Chickens are such adaptable creatures. However, caring for chickens can vary depending on your regional zone. Weather patterns, different seasons, and availability of resources can all have an effect on how you care for your homestead flock. Care practices that work for one flock may not be the best for a different flock in a different regional area. I have put together these regional chicken keeping considerations to help you raise your flock successfully no matter where you homestead!
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Disclaimer: I have not lived and raised chickens in all of these different regional areas. I am basing my information off of my research of the different regional zones and my knowledge of the basics of raising chickens.
Quick Note:
I have identified four different regional characteristics that I am going to cover in this post: wet, dry, cold, and warm regions. There is a brief weather description for each region that I have identified myself. Different areas may experience several of these conditions within each year. Elevation plays a big role in an area’s weather patterns. Consider these things when analyzing what region you live in and how to best care for your flock.
Wet Regions
(lots of precipitation, especially rain; muddy or swampy areas; may have high winds; may also have high temperatures and high humidity)
Coop considerations-
- Use litter that is absorbent and well draining. Replace wet litter immediately.
- The coop should be positioned in shade. Have windows on the east and west sides. Ensure good ventilation and air flow. You may want to locate it on raised land or stilts in a dry area. Have a well drained enclosure.
- Make sure there is plenty of dry, covered shelters for chickens to take refuge in. Try to eliminate muddy puddles or standing water.
- For windy areas, provide wind block on the enclosure. Create a rain block to keep precipitation from blowing into the coop or enclosure.
- Predators: snakes may be prevalent in wet regions; watch for high populations of flies or mosquitoes.
Care Considerations-
- Offer supplements that promote overall good health, like parsley, dandelion, garlic, and probiotics.
- Make sure there is clean, fresh water available at all times. Try and prevent the chickens from drinking out of water holes.
- Cover any dirty puddles as best you can, I like to use pieces of wood to cover any muddy puddles in my flock’s enclosure.
- It may be a good idea to worm your flock in the spring and fall. I like to use herbs, pumpkins, and garlic as worm preventative measures.
- Clean up droppings in the enclosure regularly to keep them from contaminating standing water that may be present.
- Having plenty of roosts or perches for the birds to get up on will keep them away from wet areas. I like to use pallets or build wood bridges over wet areas.
- Health: many diseases thrive in wet climates, stay on top of promoting good health; worms are especially prevalent in wet areas
Breed Considerations- Breeds that have feathers on their feet are not well suited for damp, wet, and muddy conditions.
Dry Regions
(very little precipitation; often dusty; may have high winds; occasionally accompanied by high humidity and/or high temperatures)
Coop considerations-
- The litter should be cool, absorbent, and non dusty.
- The coop should be in the shade and have good ventilation. Install plenty of openable windows and have good air flow. Fans may be a good idea to promote air flow. Misters may help keep the dust level down.
- Make sure there is plenty of shade available for the birds to take refuge in if your area tends to be dry and hot.
- Keep the coop and enclosure protected from dust storms. You may want to create a dust block to keep it from blowing into the coop or enclosure.
- Predators: aerial predators, snakes, and varmints may be active in dry climates
Care Considerations-
- Supply moisturizing foods like fruits and vegetables.
- Make sure there is always cool, fresh, and clean drinking water available.
- You may want to cut back on whole grains and seeds in your flock’s diet if your area is dry and hot. Whole grains and seeds create heat when they are digested, this is not helpful when your birds are trying to stay cool!
- Health: watch for signs of heat stress and dehydration
Breed Considerations- Choose heat tolerant breeds, such as ones with large combs or breeds that are in the Mediterranean breed class.
Hot Regions
(has consistently warm or hot temperatures; may be paired with a wet or dry region)
Coop considerations-
- The litter should be cool and absorbent.
- The coop should have excellent ventilation but be draft free. The enclosure should be covered. You may want to have fans handy for circulating air. Consider putting windows on the north and south sides to keep the sun from shining directly into east and west facing windows.
- Make sure there is plenty of shaded areas for chickens to relax under.
- A wind block may be necessary in some areas that are hot and windy.
- Predators: varmints and hawks are more prevalent in hot regions
Care Considerations-
- Use cooling herbs like mint. Cooling treats are good too, like frozen fruit and leafy greens.
- Feed them their regular ration and treats during the coolest part of the day.
- Always have fresh, cool water available. You can put some ice cubes in their water, but not too many. Chickens like cool water, not ice water.
- Limit whole grains and seeds, possibly look for mashed or pelleted feeds. Avoid scratch grains.
- Health: Watch for heat stress and dehydration
- For tips on keeping your flock cool during hot weather, check out my post on A Summer Diet for Chickens.
Breed Considerations- Choose heat tolerant breeds and avoid heavily feathered breeds who would have a hard time staying cool.
Cold Regions
(has consistently cold temperatures; may be paired with a wet or dry region; some areas may have high winds)
Coop considerations-
- The litter should be warm, absorbent, and should be a good insulator.
- The coop should be positioned facing the south. Avoid windows on the north side or high wind sides. Have good ventilation but make sure it is draft free. Cover the enclosure.
- In some places, you may need to supply occasional supplemental heat. Consider insulating your coop.
- Build the coop behind a natural wind block.
- Make sure there are places for sun to shine into both the coop and enclosure.
- Create a wind block on the north side of the enclosure. You may even create a wind block around the east and west sides as well. Wind blocks can also help keep snow from drifting into the enclosure.
- Predators: bears, feline and canine members, varmints, and hawks are all present in cold regions.
- See my post on Winterizing the Chicken Coop for more tips on winter coop considerations.
Care Considerations-
- Supplements that stimulate circulation are good, like ginger. High protein treats, seeds, and whole grains are good too for providing energy.
- You may want to supply additional light to keep the hens laying when daylight hours get shorter in some northern regions.
- Have fresh, unfrozen water available at all times. You may need a water heater. I use this green heated pet bowl and the Farm Innovators water heater.
- A high protein diet that includes whole grains and seeds can also help generate internal body heat.
- Health: northern fowl mites and frostbite are prevalent in cold, northern regions
Breed Considerations- Choose cold hardy breeds, avoid breeds with large combs and wattles. Frizzles also don’t do well in cold climates because their turned up feathers aren’t very good at insulating them against the cold.
I hope these regional chicken keeping considerations make sense and are feasible for you and your flock! Knowing how to take care of your flock no matter where you live is important, and not every technique works for every flock. Pay attention to the different seasons and adapt your chicken care schedule accordingly. Hot, cold, wet, or dry…. raising chickens on the homestead should be fun and prosperous!
Also, if you want weekly tips for caring for your homestead flock, make sure you join our weekly pioneer newsletter and get our free ebook on Raising Chickens Like a Pioneer!
by Alexa