Your first winter with chickens

Cold is not the main problem. Moisture is.

Chickens wear a down coat. Healthy, cold-hardy breeds fluff up and huddle on the roost at night. What causes trouble is damp air inside the coop. Hens breathe out moisture and their droppings add more. If it cannot escape, it condenses on walls and combs, and that is how frostbite and respiratory problems start.

• Keep vents open high on the walls, above the roost. Close low openings that blow directly on birds.
• Look for frost or condensation on the inside of the roof on cold mornings. If you see it, you need more ventilation, not less.
• Smell test: ammonia means too much moisture and too little airflow, or bedding that needs changing.

Water is the daily winter chore

Hens need water every day, even in January. If yours freezes, choose one plan and set it up before the first hard freeze:

• A thermostatically controlled heated waterer or heated base, plugged into a GFCI-protected outdoor outlet.
• Or two waterers you swap at least morning and evening, thawing one inside.

Skip heat lamps. They are a common cause of coop fires. More in the heated waterer and coop heater guide.

Winter checklist

• Add extra bedding. Some keepers use a deep-litter method, adding fresh shavings on top through the winter and cleaning out in spring.
• Make sure roosts are wide enough that hens can cover their toes while sitting. A flat 2x4 with the wide side up works well.
• Collect eggs more often on very cold days so they do not freeze and crack. Toss cracked eggs.
• Shovel a small patch of the run. Many hens dislike walking on snow and will stay inside otherwise.
• Keep feed topped up. Hens eat a little more in cold weather.
• Check combs and wattles for frostbite: pale, gray, or black tips. Large single combs are most at risk.
• Keep up predator checks. Hungry predators are bold in winter, and snow drifts can make fences easier to climb.

Fewer eggs in winter is normal

Short days slow laying, and many hens stop entirely for a while, especially after the fall molt. This is a natural rest. Some keepers add supplemental light on a timer to keep hens laying; others let them rest. Either is fine, but if you add light, use a safe, secured fixture and add it in the morning so hens are not left in sudden darkness at night. See why hens stop laying.

When to worry

A hen that stays fluffed up and hunched during the day, will not eat, has wet or bubbly eyes, or is sneezing needs a closer look. See the health guide, and call a vet who treats poultry if she gets worse.