If you own desi chickens then you would definitely agree that winter is really scary sometimes!!!
Well, chickens or hens are indeed different from humans. Desi Chicken needs less care and attention in winters as compared to humans.
BUT THEY DO!!!
So care more for them in winters as compared to other seasons.
CARE FOR DESI CHICKENS IN WINTER
It’s a natural phenomenon that chickens have feathers that act as a protective covering in winter. They usually don’t need any heaters or heat lamps in winter but you have to provide hens with a warm shelter. If you feel like the weather is really cold then you can use the heat source for a small time period just to increase the temperature for a few degrees. But to avoid the external heat source provide your hens with warm shelter or warm places
PROVIDE COOP FOR DESI CHICKENS IN WINTER
Maintain a good environment to keep your chickens cozy. You can create a large coop by yourself, take some pieces of cardboard sheets and fill them with chopped straws or light wood sticks. They are helpful to maintain a good body temperature for chickens. But yes stagnant air is also harmful so try to avoid this as well. Check the temperature and humidity on the daily basis.
PROPER VENTILATION FOR FREE RANGE CHICKEN COOP
As mentioned above stagnant air is also harmful to the chickens, so you need fresh air inside the coop. Other factors like moisture or humidity need to be escaped from their places. To solve these problems you can provide them with ventilators which can be in the form of windows or exhaust fans.
WARM FOOD FOR DESI CHICKENS IN WINTER
In winter don’t focus on a single diet for them. Make sure that your chickens are eating well regularly. Don’t give them frozen food or water.
Chickens need a good amount of food and water in winters because they use or consume a big amount of energy to make them warm and to maintain their body temperature. Provide them a mixture of grain and corn to eat, give them a variety of meals that contain proteins. In short, give them a diet that is healthy and tasty for them.
COLLECTING CHICKEN EGGS IN WINTER
Try to visit your chickens multiple times daily in winter. Check the temperature so it doesn’t variate from hot to cold or cold to hot. Collect eggs as soon as possible so they don’t freeze, because if the egg freezes it can cause cracks on the egg’s shell. Chickens live and survive quite well in winter if you are paying good and proper attention to them. For example, take care of their food, water, keep them dry, and collect the eggs frequently. In case of extreme cold weather collect the eggs after every three hours because from this method you can prevent your favorite chicken’s egg from getting frozen.
HELP YOUR DESI DESICHICKEN GET OUTSIDE IN WINTER
Yes, it’s true that to avoid chickens from catching a cold or to keep them safe, we should provide them a warm and covered place.
- But these chickens also need someplace or outdoor areas to roam freely or to play in winter.
You can use plastic sheets to cover some specific areas of the outside, by this you can accomplish two tasks in a go i.e you are giving them a light shelter plus the outside view.
WINTER CHICKEN CARE MISTAKES TO AVOID
The first thing to avoid is the use of external heat or heat lamps because it can create problems.
- Avoid cold food and maintain a good room temperature
- Don’t let your chickens roaming outside for a long time, keep them in a warm place
- Don’t provide them the cold or freezing water in winter
- Keep visiting them multiple times in a day
- For the final suggestion :
DON’T! PLEASE DON’T COMPARE THEIR LIFESTYLE WITH HUMANS, chickens or birds are really different from us.
CONCLUSION
To conclude, take care of your chickens by providing them good food, shelter, warm water, and other important factors as mentioned above but don’t overdo anything. Feathers of the hens help them to keep warm, so the use of an external heat source or heat lamp is not needed until the temperature goes freezing.
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