Chicken owners wonder every year how to keep chickens warm in winter weather. Always keep an eye on the forecast to be as ready as possible for extreme winter weather on your homestead.
You’ll need to check the projected high and low temperatures, but more importantly, the wind chill. Cold winters can also bring strong winds. This can make it feel much cooler outside than your weather app claims.
Here are some tactics, tools and actions you can do and take to keep your chickens warm this season.
Tips for keeping your chickens warm in winter weather and extreme conditions.
Chickens are capable of regulating their body temperature with their downy feathers. Regardless, it’s still good to be aware of their comfort levels.
If your chickens are all huddled in one corner they might be trying to generate warmth. Your chickens will puff their feathers out to trap body heat, as well, when they’re cold.
Keep a close eye on your flock during extreme weather conditions. Be prepared to address anything that looks off with. These 17 tips on how to keep chickens warm in winter weather will help you keep happy and healthy chickens this winter season.
Table of contents
Keep a healthy flock
Some don’t believe in providing supplemental heating if you have a healthy flock. There are truths to that. For example, chickens molt in the Fall is to prepare their bodies with warm, fluffy new feathers.
These new feathers act as natural insulation when the cool weather comes. Additionally, you’ll see a decrease, or complete halt, in egg-laying in the winter. During this time, chickens are channeling all their energy into staying warm and giving their egg system a rest.
You’ll see a change in egg production a few times throughout the year when raising chickens. You can read more about that here.
Provide them with unlimited feed
Chickens will burn calories quicker while trying to stay warm. Consider using a gravity feeder to provide your flock with consistent nourishment. Providing grain all 24 hours a day can supplement these lost calories.
Your flock will eat more in the winter, especially if you don’t increase their protein intake. If for some reason the weather cools and your flock won’t eat, you might inspect them for illness.
Increase protein intake
It’s a good idea to increase protein intake during the cool months when raising chickens. Providing amino acids helps to maintain egg production and support new feather growth. If you can’t provide free feed for your flock, consider buying nicer feed with a higher protein count.
You can also provide a small cracked corn snack at the end of the evening and suet cakes. For the DIYers out there, you can make your own suet cakes for your flock while you’re snowed in the house!
Thermo emergency heat blanket
This might be one of my favorite suggestions from a social media group. If you’re worried about your flock, tent a thermo emergency blanket somewhere in the coop. This provides a warm place for them to go, with ventilation on both sides.
Additionally, it’s not a fire hazard in any way! Just make sure it’s secure so it doesn’t fall over anyone and suffocate them. If you don’t have any emergency blankets handy, try using a thick tarp.
Heat lamps (with caution)
I hesitate to suggest using a heat lamp because it can be extremely dangerous fire hazards. With that being said, I do know that folks still use them. In addition, I occasionally use them as well.
Heat lamps provide sufficient amounts of warmth. This is why they’re so popular when raising chicks. If you do make the decision to use a heat lamp in an enclosed space, do it responsibly. Check that there is the smallest risk of fire possible.
Your heat lamp needs to be away from anything flammable and secured to a base. If you have a small, enclosed coop I do not recommend taking the risk of using a heat lamp. For more tips on heat lamp safety, read this post by Homesteading.com before making your decision.
Heat plates
A great alternative heat source to heat lamps, a heat plate or heat mat could be an option. Depending on the size of your flock and chickens, it might be the best route to take.
The warmth of a heat plate is more centralized, making them a difficult option for large flocks and coops. If you have multiple heat plates, suspend them higher off the ground. This way your flock can walk underneath for heat.
I always recommend using a heat plate when raising chicks.
Crockpots for warming water
Another internet find, folks have been bringing their crockpots to the cool weather rescue. I don’t suggest leaving a crockpot plugged into over night in the coop (fire). But during daylight hours under superviison, this is a great idea.
All you do is plug in your crockpot, add water, and turn it on! It’s best to use a low setting so your flock doesn’t hurt themselves. In a pinch, this would be a great option to help keep chickens warm in extreme weather.
Here’s a quick old-timer tip from Google (can’t say if I recommend this or not):
“According to old-timers, cayenne pepper can be added to your chickens‘ feed in the cold months to help warm up your chickens and boost egg production. … Cayenne also helps with circulation, which can prevent frostbite in the winter.”
Bring them inside in a tent
Not for the faint of heart, but for the true chicken lover. This unique approach is sure to put your chickens in warmer conditions.
