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As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it's time to turn your attention to preparing your chickens and other poultry for the cold months ahead. Late fall is a crucial period for ensuring your flock remains healthy, warm, and productive throughout the winter. With a few simple adjustments to your poultry care routine, you can help your birds thrive, even in harsh conditions. In this blog, we’ll cover the key aspects of late fall poultry care, including nutrition, shelter, health, and maintenance.

1. Adjusting Feed for Cold Weather

During the colder months, chickens need more energy to maintain their body heat. This means their dietary needs will change as fall transitions into winter. Here’s how you can ensure they stay well-nourished:

Increase Caloric Intake

• Why it’s important: Cold weather increases your flock’s energy requirements as they burn more calories to stay warm.
• How to do it: Provide a higher-calorie feed to help your chickens maintain their body weight and warmth. Consider adding some cracked corn to their diet as an additional energy source, but don’t overdo it—balance is key. Make sure to continue offering a high-quality, balanced layer feed to keep them healthy and productive.

Provide Scratch Grains in the Evening

• Why it’s important: Feeding chickens a treat of scratch grains just before dusk helps them generate body heat overnight.
• How to do it: Give your flock a small amount of scratch grains in the evening. As they digest the grains, it helps keep their internal temperatures up through the chilly night.

Ensure Constant Access to Fresh Water

• Why it’s important: Hydration is crucial year-round, but cold temperatures can cause water to freeze, leaving your birds without access to drinking water.
• How to do it: Use a heated waterer or check water bowls frequently to ensure your flock has access to unfrozen water. Dehydration in cold weather can lead to health problems, so it's important to prevent this by keeping water available at all times.

2. Winter-Proofing the Coop

A well-prepared, insulated coop is essential for keeping your flock comfortable through the winter months. Here’s how to prepare their shelter:

Insulate Without Sealing

• Why it’s important: Chickens are hardy animals, but they need protection from cold drafts, wet weather, and predators. However, proper ventilation is just as important to prevent the buildup of moisture and ammonia in the coop.
• How to do it: Add insulation to the coop walls using straw bales or foam boards, but make sure you maintain proper ventilation. Ensure that the vents are above the roosting area, so cold air isn’t blowing directly on the birds. Closing gaps and sealing off drafts while allowing for airflow will help maintain a healthy environment inside the coop.

Deep Litter Method

• Why it’s important: The deep litter method creates warmth through natural decomposition, acting as a form of insulation in the coop.
• How to do it: Start with a thick layer of bedding material, such as pine shavings or straw, and allow manure to mix in over time. Add fresh layers of bedding periodically throughout the season. The bedding and manure will decompose slowly, generating heat that helps keep the coop warm.

Roosts for Warmth

• Why it’s important: Chickens use their bodies and feathers to keep warm, and roosting helps them conserve heat.
• How to do it: Ensure your chickens have enough roosting space that’s elevated at least 18 inches off the ground. Chickens huddle together on their roosts for warmth, and elevated roosts keep them away from the cold floor.

3. Health Maintenance for Cold Weather

Cold weather and the challenges of winter can impact your flock’s health. Taking steps to support their immune system and general well-being will help them get through the season without issue.

Molt Recovery

• Why it’s important: Many chickens will molt in the fall, shedding old feathers and growing new ones in preparation for winter. The molting process requires extra energy and nutrients, leaving birds more vulnerable to cold and stress.
• How to do it: Ensure your chickens have access to a high-protein feed during molting to help them regrow their feathers. Avoid stressing them with unnecessary handling, and provide extra bedding in the coop to keep them comfortable.

Check for Parasites

• Why it’s important: Parasites like mites and lice are more active in fall, as chickens spend more time inside the coop. Left untreated, infestations can weaken your birds and make them more susceptible to cold-related health problems.
• How to do it: Regularly check your chickens for external parasites, especially around the vent area and under the wings. Treat any infestations promptly using appropriate poultry-safe treatments, and clean the coop thoroughly to prevent re-infestation.

Monitor for Frostbite

• Why it’s important: Frostbite can occur on chickens’ combs, wattles, and feet, especially in freezing temperatures.
• How to do it: To reduce the risk of frostbite, keep the coop dry and well-ventilated. Apply petroleum jelly to combs and wattles on especially cold nights as a protective barrier. Avoid overcrowding in the coop to ensure the birds have space to move around and keep their feet warm.

4. Egg Production Changes

As daylight decreases in late fall, egg production naturally slows down or stops altogether. Here’s how to manage this seasonal change:

Provide Supplemental Light

• Why it’s important: Chickens need about 14-16 hours of light per day to maintain steady egg production. In the fall and winter, natural light decreases, leading to fewer eggs.
• How to do it: If you want to maintain egg production through the winter, consider adding a light on a timer in the coop to simulate longer days. Set the light to turn on in the early morning to avoid disturbing their natural roosting routine in the evening. Be sure the light isn’t too harsh—use a soft bulb to create a gentle glow.

Accept a Natural Slowdown

• Why it’s important: Allowing your chickens to take a break from egg laying can be beneficial for their long-term health.
• How to do it: Instead of providing supplemental light, let your hens rest naturally during the winter. They will use this time to recover from molting and conserve energy, leading to a healthier, more productive flock come spring.

5. General Coop and Yard Maintenance

Taking care of your flock’s surroundings is just as important as managing their feed and health. Here’s how to keep the coop and yard in top shape through late fall:

Clean the Coop

• Why it’s important: A clean coop reduces the risk of disease, parasites, and moisture buildup, all of which can cause problems in winter.
• How to do it: Remove old bedding and thoroughly clean the coop before winter sets in. Replace it with fresh, dry bedding and ensure all feeders, waterers, and nesting boxes are clean and in good condition.

Check Fencing and Predator Protection

• Why it’s important: Predators become more active as food sources become scarcer in winter, posing a greater risk to your flock.
• How to do it: Inspect your coop and run for any gaps, weak spots, or openings where predators could enter. Ensure doors and windows are securely closed at night, and reinforce fencing if necessary.

Conclusion

Late fall is the time to ensure your flock is prepared for the challenges of winter. By adjusting their feed, providing proper shelter, supporting their health, and maintaining the coop, you’ll help your chickens remain healthy, happy, and resilient through the coldest months of the year. With the right care and preparation, your flock will be ready to greet spring with vigor and vitality. Happy farming!