Do you think your flocks will be stressful during the first winter in the farmer’s shed?
You might be worry about unhappy hens, frozen water, lack of eggs and cold. With the help of few key details your hens will be laying eggs much of the winter, though the production may be slow. It’s important that you will take rest easily when you know your hens are warm and comfortable.
Keep your Hens Happy in Winter
1. Chicken does not need a heater
You don’t think of putting fire or heater in your chicken coop for winter warmth and don’t seal up the coop completely ventilation is requires to prevent moisture build-up, they huddle together for warmth in the coop.
Also Read: How to Start a Chicken Farm Business
2. Use deep litter to keep warm
This deep litter method is one of the ways to give bedding material to chicken coop to build up in a spring, summer and fall. So, in winter you have the composting material on the floor of the coop and the bedding material both will gives the heat to the chicken coop naturally.
3. Don’t lie down unless you provide supplement lighting
The sunlight affects the reproductive cycle of the hen. In early spring, when the sun reaches 14 hours a day, the chickens begin to lay eggs. When the length of the day reaches 16 hours per day, the maximum egg laying appears. This is a biological miracle and the ideal design allows the chicks to hatch in the spring and mature in the warm summer.
The chicks that hatch in the warm spring and summer are more likely to survive than the chicks born in the harsh winter, which gives commercial egg producers and some backyards. Poultry farmers brought in to provide lighting for their houses in the dark winter to prevent chickens from laying eggs for as long as possible.
4. Feed them corns at night to keep them warm all night
Corns are the favourite food for the chicken. So, every evening time in winter feed them with cracked corns before bed and give them something with that digest their food, during the night keep it warmer and it will be happier with full bellies.
5. Hang a head of cabbage as a toy for the chicken
As like human beings chickens can be bored and stir crazy in winter. Make sure that seem to be enjoys a head of cabbage hang to string in between the coop. They go wild picking it with this simple trick you can make your chickens happy.
6. Make them nice sun room
Are you worried about your chicken they don’t have enough space in the coop, you can make the green house style structure cover it with a clear plastic. They will wander out with it and get a more space on nice days and you will take rest easy knowing they are not too restricted and getting some fresh air.
7. Combs and Wattles protects from frostbite through petroleum jelly
In winter season the combs and wattles are prone due to frostbite. So that protect them from this frostbite smear their combs and wattles with petroleum jelly. Hence, if you’re chicken can frostbite nothing serious only the tip of the combs will be affected and it can be look icky?
8. Chicken don’t like snow
In generally if the temperature decreases about the 20 degree Fahrenheit range chicken would not like to walk into the snow. You can disperse on the ground and it will make tastier for them. When the temperature increases nearly 30 degree Fahrenheit then they won’t be walk on the snow as much.
Also Read: The A to Z of Commercial Sheep Farming – A Step to Step Guide
9. Chicken don’t have to be put inside in bad weather
If the chickens are dont want to go outdoors, simply let them to do what they want. They head into their coops and there are harder than your thinking. They are not against the cold as the people assume. Don’t waste your precious time and energy trying to get inside during snow or rain.
10. Roosts are keys
The chicken sit curled together, this keeps them warm and also prevents them from cooling. The stall should be at least 2-3 feet off the ground. Therefore, please make sure that you have enough space for all the chickens to rest comfortably. Check with a flashlight at night when a bird is on the ground, there is not enough space.
Hope these tips can help you relax and make your chickens happy during the colder months. If you have not built a chicken coop before, be sure to visit other people in your area in winter to see with your own eyes how the birds adapt to colder temperatures.