Bring them inside and put them in a pop up tent for the night! You might need more of a dome tent for larger flocks.
Just add some bedding and a roost and you’ve got a basement coop!
Seal off drafts very well while still assuring good ventilation
This is something that every henhouse needs, no matter the weather. Plan to seal any drafts and possible leaks in your coop before exposing your chickens in the winter.
Chickens need great ventilation while minimizing or completely eliminating any drafts. Drafts have the ability to chill an animal. Pair that with snowy weather and you might have a chilly chicken!
Deep litter composting
Another controversial topic, deep litter composting is an old tradition used by many farmers to this day. By practicing deep litter compost, you’re practicing a form of hot composting.
If you do it successfully, your deep litter compost should provide natural, non-flammable heat in your henhouse. This is my favorite how-to guide for deep litter compost if by Salt in my Coffee.
The most important thing to keep in mind with the deep litter method is the ratio of carbon versus nitrogen. Whenever you add nitrogen (green materials), add at least 3-4x that amount in carbon (brown materials). This way you don’t end up with a soupy, stinking mess on the ground (or rodents).
Create a sunroom to trap heat
Another pre-winter project, but still a great suggestion. Consider adding a sunning room off the side of your coop to trap heat!
If you pursue this adventure, keep in mind you still must maintain good ventilation to prevent ammonia buildup. Fresh air is crucial for the health of your chooks. Depending on the side of your flock, consider building a room with a glass or sturdy plastic ceiling.
You can insulate the walls and add a small door for easing comings and goings. If constructed well, this room will be able to hold some amount of heat. Providing warmth for your flock.
Provide sufficient bedding
Bedding is another form of insulation in a coop, and it’s not very easy to add too much. Most northern folk in the winter add a little extra cushion, regardless of the forecast.
Adding extra bedding to the coop is an affordable, simple thing to do to keep chickens warm in winter weather.
Insulate nesting boxes
If on the off-chance you have a broody winter hen, you can consider insulating their nesting box. By using materials you probably already have, you can provide extra warmth for mama and her eggs – for free.
Use cardboard, newspaper, and even extra straw in the nesting boxes for extra warmth.
Provide wind breakers
Your chickens still need sunlight in the winter. In fact, some folks supplement light during the shortest days of the year. The jury is still out on whether that is 100% healthy or not. The best thing to do is do what’s best for your flock.
Either way, your chickens should have the option to get outside during the lighter hours of the day. Providing them a windbreaker means they can seek shelter from strong winds while still having access to fresh air. The walls of your coop will work well depending on which way the wind is blowing.
You can stack bales of straw on top of each other or put up a tarp. Whichever method you choose, make sure the strawbales are secure and the tarp is, as well.
If your chickens are reluctant to go outside the hen house, try putting bedding on the snow outside. Chickens have snow blindness and sometimes need a little “push”.
It’s recommended to shovel an area first, and then put bedding down. This gives you peace of mind protecting their feet. It also gives them something to scratch at to generate body heat!
Provide adequate roosting
All chickens need to be able to roost. In fact, you should teach your chickens to roost when they’re still in their brooder. Roosting bills strong leg muscles and a pecking order, depending on the roost setup.
Additionally, when chickens roost in the evening, it gives them the opportunity to get close to each other. By roosting closely to one another, they’re able to generate and share heat.
When providing roosts, you want to use the most beneficial shape. By choosing a flat-surfaced perch, your chickens can sit down completely and cover their lefts and feet with their fresh downy feathers.
Put petroleum jelly on their combs and wattles
If you’re worried about serious frostbite, adding a thin layer of petroleum jelly to your flocks combs and wattles might help. Depending on who you talk to, chickens are either very prone to frostbite or very cold hardy.
Either way, it’s best to be informed about frostbitten chickens. Be sure you educate yourself on frostbite in backyard chickens and what to do about it.
Get more chickens
When all else fails, just buy more chickens! More chickens mean more body heat, right? 5 chickens roosting will generate more warmth than 3, so why not have 15 chickens?
Are you worried about how to keep chickens warm in winter weather?
It’s always great to have information at hand and tools in your toolbox during extreme weather. From frostbite to preventing eggs from freezing, the winter months can bring quite the challenge and it’s crucial to keep our flocks happy and healthy. Stay informed and stay aware, friends. How do you keep your flock warm in the winter?
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