Fluent in Fowl Language

August Edition

Summer has flown by, and it's nearly fall. Put down your pumpkin spice... I said nearly.

Let's discuss what needs to be done, or at least checked, to make sure you're ready for the cooler months ahead.

Close Up Your Barn, Chicken House, or Coop

Make sure your barn, chicken house, or coop is draft-proof. (You still need ventilation!)

You can use barn curtains, tarps, plastic sheeting, or just about anything that blocks the wind. Ideally, leave the top 4-6 inches open for airflow, as long as your roosting perches are lower than the opening.

Some people attach an external 8-12 inch strip of plastic to the top of the opening so it overlaps the windproofing, much like a kitchen window valance. This helps block rain and snow while still allowing fresh air to enter. In many Latin American countries, this is called a "faldón."

Stick with me, kiddo... I have all sorts of trivial wisdom to impart!

Adjust Your Ventilation

If you have exhaust fans and air inlets, you can reduce the fan speed or put them on a timer.

During summer, you may aim for approximately one air exchange per minute. In winter, reduce that to roughly one air exchange every 15 minutes. You still need to remove moisture and ammonia from the litter without creating a chilling draft.

Check Your Coop Door

If you have a coop door, make sure it closes completely and opens easily.

Take a look at the Nestera Automatic Door Opener. Set it up so you don't have to head outside at the crack of dawn to let the birds out every morning!

Rodent-Proof Your Coop

A warm coop is just as inviting to rodents as it is to your chickens. They love easy access to feed, water, and shelter. 

In my experience, if you see one mouse, you probably have at least five.

Be sure to rodent-proof your feed storage and coop. Your options include:

• Repeater traps (mice go in but can't get back out)
• Snap traps
• Rodenticides

My sister-in-law swears by a mixture of baking soda, cornmeal, and cocoa powder because she has other animals and doesn't want to risk them ingesting poison.

Supplemental Lighting

As daylight hours shorten, many birds will stop laying. If you're fine with giving your flock a winter vacation, you can skip supplemental lighting.

If you'd like to maintain egg production, you'll need to add light. Birds generally prefer warmer, red-spectrum lighting around 2700K, which is comparable to a traditional 40-60 watt bulb. You can achieve this with either fluorescent or LED lamps.

For continued laying, hens should receive 14-16 hours of light per day. Supplemental lighting helps fill the winter daylight gap and keeps their hormonal cycle on a steady rhythm.

A few lighting tips:

• Use an automatic timer because chickens thrive on routine.
• You don't need stadium lighting. Aim to emulate gentle spring daylight, not an interrogation room.
• It's generally better to turn lights on earlier in the morning rather than leave them on later at night.
• Mount lights away from roosting areas.
• Make sure bulbs aren't flickering.

If your hens are recovering from illness, stress, or molting, skip the supplemental lighting for a while and focus on increasing their protein intake so they can recover fully.

Remember: for egg production, you want lighting that's steady, calm, and boring... not a disco!

Closing Thought: A little preparation now can make winter much easier on both you and your flock. Check your ventilation, secure your coop, control rodents, and decide whether supplemental lighting fits your goals. Your hens will thank you for it. 🐔🥚