Preparing Chickens for Winter

Before winter starts, you need to thoroughly clean the coop. If you are using deep litter, add another layer.

Treat the coop for lice and mites; I use 2 Tablespoons of 70% Neem oil per gallon of water. Remove food, water, grit, oyster shell and other items the chickens eat, then spray the coop. Spray each chicken, being careful to keep it out of their eyes. Pay special attentions to rumps, chests, under the wings, and back of the neck.

Clean out the nest boxes and sanitize them.

Your regular routine year around should include weekly updating of nest box litter, or shaking out of plastic nest pads. Neem oil should really be applied once a week year around; you may vary with pyrethrin or carbaryl according to package directions if you have concerns with pests developing resistance.

Make sure the coop is proof against winds and rain - a chicken can live quite happily at temperatures below freezing if they have a dry, well-ventilated - but not drafty - chicken house.

Rake and treat the chicken run with agricultural lime - NOT quick lime which can make birds very ill.

Be sure that feeders are in an area where feed will stay dry; wet chicken feed becomes moldy chicken feed, and this can kill your birds.

Now is the time to plant a patch of kale and other winter greens - including lettuce and swiss chard - for soiling the chickens in winter. Soiling is simple, it involves tearing off leaves or pulling whole plants and tossing them to the chickens. This ensures economical green feed through the winter months.

In freezing weather you may need to protect the combs of breeds that have large combs - just rub the comb and wattles with Vaseline to lightly comb them. This is more of an issue with single (blade) comb breeds than others.

Some chicken breeds are very susceptible to cold; these include many of the Mediterranean light breeds and some of the smaller, less heavily feathered bantams. Have a plan for when it becomes too cold for them; you may use a heater or light bulb, but make sure it cannot start a fire.