I Want My Free E-Book On Egg Laying Chickens

Raising Chicks in the Winter

raising chicks in the winter

Whether you want to get a jump start on raising chickens for the year, or maybe one of your hens decided to go broody right when the weather turned cold, you might have a lot of questions on how in the world you can raise little chicks in the winter!

They can be pretty fragile, but the good news is you can do it!

There are many good reasons to raise chicks in winter or fall. Probably one of the biggest reasons is that fall pullets will often start laying promptly in the spring instead of creating egg production as the days are getting shorter.

This translates to more egg production their first year than your traditional spring chicken.

The Brooder for Baby Chicks

Due to the miracles of modern science, you can keep your chicks warm and cozy all winter with heaters, brooder plates, or heat lamps! By the time they are large enough to go outside, the weather will probably warm up.

Better yet, by the time summer hits, they’ll be mature and able to withstand the heat better than the younger birds.

The actual process of raising winter chicks is no different than raising chicks any other time of the year.

They should be kept warm, about 90-95 F the first week and then dropping about 5 degrees a week after that. They should be kept in a decent-sized brooder box and provided with a fresh, clean chick starter and water.

It is recommended to keep the brooder in a building with a steady temperature and humidity so you can be sure they are not getting too cold or too hot from ambient temperature fluctuations.

It is ideal to start brand new chicks on paper towels for at least a few days and then switch to pine shavings once they are eating well.

Chick crumbles are easier to see on the white paper towels, and very young chicks have been known to ingest shavings as they learn what to eat and what not to eat.

Moving Baby Chicks to a Coop

Eventually, the chicks will outgrow their brooder and need to move into a larger area. This is the time most people carry their babies to a coop.

They should be wholly feathered and theoretically can handle life without heat. If you started the chicks in winter, they might be warm enough not to need supplemental heat.

If they need to move to a coop and the weather is still freezing and wintery, you will need to offer supplemental heat.

Taking a young bird (or any bird) from a warm, climate-controlled environment and shoving them outside in the snow and ice is very dangerous since their bodies have not had the time to adapt.

Standard chickens will be used to decrease day length and temperature over a long period and will be ready, but the fall or winter babies will not.

chicks in winter

Heating Chicken Coops

To avoid a coop full of chicken popsicles, you should provide a safe source of heat. Make sure the coop and run are covered and dry.

Many animals can handle being cold, but when they are both wet AND cold, there is an increased risk of frostbite and hypothermia.

Some people use transparent plastic panels to give it somewhat of a greenhouse effect. You can also wrap some of the fencings in plastic sheets to trap heat and keep the cold and ice at bay.

Don’t forget that the birds need to breathe, and humidity needs to escape!

Keep the coops and run clean and consider bedding them quite deeply with pine shavings or straw.

Make sure that you keep their feet clean and dry, and make sure you use an excellent chick raiser with proper nutrients.

You can even offer a bit of cracked corn since it “burns hot” and can help warm them from the inside out, but don’t go overboard!

It would help if you also supplied your chicks with grit since they likely won’t be able to find any.

raising chickens in winter

Heating Chicks Water In the Winter

If you keep their water in a heated coop, it probably won’t freeze, but you have a few options if you keep the water somewhere with less warmth.

Many people prefer to keep the water outside of the coop, even in winter, to avoid the danger of spills and excessive humidity.

The easiest way to deal with frozen water is to break out the ice and refill regularly, but that is labor-intensive and can be borderline impossible if it freezes solid.

You can also buy some commercial heaters or heated waterers, but you will need electricity for that. If you are heating the coop, you will probably already have electricity available.

chicks in winter

Types of Heaters for Chicks In The Winter

What type of heat should you provide for your little ones in the winter? There are a few styles that are available from your local feed or hardware stores.

If you have enough room, you can use an oil-filled electric radiator (if you have enough room), a heat lamp, a brooder plate (if you have the type that can convert to a coop heater), an actual coop heater, or an infrared heater.

Heat lamps can be hazardous, so use extreme caution if you go this route. Many reports of them burning a coop down if a chicken knocks them over.

Since they produce a lot of heat, they can easily ignite the dry bedding and whoosh – roast chickens.

Infrared heaters are a safer choice since they use different technology to heat. Some will heat an element and then direct that heat to an area, but many use the infrared light, which your chickens and coop then absorb as warmth.

There are even infrared heaters you can buy that don’t require electricity and some that you can set to turn on and off at certain temperatures.

Keep in mind that infrared heaters can still burn down your coop if you’re not careful!

Oil-filled radiators are commonly used as space heaters in houses, but you can use them out in your coop!

They take a while to heat up and therefore take time to heat your coop, but they can maintain a cozy temperature once they get there.

You can set them to maintain a certain temp, and they even have built-in safety features that automatically shut them off if they are knocked over!

They can cost a lot to run, though, so if you’re concerned about your electric bill, you might want to skip this one.

A special brooder plate or coop heater is one of the best options out there for heating. They safely provide radiant heat, and your chickens can move closer or further depending on how they feel.

Some of these heaters mount to the coop wall like a TV, or they can be free-standing.

Emergency Preparedness for Your Chicks

When it comes to heating, one major thing is that electric heaters will stop working if the power goes out! Winter storms and car accidents can both leave you in the dark and your chickens in the cold, so you will need to have a backup plan.

Chickens have been known to unplug heat sources accidentally, so you will need to consider how you run the electricity and keep an eye on their shenanigans.

Consider investing in a generator for you and your chickens to avoid tragedy.

baby chicks

Preventing Frostbite for Chicks in The Winter

If you’re still concerned about frostbite, especially when they venture outside, there are a couple of things you can try.

You can always start by picking breeds that are more adapted to cold weather. These are generally thick and fluffy with small, tight combs – like rose combs, pea combs, etc.

Without as many fleshy bits protruding, they are less likely to suffer frostbite. The ample feathering and large volume to surface area ratio will help them maintain body temperature.

You can also offer your chickens flatter roosts – think a 2×4 that’s the four sides up! This allows the chickens to sit on their feet and heat them with feathers a lot easier! Warm toes don’t get frostbite!

Keeping the run dry and free of snow will also help your birds stay frostbite free. If you live in an area with snow, you’ve probably touched it with your bare hands.

Your fingers get cold VERY fast when they’re wet, and it works the same with chickens! Wet feet freeze much more accessible, so by keeping them in a dry area, you can keep them safer.

Raising Chicks In The Winter Conclusion

So, if you’re ready to dive into the beautiful world of winter chicks, make sure you’re well prepared!

The leg-up you get when spring rolls around, and your chicks are already quite mature is fantastic!

Whether you have the benefit of getting more eggs that first year or the use of showing chickens that have had the time to grow their adult feathers to size, you’ll be happy you took the time. Enjoy!

Read Next: 10 Mistakes Made In Winter With Your Chickens

Raising Chicks in the Winter

One thought on “Raising Chicks in the Winter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *