How to prep your hen house for winter

Chooks are resilient creatures, able to maintain body temperature through the seasons due to both their water resistant feathers and adorable ability to fluff up against the chill. For this reason, there is no need to heat hen houses, even if you live in the deep south. 

However, as they are likely to be spending more time in the coop than out, it pays to do a check of the structure and adjust your cleaning and feeding schedule for the coming months.

Winter-proof your henhouse 

Before it gets too cold, give your henhouse a good once-over to check for leaks in both the roof and walls. Even a small gap in the wall lining will let in a nasty draft, which can cause your hens to work harder than they need to stay warm. If there’s also water getting in from a leaky roof, this can cause condensation and dampness, potentially leading to a worst-case scenario of frostbitten feet.

There is no need to insulate the walls and roof of your coop. In fact, a bit of airflow helps to keep moisture levels down. Ventilation should be enough to prevent a lingering ammonia smell from their droppings but any ventilation holes should be set above their roosts and away from the prevailing wind. 

The floor of your coop should be covered in an insulating, natural material, such as wood shavings, hay or straw. This will both warm the ground and encourage your girls to forage and scratch, a natural behaviour that keeps their brains and bodies engaged.

Upgrade your roosts

Roosts are particularly important for winter as they allow chickens to rest above the cold floor. These should be made of wood (as metal retains the cold) and wide enough to allow chickens to lay down on top of their feet. Allow about 25cm of roosting space per hen, so they can fluff their feathers and sit close to their friends for warmth without overcrowding.

Place roosts at least 30cm above the floor and set up trays below so you can easily clean out their poop, avoiding moisture build up. 

Increase feed

Like us, chickens have a tendency to reach for comfort food when the wind is howling outside. In fact, they have been known to eat up to 25% more feed during cold weather. Providing extra food is important for keeping them warm, and the timing of your feeds can also help. Add some Scratch & Lay late in the afternoon and their body heat will be naturally boosted by the digestion of the grains, pulses and seeds over the cold night. 

Scratch & Lay contains grit, but you may also like to add extra grit for the winter, as chickens are likely to have less access to stone chips in the earth when the henhouse floor is covered in insulating material and the ground outside in ice and snow. Grit helps them break down their food easily, keeping them healthy and happy.

Keep the water flowing

If you live in a cold climate, your chicken’s water source might freeze over. Positioning water sources in a spot where the sun hits early in the day can help, or you may need to head out early each morning to knock out the ice and refill the bowl. Some hen keepers use electric water heaters, however any electrical appliance can be a fire risk in your hen house so it’s best to avoid these.

Provide a dust bath

While it may seem like they are just goofing around, dust bathing is an important way for hens to keep their feathers clean and dry. The dust prevents oil build-up on their feathers, allowing them to keep their waterproof coating in top condition. It also removes pests from their plumage, although this is less likely to be a problem in the winter.

Create a spot for dust baths in a dry, preferably sunny area of the hen house that is away from the roosts and feeding, so that it stays relatively clean. A mound of dry dirt can help if you’ve had a lot of rain.

Clean more often

In the winter, you’re going to need to muck in around your hen house more often than usual. A daily spruce up will likely be needed to remove damp material from the ground so that it doesn’t retain moisture. Clean their poop trays as needed and make sure all food and water containers are washed out at least once per week. If you have a deep layer of material on the ground, you should be able to leave this for around three weeks before a change is needed.

While your hens are unlikely to lay over the colder months, with these few simple changes to your coop and adjustments to your maintenance schedule, they should have a happy, healthy winter and be ready for clucking and nesting come spring.