Keep Your Flock Cozy: Essential Tips for Winterizing Your Chicken Coop

Chickens are pretty hardy creatures, and they generally don’t shy away from the cold, but they’re also not immune to winter temperatures. And, just like humans, they certainly appreciate added comforts. “Most days, even when it’s freezing cold, our chickens roam about the property. But on snowy days, they usually choose to stay indoors,” says homesteader Ryan Chastain. “If they get wet and cold, they can get sick pretty easily.”

So, if you live in a place where temperatures approach or drop below freezing, it’s time to get your chicken coop winterized. That involves a number of steps, none of which are all that complicated. Here’s what to do.

Complexity: Easy

Time: 4 to 12 hours

Tools

• Staple gun
• Pressure washer (optional)

Materials

• Caulk, wood filler or spray foam
• Heavy plastic or a tarp
• Polycarbonate panels (optional)
• Soap
• Nipple waterers and/or heated waterers
• Chicken coop-specific heating pads (optional)
• Insulation, such as pine shavings, straw or hemp
• Scratch food (optional)
• Petroleum jelly or coconut oil

Why Winterizing Your Chicken Coop Is Important

Winterizing a chicken coop is all about keeping your chickens dry, warm and safe from sudden drops in temperature, which can compromise their immune systems. Chickens can also get frostbite on their combs, toes and wattles. Roosters are especially susceptible to that because of their larger combs.

How Do You Winterize a Chicken Coop

Close vents and windows

You don’t want to completely seal off airflow, but the goal is to block rain, snow and drafts. Chastain recommends installing roof vents, which are good at keeping the weather out. “Closing vents and windows will help with ammonia and humidity build-up as well, which will also help keep your chickens healthier,” he says.

Seal cracks and gaps

Before it gets cold, repair damage with caulk, wood filler or spray foam. “We reuse empty feed bags and simply staple or affix those to keep any drafts out,” says farm animal sanctuary founder Matthew Aversa. Also, check for rotten wood, and replace panels as needed. As a quick fix for windows and vents that don’t seal, Chastain recommends covering them with thick plastic or a tarp. “We also use thick plastic in double layers to cover any areas of coops or runs that are just hardware cloth,” he says. “You can also create removable panels with polycarbonate, which cost more up front, but can be reused every year.”

Critter-proof the coop

In the late fall, when you’re fixing up the coop, take special care to prevent other animals from getting in. “I can’t stress this enough,” says Chastain. As the weather becomes colder, predators get bolder and hungrier, and cracks and holes in rotting boards can be an invitation to them.”

Clean the coop

Before temperatures regularly drop at night, give the coop a thorough cleaning. Pressure wash or scrub the walls, floors, roosts and nesting boxes, says Chastain. “You want to get rid of as much bacteria as possible,” he says.

Check the roosts

Make sure your roosts are at least as large as 2×4 boards, because chickens cover their feet with their feathers to stay warm. “If your roost isn’t wide enough to do that, their toes can get frostbite,” says Chastain.

Winterize the water

Nipple waterers prevent chickens from dipping their waddles in the water and getting frostbite. “It’s easy to train your chickens to use them and much more sanitary,” says Aversa. “You can also place a ping-pong ball in your waterer to keep ice from forming. It will help keep the water moving, and if you don’t have access to a water warmer, this could be a lifesaver!”

Chastain also suggests using a heated waterer or a heated base to keep the water from freezing, and avoid using plastic waterers as they will crack if the water freezes. “But never use an extension cord inside the coop,” he says. “You can’t trust chickens to leave it alone.”

Move food outside

Chastain also recommends keeping water and food outside of the coop. “The only time we have put it inside is when we got a lot of snow and they just would not come out of the coop,” he says. But, again, don’t use a heated waterer inside. Just use a regular waterer, replace it frequently and have a backup in case it freezes.

Install a heat source

Heat lamps pose a great fire risk, which can be devastating to your coop and your feathered friends, says Aversa. “We use chicken coop-specific heating pads, but only when it’s extremely cold,” he says.

Chastain also recommends against coop heaters, even the ones advertised as safe. “Plus, if the coop is heated, the chickens will not adjust to the outside temperature, and heating them actually increases their chances of getting sick.”

Lay down insulating bedding

Add four to six inches of bedding, like pine shavings, straw or hemp. Keep it clean and dry, but if possible, wait until the weather starts to warm before cleaning it out, says Chastain. Instead, “Every week, add another fresh layer of bedding on top,” he says. “The waste and bedding underneath will start to compost and create a little bit of warmth in the coop.”

Bolster their diet

Add some scratch to their diet. “It has more carbs than chicken feed, so as they digest it, they generate a little more body heat,” says Chastain. He also suggests pairing scratch with a high-protein diet.

Add mental enrichment

Because chickens spend more time indoors during the winter, Aversa suggests giving them entertainment. “Add a disco ball for them to watch, or consider hanging a piece of cabbage or other vegetables for them to peck at during the day,” he says.

Use petroleum jelly

Both Aversa and Chastain keep petroleum jelly or coconut oil on hand to help prevent frostbite on waddles and combs, especially on cold, wet days. “You don’t need a ton, just enough to cover it,” says Chastain.

When Should You Winterize Your Chicken Coop

It depends on where you live, but typically it’s a fall task. “Don’t wait until it’s cold,” says Aversa. “Chickens can handle gradual changes or dips in weather, but a cold snap could be life-threatening.”

FAQ

Do You Need to Winterize all Chicken Coops?

No. Chicken coops don’t need to be winterized in areas where it stays warm year-round. Also, if you live near the coast, where temperatures rarely get to freezing, you can focus more on protecting the coop from drafts. But, if temperatures get near or below freezing where you live, you definitely need to winterize.

“Even if you live in a warmer climate, fall is a great time to just do some regular coop maintenance,” says Chastain.” And you still want to keep your coop dry, so even if it’s not snow, you don’t want rain coming in and keeping your chickens wet and humid. That can also make them sick.”

About the Experts

• Matthew Aversa is co-founder and executive director of Winding Branch Ranch, a nonprofit farm-animal rescue and sanctuary in the Texas Hill Country. He leads a team dedicated to rescuing, reviving and rehoming farm animals, while educating communities about humane, ethical and sustainable farming practices. Follow along on social media! @WindingBranchRanch.
• Ryan Chastain is co-founder at The Waddle and Cluck, a website dedicated to homesteading,recipes and slow living. He does his own home maintenance and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy Reserves, where he served as a Seabee providing construction support, including a tour in Iraq.

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