help keep the coop dry and safe.

8. Let Them Roost Naturally

Chickens generate a lot of body heat when they roost together, so make sure they have enough space to huddle but not too much room where heat is lost. Offer wide perches (at least 2 inches) to allow them to sit and cover their feet with their feathers, preventing frostbite.

Bonus Tip: Avoid Overheating

While it’s important to keep chickens warm, be cautious about using heat lamps or heaters in the coop. Heat lamps pose a significant fire risk, especially in a coop filled with flammable materials like straw and wood shavings. Instead, focus on proper insulation, deep bedding, and natural heat from the flock itself.

Final Thoughts: Chickens Are Tough!

Don’t worry too much, chickens are hardy animals, and with a little extra care, they can handle cold weather remarkably well. By following these wintering tips, you’ll help them stay healthy and comfortable, and come springtime, you’ll be rewarded with a happy, thriving flock.

Do you have a favorite winter care routine or any additional tips you’d like to share? Let me know in the comments!

Resources to Help

If you’d like more in-depth guidance on raising and caring for poultry year-round,

Click here for Raising Poultry for Beginners Course 👈 and consider signing up for our free online workshop👈 where you Will also get a free workbook that will help you to start planning out your farm for this year.  Then when you join the Farmstead Essentials Academy, You’ll Be able to take the next steps, getting more support and guidance to help you achieve the self-reliant farm you’ve always dreamed of.

We will Dive deeper to Help you take the action steps To be successful this year focusing on farm management, Learning new skills, and planning for spring getting expert advice on topics such as raising chickens!

Hope to see you there!😊 

Stay warm and happy farming!

Tracey xo

Founder, New Beginnings Poultry and Ducks