Fortunately for chickens, they are incredibly adaptable. Chickens are not mammals like us. They are birds. Because of this, their bodies interpret the weather differently than we do. When choosing chickens, it's important that we consider how hardy they are in winter climates. For New Englanders, this means keeping hardy breeds. Think of hardy breeds like wild birds that don't migrate to warmer climates in the winter. Like wild birds, they stay put and overwinter. With proper care and management, overwintering your chickens can be a success with a little planning and proper preparation. While chickens are indeed hardy birds, if they are not kept warm enough, laying hens can stop laying eggs and weaker members of the flock can get sick and have trouble recovering from cold weather.

While some farmers use heat lamps to keep their coops warm, they run the risk of catching fire if they malfunction or are not properly maintained.

Here are some tips of how to raise chicken in winter from cold weather.

Keep your coop well ventilated
While you should not have any large holes in your coop to let in cold air, you must also remember not to reduce air flow too much as this can lead to serious problems such as ammonia buildup. To prevent this, you should make sure you have an adequate ventilation system.

Vents should be placed towards the roof of the coop, where cold air cannot flow directly to your birds. By exhausting the warm, moisture-filled air and replacing it with cooler, drier air, you will be able to reduce humidity and prevent mold from growing in your bird's bedding.

Ideally, your mesh vents will have a hatch that can be opened and closed. This way, you will be able to properly ventilate your coop during the day and close it off at night when it is colder or during particularly heavy rains.

Use sunlight to absorb heat
Winter days may be shorter, which is different from how to raise chickens in fall, but you can still use sunlight during the day to gain heat and help keep...