Winter Is Coming
December is upon us and while many things on the farm have quieted down, the work is just beginning when it comes to caring for our animals. It may surprise you to know that livestock, including poultry, tolerate winter really well. If the El Niño prediction holds true and the winter is mild, it will be easier on the animals than the high heat and humidity of summer.
Chickens
Let’s begin with the chickens. The chickens in my egg layer flock are between the ages of 9 months and 5 years old. They are heritage breed chickens that I specifically selected to be cold tolerant. This means that most have smaller combs and wattles and are heavier in weight than other breeds. The few small breeds that live on the farm have rose combs, which are small and tight to the head. These features reduce the risk for frostbite.
We do not heat the coop in winter. Instead we built our chicken run with greenhouse panels for windows, and the actual coop is draft-free. We also put down bedding in a very thick layer in the coop to increase the warmth and absorb any moisture from their manure. The beauty of Wisconsin is that winter comes gradually, which allows the chickens to slowly adapt to the temperature change. If we were to heat the coop in winter and lose power, the sudden shock in the temperature change would be very hard on the birds. This is especially true for our older hens.
The most important thing that can be done to keep the birds healthy is to maintain a dry environment with good ventilation. The roof of the coop has venting that allows airflow, keeping the inside of the coop dry and reducing the risk for frostbite. The roost bars are 2x4 boards, with the wider part being what the chickens roost on. This allows them to sit comfortably on their feet, maintain balance with ease and tuck their heads into their wings. Chickens have a body temperature of 105-107 degrees and are covered in feathers, which offer outstanding insulation. When sleeping they huddle close together on the roost, further increasing their ability to stay warm.
The feed we provide is high-quality, and we up their protein intake during the winter months to include black oil sunflower seeds and a daily snack in the evening of chicken scratch. The extra protein and carbohydrates help keep their metabolism running at a high rate, allowing them to maintain their body temperature and stay warm. Water is also critical. With the higher metabolic rate, the birds will consume greater quantities of water. We keep all of the watering containers on heaters to prevent any freezing.
We have to be very diligent about checking the birds for mites in the winter. It is more difficult to get them to dust bathe as frequently in the winter, as their favorite spa areas are covered in snow. We change the nesting pads often, change out the bedding and spray all of the birds and the inside of the coop with an insecticide (Elector PSP) specifically designed to kill fowl mites and their eggs while posing no danger to the birds or humans. We use this because it is so effective and also because it poses no harm to our barn cats, unlike permethrin which is incredibly neurotoxic to felines and is not safe for use in any space where cats may come into contact with the chemical. We are always concerned about any chemical use on our farm, but Electro PSP is also used in organic farming because it is a natural based product. Fowl mites are deadly, they will infest a coop rapidly and will kill chickens by causing profound anemia. They are my nemesis and anyone with chickens will know how hard of a battle it can be to keep the tiny bugs at bay.
The other thing we do not do in winter is force the chickens into egg laying. The natural course for them is to slow down egg laying significantly so that their bodies can focus on staying warm and healthy. Artificial light is a stressor on the immune systems of the birds. Instead we wait for February, when the days will get longer and then eggs will return to the nest boxes.
Pigs
Have you ever heard of the term pig pile? It has to be one of the cutest things you will ever see. In the deep of winter you can walk into the barn and find our pigs burrowed into a thick layer of straw and hay, all snuggled and snoring away. They sleep laying right next to each other and will set up their sleeping nest all by themselves. All they need is a bunch of hay or straw flakes. They will snoot the hay and straw around to make up their bed and then snuggle in. The colder the weather, the thicker the bedding we give them. Something else to note is that pigs are pretty amazing in that they do not use their bedding area as a bathroom. We shovel the inside area where they do go frequently, and the pigs love participating in the process. They know when Chad is inside their enclosure with them that they will get lots of scratches and extra treats!
One natural feature of our pigs is their ability to grow their own winter coat. They will gradually start to grow more hair as the fall months pass by. The hair is bristly and gets thicker as winter approaches, which does a great job of keeping them warm.
Much like chickens, as their metabolic rate increases to help stay warm they consume larger amounts of water and we also increase their feed rations. The space in the barn where they sleep is well insulated from the outside and water heaters are used to keep the water source from freezing. They get lots of snacks in the form of fruits and veggies, in addition to their hog ration.
Our pigs still have access to the outdoors in winter, and will spend plenty of time running around in the snow. They will even eat snow, much like wild pigs do. On warmer days, they will lie down in the pig yard and sun themselves.
Cattle
Our cattle have access to the inside of the barn, where a thick layer of straw allows them to bed down whenever they decide they have had enough of being outside. The cattle actually really enjoy spending a large amount of time outside, even when it is cold or snowing. They will pull hay down from their feeder and make a bed right out in the yard where they will lie down. They also have two different shelters in the yard with bedding where they will snooze together.
Water is just as critical for the cattle as it is for the pigs and chickens. They consume about one gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight per day during cold weather. Like the other animals, their water tank has a heater in it to prevent freezing and they have a space to eat indoors. In terms of food, the cattle get two bales of hay and a few big scoops of sweet feed per day for the pair to share. In the winter months they learn that we are really their friends, because they often get small amounts of horse cookies fed to them when they come into the barn.
Like pigs, their fur gets incredibly thick in the winter months and this also acts as an excellent insulator from the cold and snow. Don’t be surprised if you drive by on a mild, snowy day and you see the cows out in the pasture sleeping. That snow that you see on their backs, it means that their thick coat is keeping the cold out and the warmth in - no blankets needed.
Cats
Last but not least, our barn cats. Ian, Jamie, Sirius and Hagrid are all safe here on the farm from the cold. They have a space in the barn that has a constant source of dry food and a heated water bowl that provides them with a consistent water source, even in the coldest temperatures. Cats by nature love to live in a colony, often sleeping close together and eating together. They love to create burrows in the hay up in the barn, and will sleep there often. Other times you will find them sleeping in a large cat crate that has straw and a fluffy blanket inside, keeping them very comfortable. Ian and Jamie love to sleep in the insulated cat house that we have up on our back deck.
They are fed a couple cans of wet cat food in the morning, and Sirius and Hagrid get the same out in the barn. Sirius and Hagrid are the newest barn cats, and they have not yet learned about the treats up at the house. Once they discover this, we will just feed them the wet food by the house. We do not use any type of rat poison on the farm, so mice are a snack. We also treat each cat with worming and flea/tick prevention to maintain their health.
A Final Note
In the deepest of winter, all of the animals are assessed multiple times a day, water heaters are checked to make sure they are in good working order, bedding is reinforced and lots of love is given. Thankfully Chad doesn’t mind the cold, so he can be found out in the barn spending time with everyone on a regular basis. I will often put together fresh fruit and vegetable mixes for the chickens, as the greens and fresh nutrients are so important for overall health. Eventually the days will start to get longer. In early February the hens will start to produce eggs again, the pigs and cattle will spend more time outside and the hope that comes with spring starts to become more evident.
Stay warm, enjoy comfort foods and good movies. Spend time with each other. Longer days are ahead!