A chicken stays warm by ruffling its feathers to trap warm air next to its body. A cold draft blowing through the feathers removes the warm air and causes chilling. Check for drafts by quietly standing in your coop awhile, and then squatting to detect cold air moving at chicken level. Take any necessary measures to reduce coop draftiness. Unlike a hen, a cock doesn’t sleep with his head tucked under his wing. In cold weather, his comb may therefore freeze during the night, becoming quite painful and perhaps reducing his fertility. Insulation helps prevent frozen combs, as does mounting a small electric heater above the perch. To make sure your chickens won’t get too warm, plug the heater into a thermostatic control that kicks on when the temperature falls below 35°F and kicks off above 35°F. Next: Chickens for
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