Seasonal Care
How to Keep Chickens Warm in Winter Without Adding Heat
Healthy adult chickens keep themselves warm. Your job is to keep them dry, out of drafts, fed and drinking. Eight practical steps from extension guidance.
Seasonal Care
What to do in the coop each season, from heat waves to hard freezes.
3 guides
Seasonal Care
Do Chickens Need a Coop Heater in Winter? Safety First
Usually not. Healthy adult chickens cope with cold when the coop is dry and draft-free, and heat sources are a common cause of coop fires. When heat makes sense, and how to do it safely.
Seasonal Care
Winter Chicken Coop Checklist: What to Do Before the First Hard Freeze
A short list of jobs to finish in fall so the flock stays dry, out of drafts and drinking through winter.
About Seasonal Care
Chickens need different things as the year turns, and many avoidable losses happen when care does not change with the weather. This section is organised around the seasons.
Spring is chick season and the time to clean, repair and predator-proof after winter. Summer is about heat, which hens handle worse than cold, so shade, airflow and plenty of cool water come first. Fall brings molting, fewer eggs and the last good weather to fix leaks and drafts. Winter is about keeping water liquid, the coop dry and ventilated, and the flock out of drafts at roost height.
Each guide is meant to be read a few weeks ahead of the season, so you can prepare before a problem appears rather than after.