chicken run covered in plastic

How to Winterize Your Chicken Coop and Run

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How to Winterize Your Chicken Coop and Run

chicken run wrapped in clear plastic

My husband and I live in Wisconsin and our winters can be brutal. I always tell my husband that we must live in the windiest place on the planet! Now before you put me in my place, I understand this isn’t true.  But it sure can feel that way!  As I’m writing this, I can hear the wind whipping outside.  

Combine these strong winds, with freezing temperatures, and lots of snowfall, you will have yourself some miserable chickens if you don’t take the proper steps as winter approaches.

How to Winterize Your Chicken Coop and Run in 4 Steps

Winterizing your chicken setup is vital to protect your hens from the cold, snow, drafts, and potential health issues. Today I’ll provide you with simple steps on how to winterize your chicken coop and run, ensuring that your backyard flock will stay healthy and happy during the winter season.

Step 1: Block Cold Winds and Cold Drafts

A women and 2 men putting plastic around a chicken run

Chicken Run

The first thing we do to winterize our chicken run as the cold season begins is to wrap the entire chicken run in plastic wrapping.  To keep the plastic in place without ripping, we use furring strips.  Wrapping the run in plastic does 3 things.

  1. It provides a wind block from the cold air
  2. Keeps the run dry by preventing snow from entering the run
  3. It keeps the temperatures stable

When wrapping your run, I recommend that you use clear plastic. For our first winter with chickens, we used a plastic that was supposed to be clear, but you couldn’t see through it at all.  For the second winter, we had to replace some of the plastic, so we made sure we could see through this plastic.  What I found, was that the chickens would gather around the clear section so they could see out. Now we make sure the entire front of our run is covered in clear plastic so my chickens can still see outside all winter. 

Using clear plastic also allows for plenty of sunlight to enter the run. If you are unable to wrap the run in clear plastic, then you will need to provide supplemental lighting for your chickens during the day. Chickens generally require about 14-16 hours of light per day to maintain consistent egg production. This duration of light stimulates their reproductive system and encourages regular laying. If your chickens don’t have sufficient light, their egg production will significantly decline.

white tarp over a blue chicken coop

Chicken Coop

Next, we block the cold drafts in our backyard chicken coop.  Our chicken coop has ventilation openings on both sides and if we don’t cover them, snow will blow directly into the coop. And it has. I had some pretty unhappy chickens that day.  

To prevent a drafty coop, we attach a tarp to the top of our chicken coop with bungee cords.  This blocks wind and snow from getting in but still allows for proper ventilation. Which brings me to my next step.

ventilation of a blue chicken coop

Step 2: Provide Adequate Ventilation

Even in cold weather, good ventilation is crucial to prevent moisture buildup inside the coop, which can lead to frostbite and respiratory problems from the ammonia fumes. It can be tricky to ensure you have proper ventilation for fresh air without it being drafty.  Here are some tips to ensure you have proper ventilation.

Install high vents: Place ventilation holes or windows near the top of the coop and run to allow warm, moist air to escape without causing drafts at the chickens’ level.

Use adjustable vents: Install adjustable vents that can be closed during a winter storm or extremely cold days and opened back up when the weather is milder.

inside of a chicken coop

Step 3: Add Insulated Bedding

Provide your chickens with at least 4-6” of warm bedding on the coop floor to keep them comfortable. We like to use the deep litter method.  The deep litter method is a way to manage coop bedding and waste in a way that promotes cleanliness and insulation during colder months.

Instead of completely replacing the bedding in the coop regularly, as in a traditional method, the deep litter method involves continually adding fresh bedding materials, such as straw, leaves, or wood shavings, on top of the existing litter.  We use pine shavings from our local feed store.

If you choose not to use the deep litter method, it is a good idea to at least provide extra bedding during the cold winter months. To learn more, check out Best Bedding Options for Chickens in the Winter.

3 heated chicken waterers

Step 4: Keep Water from Freezing

To prevent your chickens from becoming dehydrated during winter, ensure they have access to unfrozen, fresh water. Below are some tips to keep your chicken water from freezing with or without electricity.  We don’t have electricity in our coop and run, but we do run a long extension cord that we run from the house to the coop in the winter.

  1. Heated waterers: This is the best option if you are able to run electricity to your coop.
  2. Black rubber bowls or tubs: These will retain heat if left in the sunlight.
  3. Use ping-pong balls: Believe it or not, this does prevent the water from freezing solid!
  4. Insulate the water container: You can use an old rubber tire or other insulation such as foam or reflective.
  5. Add a Saltwater float to their water: Just make sure you don’t actually add salt to their water as that is very dangerous for chickens to drink!
  6. Frequent water replacement: Check their water regularly and replace it with fresh, warm water.

For more details on this, check out my Easy Ways to Keep Chicken Water from Freezing post.

chickens coming out of their run to see snow

Other things to consider when getting your chickens ready for the winter months

Provide Extra Nutrition

During the winter months, your chickens need additional calories to stay warm. Aside from their regular chicken feed, you can supplement their diet with scratch grains and kitchen scraps, but ensure they have a balanced diet. To learn more about what chickens can’t eat, read my post on What Not to Feed Your Chickens.

Supplemental Heat

Should you provide supplemental heat for your chickens during winter weather? Typically, my answer is no. Chickens are well adapted to handle cold temperatures as they have natural ways of regulating their body temperature.  

But I do understand that there are times when providing your backyard chickens with a heat source may be necessary. If you notice any signs of distress, such as shivering, lethargy, or frostbite, you may need to consider providing heat for your feathered friends.

My silkies don’t go into the chicken coop like the rest of my chickens.  Silkies don’t roost, so I have a doghouse inside my chicken run for them to sleep in.  During our Wisconsin winters, we can get stretches of outside temperatures reaching -25 F (-31 C). During these frigid times, I provide my silkies with this panel heater inside their doghouse.

Another good option would be a chicken heating pad.  You could leave these inside your run or mount them in your coop to provide heat for your chickens.

DO NOT USE a Heat lamp.   They are extremely dangerous and are a fire hazard. They have the potential to ignite combustible materials such as straw, wood shavings, or feathers, putting both your chickens and the structure itself at risk. To learn more check out my article The Dangers of Using a Heat Lamp for Your Chickens.

Health Checks

Regularly check your chickens for signs of illness, especially during winter. Cold stress and reduced daylight hours can weaken their immune systems, making them more susceptible to disease.


A winterized chicken coop and run is essential to keep your feathered friends healthy and happy during the cold season. By insulating the coop, ensuring proper ventilation, providing heated water sources, and cozy bedding, and addressing other winter-specific concerns, you’ll create a safe and comfortable environment for your chickens. With a little extra care and attention, you can ensure that your chickens thrive throughout the winter months.

What other methods do you use to keep your chickens warm in the winter? Let me know in the comments!

Related Posts:
Easy Ways to Keep Chicken Water From Freezing
What Not to Feed Your Chickens
The Dangers of Using a Heat Lamp for Your Chickens
How Much Space do Chickens Need?

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4 Comments

  1. There’s so much helpful info here, I can’t believe the ping pong ball trick! That will be helpful for our extra waterer in the run! We also have super windy midwest winters and my chickens will be super happy to stay a little more warm this year 🙂