7 Tips Biosecurity For Your Backyard Flock In Winter
*Please see my content disclaimer on the main blog page. I am not a veterinary professional. This is not medical advice. Your choices for the care of your livestock are solely your responsibility.
The rigors of winter can present challenges to even the healthiest backyard flock. Extreme temperatures, fluctuating weather conditions, and the lingering impact of the fall season molt among other things can leave your flock vulnerable to costly and heartbreaking pests, ailments, and diseases. By practicing good biosecurity and developing your own winter care routine you can keep your flock safe, healthy, and productive during the winter season and all year round!
What is biosecurity?
Biosecurity is the methods and routines you use to protect your flock from pests, ailments, and diseases. Biosecurity means what you do to keep your flock healthy, safe, and free from infestations and infections of any kind. Biosecurity is important all year round but the winter season when most flocks will be spending more time in confinement and close proximity poses additional challenges. Flock infestations and diseases can spread quickly. Prevention is your best defense against costly and devastating poultry health issues. The methods mentioned below are written with small backyard family flocks in mind and are a brief introduction to the topic of biosecurity. If you show chickens professionally or as part of an agricultural program additional safety measures will be needed, please refer to whatever official guidance your organization or livestock professional provides.
Prevent draft but allowing for ventilation. What is the difference between draft and ventilation? Draft is when cold air, ice, precipitation, snow and wind can blow directly onto your chickens which is a detriment to their health in the winter season. When a chicken’s feathers are wet they can’t effectively insulate their body and regulate their body temperature. The saying goes, “Keep your ventilation high and your chickens dry.” Draft can be prevented by properly insulating your coop. You can construct temporary winter walls from things like construction plastic, scrap wood, plywood, tarps, or stacked straw bales. Be aware biodegradable winter walls like straw bales will need to be monitored and changed when appropriate so they don’t become habitat for vermin. Leave space covered with hardware cloth at the top (above the highest point where chicken’s roost) for ventilation. Ventilation high above the levels where your chickens roam and roost allows fresh air in and allows soiled, moist air to escape. Chicken droppings are 70% or more moisture content and if there isn’t adequate ventilation it can create undesirable conditions like potent odors or even health issues like ammonia toxicity. Chickens have sensitive respiratory so access to fresh air is important even during winter conditions. Cover vents and openings in your chicken facilities especially in your coop with hardware cloth for maximum protection from predators. Predators like snakes, rats, mice, and even raccoons can permeate chicken wire. To locate potential areas of draft you can wait until dark and place a camp light or flash light in your coop. When you walk around observing your chicken facilities from the outside where the light shines through it will reveal holes and potential areas of draft. Things like feed bags and cardboard can be repurposed to cover areas with draft. Don’t use materials like Styrofoam board, it is highly likely your curious flock will eat this material which can cause injuries or be fatal.
Regular cleaning and maintenance of your chicken housing. Removing your chickens’ droppings on a regular basis utilizing either deep bedding method or spot clean and scoop method, whichever is most appropriate for your specific chicken housing situation supports their health. Utilize a livestock appropriate ground cover litter like pine flake shavings or coarse sand to reduce excess mud and moisture. Mulch is not recommended as a ground cover litter as it contains sharp pieces which can cause conditions like bumblefoot in addition to containing harsh chemical dyes which can negatively impact your flock. Replace your nesting material when needed. Remove droppings from roosts and perches. Avoid using water in your coop when temperatures will be below freezing (35 degree Fahrenheit) and use dry cleaning methods like a stiff bristled brush, rags, and drywall scraper. When temperatures will be above freezing, you can utilize a gentle, natural livestock cleaning solution like castile soap on: perches, roosts, nest boxes, and chicken accessories. Don’t use harsh chemical cleaners intended for indoor use around livestock. These chemicals can harm your flock or worse. Your chicken housing should include plenty of perches and roosts for your flock to allow them many chances to escape the cold, wet ground. This contributes to overall flock harmony and helps prevent frostbite.
Use dedicated livestock gear you only wear when tending your own flock. Invest in a dedicated pair of livestock boots which you only wear when working with your own flock. Don’t wear these boots into public or to any other location or residence that has chickens as you can physically track back diseases and pests from other locations on your footwear. For additional protection don’t allow others to walk through your chicken area or if you choose to do so, sanitize their footwear prior. If it’s appropriate for you, you can create a covered shoe washing station with an upside-down tote and a shallow pan or boot mat with sanitizing liquid inside like dish soap or a few drops of bleach in the water. A visual of this is featured in the video about this topic on my YouTube channel linked below.
Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling your chickens or working in their chicken housing and especially after handling any other chickens. Washing your hands before and after handling your chickens prevents you from accidentally bringing germs to them on your hands and helps protect you from spreading germs around your own living area inside.
Prevent rodent and vermin infestations by stowing food at night when it’s not in use in predator proof containers. Clear away uneaten treats and livestock dishes at night. Rodents and other vermin love to eat chicken food and are always on the hunt for an easy snack. If it’s appropriate for you, you can store your chicken food and dispensers in a weather proof totes or metal trash can at night when they’re not in use and re-hang them in the morning for your flock to utilize. Clear away any uneaten treats or dirty livestock dishes at night to avoid attracting predators to your chicken area.
Observe an isolation period if you’re adding any new flock members. If you’ll be growing your flock this winter be sure to isolate any new members in their own separate facilities away from your original flock for at least two to four weeks to ensure new flock members are free from disease or pests. You can repurpose items like a dog crate to serve as a temporary hen hospital and isolation plan if you notice any injured or potentially ill members of your flock. Remember chickens can die from temperature shock if they are moved into and out of environments with more than 20 degrees difference in temperature so if you deem it is medically necessary to bring a chicken inside for treatment for any reason remember to transition them slowly both inside and outside during harsh winter temperatures.
Invest in your flock’s overall health to naturally boost their immunity and disease resistance. Things like adequate and appropriate chicken nutrition, fermenting your chicken feed, chicken safe herbs, plenty of enrichment, poultry supplements like grit and oyster shell, plenty of roosts and perches, and observing your flock on a daily basis are all ways to meet your flock’s basic needs and support their health during stressful winter conditions and all year long. Ensuring your flock has as much space as you can provide for them in addition to meeting their basic housing and nutritional needs bolsters your flock’s health naturally by reducing stress and creating conditions where your flock will not only survive but thrive.
Additional tip, roof your chicken run and coop. A roof over your chicken run and coop protects your flock from the elements and reduces the chance for exposure to things like wild bird droppings. If you do feed wild birds on your property be sure to do so as far away from your flock as you feasibly can and regularly disinfect your bird feeder by cleaning it with diluted bleach water and or dish soap and allowing it to dry completely before re-hanging it. Never wear footwear that has potentially been exposed to wild bird droppings around your flock, instead wear your dedicated livestock boots.
I hope you enjoyed this post which is a brief introduction to the topic of biosecurity for your backyard flock. If you would like to see more backyard chicken and homesteading content, check out Chuck’s other social media linked below.
Chuck and the Chicks 