How to keep your chickens warm in winter (2024)

While it is true that chickens are hardy birds, laying hens will stop producing eggs if they are not kept warm enough, while weaker members of the flock will become ill and have difficulty recovering in cold weather.

Although some farmers use heat lamps to keep their homes warm, there is a risk of them causing fires if they are not operated properly or are not properly maintained.

Here are seven steps to ensure your birds are protected from cold weather.

Minimize the resistance

Wind chill can increase heat loss in your chicken coop. Therefore, as the nights approach, make sure that any air leaks are properly sealed. If your house is new, you shouldn't find many holes, but if it's more than five years old, chances are that parts of it are starting to rot and need to be repaired.

The easiest and cheapest way to repair the holes is to screw a cut piece of plywood over the hole. As long as your ventilation is working properly (see below), all other holes in your chicken coop should be covered to prevent temperatures from dropping too quickly.

Keep your home well ventilated

While you shouldn't have large holes in the chicken coop to let cold air in, you should also keep in mind not to restrict airflow too much, as this can lead to serious problems such as ammonia build-up. To protect yourself against this, make sure you have an adequate ventilation system.

Vents should be placed against the roof of the farm, where the cold air cannot flow directly onto your birds. By removing the warm, moist air and replacing it with cooler, drier air, you can keep humidity low and prevent mold from growing in your birds' bedding.

Ideally, your mesh valve will have a hatch that you can open and close. This way you can ventilate the house well during the day and close it in the evening when it is colder or during periods of particularly heavy rainfall.

Bridge 'Deep Litter Method'

The Deep Litter method is not only a sustainable way to manage waste in your chicken coop, but can also help insulate your flock in cold weather. To start, simply place pine shavings or similar organic material on the floor. Instead of cleaning or replacing the dirt your chickens pick up, simply stir the litter with a light rake and let the natural movement of your flock do the rest.

If done properly and topped up regularly with pine shavings, the waste will begin to form a compost layer that welcomes good microbes and allows them to consume the unhealthy bacteria in the chicken waste. Not only does this help to insulate your home during the winter months, but it can also help prevent infestation with lice and mites – and it's a much easier way to deal with waste.

Note: It is important that you do not use cedar shavings as they can be poisonous to chickens.

Use sunlight to collect heat

The days may be shorter in winter, but you can still use sunlight to capture heat during the day and keep the garden warmer for longer during the dark hours. Well-insulated windows can act as sun protection, especially if you have a dirty or dark floor, or if you use the deep ground cover.

Increasing the amount of 'thermal mass' in your home can also help your home retain heat for longer. 'Thermal mass' is a measure of how well a material absorbs heat and later releases it. The more thermal mass incorporated into your home, the more evenly the heat will be released after the sun sets. Materials such as compost floors, stone or even concrete retain more heat during the day and release it throughout the night.

Make sure your chickens can sleep

If you want them to stay warm, it's important to make sure your chickens can sleep, because chickens naturally co-sleep and fluff their feathers to stay warm. As a general rule, your bunks should be built at least two meters above the ground. Having access to a sleeping area that is above the floor will help them feel safe and keep them out of contact with the cold ground.

In winter, it's more important than ever to make sure all your chickens have room to sleep comfortably. To check if this is the case, you can look into it at night with a flashlight. If you sit on the floor, there is definitely not enough space and the sleeping arrangements need to be expanded. The rooster should be built at least two meters above the ground.

Turn them into a conservatory

While it's tempting to keep your birds out of the cold weather completely, your flock will benefit from being able to move more freely. To give them more space, you can build a 'cold frame' or greenhouse-style addition to your chicken coop and cover it with clear plastic to protect them from the worst of the weather.

This way your birds have enough space and fresh air, but are still protected from wind, rain and snow.

Protect from freezing

In the coldest months or during extreme weather, varieties with large ridges and tops may be more susceptible to frostbite. To give them extra protection, you can coat their combs and combs with Vaseline to keep out the worst of the cold.

Following these steps should ensure that your birds stay happy and healthy through the winter months. With proper coop maintenance and attention to your flock, you can ensure that your birds stay cozy and continue producing eggs no matter how cold it gets for the rest of us.