Keeping Chickens through the Winter

I have nothing but mad respect for those people who raise chickens. It’s a serious commitment that demands attention 365 days a year, rain or shine, snow or smoke. Speaking of snow, some weather prognosticators are saying that we might see a significant amount of snow this year. Yeah, I’ll believe it when I’m shoveling the welcome white stuff.

I would venture a guess that most of us know at least one other person or family who raises chickens. It’s hard work, time-consuming and isn’t cheap. As any veteran chicken wrangler will tell you, they don’t do it to save money. Nope. They do it for the eggs.

“Once you have a fresh egg from a chicken, you won’t like the eggs you get in the grocery store,” says Cathy Shores. She and her husband, Lynn, were both born and raised in Bend. About 49 years ago they built their house on the northeast side of Bend.

Growing up, Cathy helped out with the chickens and other animals on her grandfather’s 40-acre farm outside of town, which is now the industrial area that surrounds American Lane in southeast Bend. Lynn never had chickens growing up. When they started keeping chickens in 2013, a move that Lynn initially opposed, Cathy says they knew next to nothing about raising chickens, so it was “learn as you go.”

How many chickens do they have these days?

“Too many,” Lynn jokes, though admits he does appreciate fresh eggs. Cathy answers, “22 or 23.”

More daylight helps increase egg production, so during the long, dark days of winter, they install a lamp in the coop, not for heat but for the extra light that it affords. And if there’s a stretch of days with sub-freezing temperatures, they will spread out hay over the dirt floor of the coop to provide a little insulation.

If there’s a big snow dump, Lynn will bust out the snowblower to clear a path to get to the coop. They will also use a heating element to keep the chickens’ water from freezing.

The view of the cozy inside of the wrapped coop. Credit: Jennifer Galler

A portion of this coop is wrapped in plastic to keep out the cold rain
and snow. Dry hens are happy girls! Credit: Jennifer Galler

It’s also important to vent the coop to deter moisture buildup. The Shores do not add any extra insulation to the coop itself. With that many chickens in the coop, “they stay toasty,” Cathy says. “Chickens do better in the cold than they do in the heat.”

Lynn adds, “As long as they have food, water and a comfortable place to lay an egg, they’re happy.”

Cathy says they’ve never lost a chicken to a predator, due to secure fencing and pens.

Oh, and having a rooster (illegal within Bend city limits, but the Shores reside just outside city limits) also helps. Lynn says that if a hawk or other bird of prey flies over, the rooster will let out a squawk and usher the hens into the coop. Cathy adds, “I’d rather hear a rooster crow than a dog bark.”

She estimates that they are on their fourth round of chicks, now all fully grown. Lynn says they will succumb to “chicken math,” which means the intention to add eight new chicks and instead come home with 14. They do sell some of their eggs, but what they recoup doesn’t come close to covering the costs of raising chickens.

Another veteran chicken keeper offers this common sense advice for wintering with chickens, like putting out extra food, and if there’s snow, clearing a path for the chickens to forage and move around.

My Source co-workers, Jennifer and Adrian Galler, have been keeping chickens for three years at their home in southwest Bend. “We keep chickens, of course for eggs, but also for entertainment. We find our hens to be more of pets, rather than just chickens,” Jennifer says. “Seeing your chickens chase down a grasshopper, running like mini raptors, is such a sight to see. They have their own, unique personalities. The more time you spend with them, the more comfortable they become with you and other humans. We like to spoil our hens with fresh fruit, vegetables, starch-grains, and as much free-range foraging as possible. You’ll notice that some hens are very chatty, which after some time, you’ll be able to tell the difference between a happy chirp and an annoyed chirp.”

Jennifer adds, “The downside of having chickens is you do need to keep their coop clean, which means scooping up lots of poo-poo. Chickens are very messy. They poop just about everywhere. In their watering can, on the walls, the ceiling and even inside their nesting boxes.

“They also molt once a year, which means feathers will take flight into all parts of your property. When you do let them free-range, they will also dig giant holes in your property where they decide is a good spot to dirt bathe. On the plus side, it is very cute seeing a flock of ladies’ dirt bathing together. If you enjoy having a green property, you will need to fence off your chickens because they will eat everything and anything green and growing.”

My wife’s daughter and her family have been raising chickens for about six years over in Salem, where they can have some really wet winters. They currently have six chickens and they put extra straw down on the ground when it gets really wet. Another idea is to hang up a plastic shower curtain on the coop, “so that the rain doesn’t blow in sideways.”

Once again, keeping the coop as dry as possible is key. Our relative adds, “If they have a place to stay dry, they’re going to find it.”

For anyone considering taking up the vocation of raising chickens, they should be aware of the daily commitment it takes. Our relative in Salem laments, “The only thing I miss is travel.”

That just might be the most significant sacrifice that one has to make to reap those compact, fresh, delicious, protein bombs. However, able neighbors just might be willing to chicken-sit in exchange for collecting those tasty, fresh orbs.

This article appears in Central Oregon Pets Fall 2026.