09/15/2026
Time to prepare for winter
For mountain flocks around Canton, fall is when you set yourself up for an easy winter. The big enemies up there aren't just cold, it's damp and wind, so your checklist is all about keeping them dry, draft-free but still breathing, and well-fueled.
Start with coop repairs. Walk the whole structure on a rainy day if you can. Check the roof for leaks, re-tack any loose metal or shingles, and make sure gutters or a simple drip trench moves water away from the foundation. Replace any soft or rotting boards near the floor line. Tighten hardware cloth on windows and runs - raccoons and weasels get extra hungry in fall. Make sure doors close square and latches still lock when wood swells. Raise roosts to at least 18-24 inches off the floor and make them wide, a 2x4 on the flat side lets them cover their feet with feathers. Add a deep litter base now while it's still warm enough to start composting.
Ventilation is next and it's the most important for the mountains. You want air exchange high up, not drafts at bird level. Keep your low cracks and south-facing wind gaps sealed with caulk or screwed-on scrap boards, but leave or add vents up near the eaves on at least two sides, ideally east and west. The rule of thumb is about 1 square foot of vent per 10 square feet of floor, and you never close it even on freezing nights. That carries moisture out and prevents frostbite more than any heat lamp will. No heat lamp needed for most hardy birds, but do test your water heater base or heated ni**le system now.
Predator and bedding check before winter really hits. Do a dusk walk, look for dig marks, bend the apron of hardware cloth back into place, and add a skirt of rock or cinder block if needed. Clean out old dusty litter, put down a fresh 4-6 inches of pine shavings or dry leaves, and stock a dry bale under cover so you can top up all winter. Keep feed in metal cans, mice will be moving in.
For feed changes, fall birds need two things: feather regrowth and fat reserve. If they're molting, bump protein to 18-20% for 3-4 weeks - a feather fixer or game bird feed mixed with your layer, plus black oil sunflower seeds, scrambled eggs, or mealworms as a treat. Once molt is done and nights drop into the 30s, you can go back to a good 16% layer but offer a little extra scratch or cracked corn in the late afternoon only. It gives them energy to generate heat overnight without replacing their balanced ration. Always free-choice oyster shell and grit, and add a poultry vitamin/electrolyte one day a week in water when temperatures swing fast.
Do all that in September and early October and your January self will just be topping bedding and breaking ice instead of doing emergency repairs in the snow.
