9 Ways to Winterize Your Chicken Coop

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You probably are working your way through a to-do list of tasks to prepare your home and property for freezing temperatures. Whether it's cleaning your heating unit's filters, insulating pipes, or adding weather stripping to doors and windows, you know these steps can keep your family more comfortable and save energy costs.

However, there may be a job you've neglected or have questions about how to handle. What steps do you need to take to winterize your chicken coop?

Although mature chickens are hardy birds that can regulate their body temperatures, they do need some extra care to ensure their safety and comfort in the colder weather. This article shares ways to winterize your chicken coop and chicken run.

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Make Structural Repairs to the Coop

A good first step is to look carefully for cracks or holes in the floor, walls, and roof that could allow drafts, moisture, or pests to get into the coop. Patch them up with caulk, boards, or insulation. You'll also want to install a wind block, using a tarp or hardware cloth to help cut down on winter drafts and the chills they can cause.

Transparent plastic sheets like these help keep the wind out while allowing in available sunlight. However, be sure to leave some room for ventilation in the coop. Fresh air is essential – even in cold temperatures – to prevent mold and keep the coop dry and healthy for your birds.

Check Fencing

In addition to checking the coop for needed repairs, take a close look at fencing in the chicken run. Repair or fill in any holes or gaps in the fence and clean up the yard as required of debris and waste.

Clean the Coop

Rodents and other pests are looking to stay warm this winter, but you don't want them in your coop. Look for any evidence of unwanted visitors as you thoroughly clean out the coop and replace bedding materials.

Add an extra layer of bedding in nesting boxes and floors to help your chickens stay warm. Nesting pads are another option. Also, take the time to clean and sanitize waterers and feeders.

Provide Fresh Water

Your chickens need access to fresh water all year. However, providing them with this necessity can get tricky in freezing temperatures. Plan to keep their water outside the coop to prevent slippery, dangerous surfaces inside the coop.

If the water keeps freezing, you can adjust your schedule to bring fresh water out to them three times a day – first thing in the morning, in the late afternoon, and just before you close them in at night. You can also consider heated bases for your waterers or a heated water bucket, but you must ensure that all power cords are safely out of the chickens' way.

Raise Roosting Space

As you know, heat rises, so you will want your chickens to have roosting bars and spaces that are well above the floor level to help them stay warm. According to the Chicken Coop Company, the ideal height for a roosting bar is a minimum of one foot off the ground and six inches from the wall. Staggering your coop’s roosting bars at various heights (like a ladder) allows your birds to roost higher in the winter while keeping them safe.

Use The Right Heaters

Heating a chicken coop can be a controversial subject. Some experts, including this one, advise against using any electrical apparatus in your coop due to the extreme fire risk.

Also, power outages are a very real thing – especially these days – so if your flock becomes used to a supplemental heat source, they will not be acclimated to the cold during a power outage. In other words, the supplemental heating could do more harm than good.

However, you do have some options if you decide to use supplemental heat for an unusual cold snap. While a heat lamp is a potentially dangerous choice for a coop, some short-term possibilities to try with extreme caution are:

Small animal heating pads
Enclosed space heaters (located in area chickens cannot access)
Heat boxes

Adjust Your Feeding Schedule

Experts recommend feeding your chickens later in the afternoon so they will digest their food during the night. The digestion process helps keep them warm. A nutritious diet that is higher in fat and protein is also a good idea for the cold weather months.

Supplemental protein sources to consider this winter include meat scraps, eggs, sprouted lentils, canned sardines (may affect the taste of the eggs), and a high-protein, high-calcium feed.

Be On The Lookout for Frostbite

Frostbite, due to high moisture and harsh temperatures, can affect a chicken's wattles, comb, or feet. Signs of frostbite are brittleness and a grey or black discoloration of these areas. Some folks apply petroleum jelly to combs and wattles as a layer of protection in the winter, but petroleum jelly is not a treatment for frostbite. Consult your veterinarian if you suspect frostbite or see signs of an infection.

Lock Up Chickens At Night

Most chickens will enjoy roaming around your fenced yard during the day – even in the cold and snow. However, locking them in their enclosed coop at night will protect them from predators and help keep them warmer at the same time.

If you are new to raising chickens, maintaining their safety during the winter can seem like a daunting task. However, keep in mind that these birds are hardier than they might seem. American Games, Chanteclers, Plymouth Rocks, Buckeyes, Orpingtons, and Wyandottes are among the hardiest breeds to consider for your flock.

With some planning and care, your flock will even continue to lay eggs over the winter. However, it is normal for egg production to be slightly decreased. A shorter number of daylight hours is the primary culprit, but stress due to the cold weather can be a contributing factor.

Here are some more resources for winterizing your chicken coop.