**1. Prepare for Cold Weather**
Before winter arrives, it's essential to conduct a thorough inspection and maintenance of the chicken house, regardless of its size. Check for cracks in the walls, replace broken windows, and ensure that doors are properly sealed. For semi-open chicken houses, remove the pergola and cover the back window with plastic sheets. It's also important to prepare and install heating systems in advance. If you use coal-fired boilers, inspect the flues and chimneys carefully. Any leaks or damage should be repaired immediately to prevent carbon monoxide buildup or fire hazards.
**2. Focus on Daily Management**
During feeding, egg collection, and other daily tasks, always observe the flock’s behavior, appetite, and water intake. Pay attention to the color and consistency of their droppings. If any chickens show signs of lethargy, loss of appetite, or abnormal feces, isolate them for further examination. During seasonal transitions, chickens can become more sensitive to external changes, which may trigger stress-related issues. Therefore, all activities—feeding, watering, egg collecting, and cleaning—should be done gently and calmly to avoid stress-induced production drops or illness. For free-range chickens, bring them indoors at night when temperatures drop. Monitor weather forecasts and take proactive measures to keep them warm.
To encourage better feed consumption in laying hens, consider adding extra feed at night, ideally before turning off the lights. When changing feed types, do so gradually over 2–3 weeks to allow the flock to adapt and reduce stress.
**3. Adjust the Flock Properly**
Before winter, cull low-producing older hens and underweight younger ones. Separate hens that have completed natural moulting into new groups, focusing on those with healthy physical signs such as bright red combs, wide pelvic bones, and soft abdomens. When reorganizing flocks, keep group sizes between 100 and 200 to maintain stability. Fighting is common during this process, so monitor closely and separate aggressive or injured hens promptly to prevent injuries and reduce stress.
**4. Ensure Effective Environmental Disinfection**
Autumn brings cooler, more humid conditions, which are ideal for pathogen survival. This makes it a high-risk period for infectious diseases. Regular disinfection of the environment, equipment, and drinking water is crucial. In enclosed chicken houses, disinfect the air weekly using a 100 ppm disinfectant solution. The surrounding area can be treated with 10–20% lime water or 3–4% caustic soda. Feeders, waterers, and tools should be disinfected with 0.01% bactericidal agents or 100 ppm chlorine solutions. Vehicles and cleaning tools must also be cleaned and disinfected regularly. For drinking water, use bactericidal agents that leave no residue, but always follow manufacturer guidelines precisely to avoid errors.
**5. Strengthen Vaccination Efforts**
In autumn and winter, poultry are vulnerable to diseases like Newcastle disease, avian influenza, fowl cholera, infectious rhinitis, and others. Prevention starts with good hygiene and timely vaccinations. Review vaccination schedules, records, and local disease trends. Ensure all chickens are fully vaccinated, and revaccinate any unvaccinated or poorly immunized birds. This helps close vaccination gaps and protects the flock from potential outbreaks during the colder months.
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