Raising chickens can pose quite a challenge when the winter months come. In homesteading, the trickier aspect to this is in using natural methods to keep everything natural and organic. While not using any form of heating on the coop may seem hard, it is easier than one would expect.
Today, we will look at ways you can achieve this, ensuring the chickens in winter remain warm within the cold months. The goal is to not use any electricity to keep the fowl toasty. Read on and look at how easy it is.
Inspect the Coop Thoroughly
When keeping chickens in winter, the first thing that you need to do is to do a thorough inspection of the coop. Make sure that there are no large holes that would cause wind chills and for heat to escape. Alongside that, keep the coop well-ventilated.
This way, you can keep the coop insulated while avoiding ammonia buildup. Also, take into account how the chickens would be like inside. Make sure they have a good place to roost in comfortably while keeping warm during the winter months.
Of course, this comes to play after relocating or erecting a different coop in preparation. This lets you find a strategic spot to keep the chickens warm.
Deep Litter Method
The Deep Litter Method can help as a sustainable way of managing litter within the coop. It also provides aid in insulating the chickens during the cold months. The process lets you work it in the same manner as garden composting, but with the chickens helping you in the process.
Managing the litter within the coop this way can make it easier to manage. As long as you properly execute this, it would be an easy way to manage the coop. Otherwise, you end up with a hazard to the chickens inside it.
Bedding and Roosts
Once you have the coop prepared and inspected, you need to make sure the insides work well for the chickens. Lay down a lot of bedding like sawdust, straw, or wood chips. Have this work with the deep littler method to help generate heat.
Also, consider the placement of roosts. The positioning can help the chickens stay warm. Go for at least two inches wide for the chickens to sit to cover their legs.
Use the Sun
You can also use the sun to capture heat and to keep the coop warmer. Use well-insulated windows to trap the sun. For this, you can choose materials like clear plastic to create the needed greenhouse effect.
With this method, you have a means on how to keep chickens warm in winter without electricity. For that, the sun is your best source.
Have a Lot of Feed
Make sure to have a lot of feed for them to eat throughout the winter months. You can look at these feeds for more info. Meanwhile, have some auto-feeders ready for this.
Keep Your Chickens in Winter Warm Today
With your chickens in winter warm and secured, you can manage this without using any artificial heating. These fowls can take care of themselves. Even so, you also need to check on these birds once in a while to check on their egg-laying and deep litter.
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