It’s starting to get chilly up here in Maine. (Okay, we’ve already had about 8″ of snow…but it’s gone for the time being, so we pretend it didn’t happen at all.) And every visit to the barn has us wondering how well the animals will fare over the winter. Will it be exceptionally cold this year? Or will we get lucky, as we have in the past?  Raising chickens successfully has everything to do with preparation and a full understanding of the problem.

Artificially warming a chicken coop can be expensive and potentially dangerous.

Okay, -20F with blowing snow and gale force winds will probably require some heating intervention. But most people who use heat lamps in the hen house don’t really need to. Any electrical elements inside animal living quarters present some degree of fire hazard, and of course chickens will peck and scratch at anything they can (those cords look an awful lot like tasty worms, you know.)

Often the real danger to your flock isn’t the cold. In fact, many breeds can survive quite well down to zero degrees (F). No, the real problem is humidity. Cold is usually fine, as long as it’s a “Dry Cold.” Birds have been known to get frostbite on combs, legs and waddles around the freezing point when the humidity is too high.

Even if the air outside is dry, it can still be humid inside the coop. All animals put out a lot of moisture just by breathing and pooping. If you have crowded conditions, the moisture problem is magnified. Often people think they should crowd chickens together in a smaller space during the winter to keep them warm, but that only makes things worse. Higher humidity, colder chickens.

You can register humidity with a simple, inexpensive tool called a hygrometer. Commercial chicken houses aim for 50% humidity, but it’s not necessary to be that precise in a backyard chicken coop.

Good ventilation reduces humidity in your chicken coop.

It sounds strange, but opening the vents in your chicken house actually protects your birds better than sealing everything up. Yes, you lose some heat if the windows are open, but you also allow the moisture to escape. The birds also need lots of room, so the moisture doesn’t build up. If you are convinced the birds need to huddle together to stay warm, you can section off part of the coop and let them choose when they want to stick close.

So how cold is too cold in your chicken coop? As usual, the answer is “it depends.” There are no hard and fast rules. Sometimes–most of the time–you have to go with your gut. But informed decisions are best, so…

Here’s what you can do to protect your flock :

1) Check your breed. Do some research on the different breeds to determine if your babies are suited for your climate. You may find they are heartier than you thought.

2) Take advantage of natural heating elements: Windows, dirt floors, any item with a large thermal mass will absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night.

3) Keep the coop well-ventilated to allow moisture to escape. Use a hygrometer, if you’re unsure of humidity levels.

4) Take advantage of a good chicken coop design: If you’re lucky enough to have windows on different sides of the house, or better yet you have a mobile chicken coop, shut up the upwind side and open the downwind side. This way the birds are protected from drafts, but still have enough ventilation to keep humidity low.

5) Clean the droppings regularly: When you allow litter to accumulate, extra moisture builds up. Again, a good chicken coop design will make it easy to clean daily–keeping your birds breathing better air.

6) Keep an eye on your flock: Your best measure of how your birds are coping with the weather is how they look. Are they active and happy? Or lethargic and sickly looking? Are they laying as they should?

Remember, just because you’re cold doesn’t mean they are. If you pay attention, chickens will tell you when they’re not comfortable.

Chickens can provide much of their own heat, but if you live in a harsh climate, you’re going to need to make some winter preparations to keep your flock comfortable in the coming months. Here are a few things you can do to keep the cold at bay:

Insulate your chicken coop:

Whether you built from plans or purchased a ready-to-use chicken coop online, you need to make sure it’s insulated.  Simple cardboard around the outside of the coop might be enough, or you may need to go further with foam or fiberglass. Be sure the chickens can’t get into it, though, they’ll make a mess if they start pecking at it. Not to mention what it will do to their health. Don’t forget the floor. Put out extra bedding on the floor and in nesting boxes.  You can use clean hay, straw or wood shavings (not oak) to keep them warm and cut down on drafts.

Seal up any holes:

Not only do you want to keep out the drafts, but you also want to keep any unwanted critters from sneaking in and feasting on your chickens and fresh eggs. Mice, rats and snakes can all squeeze through tiny holes and are looking for a warm place to hang out for the winter.

Provide additional light:

If you’re collecting fresh eggs and don’t want production to drop off, be sure to provide extra light on a timer. Chickens need 14 hours of daylight for optimal egg laying. Set the timer to go light up (and heat up) the coop before dawn. And be sure to set the lights to go down when the sun is up. You don’t want to pay for extra light you don’t need.

Watch out for frost-bite:

Chickens are prone to frostbite anywhere they have exposed skin. You can protect their delicate feet, legs and combs with a thick layer of petroleum jelly, like Vaseline. If you notice bits of skin turning black after a significant cold spell, it’s likely they’ve been “bitten.”

Use heaters to keep water from freezing:

Unless you plan to haul out fresh water every few hours, it’s best to hook up a water heater. Remember to keep all cords and electrical parts out of the way to prevent harm.

If you have a mobile chicken coop or chicken tractor, now is a good time to move the coop closer to your house. That way when the heavy snow flies, you have a shorter distance to shovel out.

Your best bet is to have with a well-built chicken house to start with. Then winterizing is as easy as closing up the windows and doors and setting the light timer.

Last year, a friend of mine named Emily decided she wanted to try raising chickens. She loved the idea of collecting fresh eggs every morning and it wasn’t long before her whole family became very emotionally attached to their little backyard flock.  Especially her two preschoolers, Anita and Daniel. They spent hours every day watching the birds, feeding them and holding them. Sometimes, Emily would even catch them rocking and singing lullabys to their favorites.

Now, Emily had read that you don’t really need to house a backyard chicken flock, free ranging was fine. After all, she had a huge area for them to run around, far away from the nearest road. She felt smart when she thought of all the money she’d saved.

Then it happened.

One cold October morning she woke to the sound of her two young children weeping and knocking on her bedroom door. Their beloved pets lay in pieces all over the yard, vicims of a predator attack. Needless to say, it took a long time to calm the children down. They were completely crushed, far too young to understand the “circle of life” or food chains or any other rational reason for the tragedy.  All Emily knew was she made a mistake.

It’s a shame that it took a sad event like this to make her understand the importance of providing a safe environment for your chickens. To be fair, Emily wasn’t good with tools and building things. She was intimidated by all the chicken house construction plans and “how to build a chicken coop” articles she read online. Even if she did find someone to help her, the sheer amount of time and effort involved overwhelmed her.  Raising chickens was just a hobby for her family. There had to be an easier way.

After “the incident,” Emily started paying attention to the pre-built backyard chicken houses she saw advertised online. They had always seemed expensive before. But after pricing wood, shingles, nails and other supplies, she realized that having a ready-to-use coop delivered to her door was actually a sound investment in happy healthy chickens (not to mention peace of mind for her family.)

Things to consider when choosing a chicken house:

Whether you’re buying a backyard chicken coop or assembling a kit, the finished product should do several things.

1) Protect your chickens!

2) Be easy to clean and disinfect

3) Provide easy access to the eggs

4) Provide enough space per bird

5) Have windows and doors (light levels affect laying)

6) Keep the temperature and humidity level steady (you may need heat lamps if you live in a cold climate)

7) Take into account the height of the chicken using it (not all houses are suitable for all breeds of poultry)

Emily’s problem with predators never went away completely. Every now and then she sees a fox or raccoon sneaking around the yard. But now that she has a chicken house with maximum security, she doesn’t worry about waking up to crying children again. Her birds are safe and sound.

If you’re thinking of letting your birds run free because chicken house plans seem so complicated, please take a lesson from Emily. Even a simple fence is not enough (unless you can come up with a system which will keep predators from digging under it and killing the flock.) Consider purchasing security for your birds and peace of mind for yourself with a pre-built coop. It’s worth the investment.

I don’t know who Jesse is but this video is great.