Most chickens handle 0°F if the coop is dry and draft-free. They die from condensation freezing on their combs, not from cold air. Here's the prep order that actually works — by your USDA zone.
Measure: 1 sq ft of vent per 10 sq ft of floor, all of it above roost height. Add hardware-cloth-covered openings if you're short.
Run a candle around the coop interior at roost height. Anywhere it flickers, weatherstrip. Hens cannot sleep in cross-drafts.
6-8 inches of pine shavings + monthly top-up. Compost reaction provides 5-10°F free lift.
Roof insulation prevents condensation drip. Wall insulation traps moisture — skip it.
Hens shouldn't be within 18in of a single-pane window or vent opening.
Heat lamps cause coop fires (#1 cause of total loss in winter). Hens that depend on heat die fast in a power outage. Acclimate them to cold instead.
$35-60. Plugs into outdoor outlet. Works to -20°F. The single highest-ROI winter purchase.
For zones 1-3, the heated base isn't enough. Insulate the bucket, freeze-resistant nipples on the bottom.
Even with heaters, check at noon. A frozen waterer at 2pm = no eggs tomorrow.
Cold burns calories. Switch from layer (16%) to a layer-grower mix or top with scratch grains in the afternoon.
1 small handful per 2 hens at sundown. Digestion overnight = internal heat.
Gut health stays up when birds aren't ranging on grass. Cheaper than supplements.
Leghorns, Andalusians, Anconas: thin layer on combs before single-digit nights.
Silkies, Bantams: lower roost = warmer floor zone for them.
One sickly bird in cold becomes three. Don't winter old or weak hens.
Tarp + pallets if cheap. Solid 4ft windbreak if permanent.
Frozen mud = bumblefoot. Keep them off bare ground.
Plus a Year-Round Coop Care Calendar personalized to your USDA zone. Pin it inside the coop, check off in order, sleep through winter.