Winter is the most unpleasant time of the year for us humans, but also for chickens: feverish temperatures, often absent sunshine, low morale… That’s why it’s important to change their lifestyle during this period. However, from autumn onwards, hens moult, i.e. shed their old feathers to make way for new ones. This makes them more resistant to winter. How to make winter a pleasant experience for your hens?
Tips and tricks to keep your hens happy in winter
Avoid humidity and draughts
Rainfall softens winter temperatures, but ambient humidity is persistent. Draughts are also feared by chickens. However, a minimum of ventilation is necessary to prevent the spread of bacteria, but only just. Above all, you need to provide dry straw to keep the coop dry, but also to insulate the hens from the ground.
Heated light bulbs?
Although heat bulbs are an effective source of heat to keep the hens warm (useful for chicks), it’s not advisable to use them. Chickens will get used to them. The best thing is to let them regulate their body temperature naturally. As long as the henhouse is well insulated and dry, they’ll cope just fine with low temperatures. Chickens are also raised in countries where temperatures reach -20°C and even colder, as is the case in Canada in winter, and they thrive without artificial heating.
Water precautions
It’s important to make sure that the water doesn’t freeze and that it’s always very clean. You can add a little hot water, which won’t bother the hens, as long as it’s clear in your poultry’s drinking trough. When it’s really cold, plan to change the water 3 times a day.
Why use Vaseline?
Provided you have a flock of just a few hens, and if the temperature is below 0°C, many people coat their birds’ crests and barbels to prevent them from freezing and turning black. If you don’t want to, or can’t spend too much time on this activity, shorten your daily stay outdoors to spare your hens.
A tarpaulin
To protect the pen from rain and snow in winter, place a transparent tarpaulin over the wire mesh: on the top and sides, but not all the way to the ground, so that air can get through. Some people go so far as to place a heating blanket on the roof, but this seems a bit exaggerated, except possibly on exceptionally icy days when the temperature is close to -15°C…
Perches
Perches at different heights are necessary in the enclosure. Firstly, because chickens are birds and therefore appreciate this position, and secondly, because it isolates them from the ground when their feet get too cold.
Play equipment in the pen
A swing
To make sure your chickens don’t get bored, but especially during the winter months, get moving so they don’t get too cold, install some accessories. For example, make a swing-type perch. Simply tie 2 identical pieces of string to a sturdy branch and hang it. Chickens love a perch (it’s a place for them to escape predators), and this one moves. This forces the hens to constantly balance, move and even build up their muscles!
Hanging food
To keep your hens busy and amused, hang a cucumber or zucchini from a wire. They’ll love pecking at these vegetables, and have a great time aiming when the vegetable moves as a result of the pecks it receives.
With these tips, you can be sure that your chickens will be dry and at a reasonable temperature. What’s more, they’ll have plenty to keep them busy!
Winter hen house tips
There’s a tendency to think big when it comes to hen houses. We want our chickens to feel at home. While it’s essential to give your chickens enough space to run around in, it’s quite different for the henhouse. The coop must not be too large in winter, for the simple reason that the body heat given off by the hens must be sufficient to warm the interior. If there’s too much space, it’s not possible. What’s more, hens sleep close together, in order to keep each other warm. So if the space inside the henhouse is too large for the number of hens you have, don’t hesitate to add lots of straw. This creates a thick floor that reduces space and warms the birds.
Watch out for wild animals
In winter, many animals have difficulty finding food. Rats and mice, for example, can easily steal seeds, corn and other vegetables from your chickens. Take a close look around the feeder for murid droppings to be sure. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t use a mouse swatter or poisoned food to get rid of them, otherwise your hens will disappear…
Chickens are highly resistant to the cold, even more so than to hot weather. As long as they have enough to eat, clean water and a clean, dry coop in which to recharge their batteries at night, there’s no need to worry until you see a change in their behavior, other than that of adapting to the cold.
