Winter in Switzerland can mean weeks of frost, snow and short days. The good news: healthy hens cope with cold far better than most people expect. What causes problems is frozen water, damp, draughts and boredom. This guide covers what really matters, with a focus on water and feed, so your flock stays healthy and keeps laying through to spring.
Do chickens need heat in winter?
In most cases, no. Hens fluff up their feathers and trap warm air, and a flock sitting together on the perch keeps itself warm at night. A heat lamp is rarely needed and is a real fire risk in a wooden coop full of dry bedding. It also makes the hens less hardy if the power fails. A dry, draught-free coop with good ventilation protects your hens better than extra heat.
Keep an eye on breeds with large single combs, such as Leghorns. In hard frost their combs and wattles can get frostbite. A thin layer of petroleum jelly on the comb on very cold nights helps, and so does a coop that isn't damp.
Water: the biggest challenge in winter
A laying hen drinks around 250 to 300 ml of water a day, even in winter. Without enough water, egg laying drops within a day or two. Hens also drink less when the water is ice-cold, so the aim is not only to stop the water freezing but to keep it pleasant to drink.
Any drinker without a heater can freeze in a hard frost. These simple habits keep water available without electricity:
- Fill the drinker with lukewarm (not hot) water in the morning. It takes much longer to freeze.
- Use two drinkers in rotation: one outside with the hens, one indoors thawing. Swap them in the morning and again in the afternoon.
- Place the drinker in a sheltered spot out of the wind, ideally inside the coop or under a roof. Wind freezes water far faster than still cold air.
- Raise the drinker off the frozen ground, for example on a paving slab or wooden block. This keeps it cleaner and slows freezing from below.
- In very hard frost, empty the drinker in the evening and refill it in the morning. This protects it from damage caused by ice.
- Check the water at least twice a day and break any thin ice on the surface.
A second drinker is the cheapest and most reliable winter solution. Our 15L drinkers hold enough water for 2 to 12 hens, so one filling lasts all day even with a large flock.
Cup or nipple drinker in frost?
Both work well in winter if you follow the tips above, but they behave differently in the cold:
- Cup drinkers: the small cups refill automatically and you can easily see and break ice. Hens that are used to open water find them easy to use.
- Nipple drinkers: the water stays clean and the bedding stays dry, which is a big plus in winter. But the nipples are small and can freeze sooner in hard frost, so rotation is especially important.
If your coop is in a place with long periods of hard frost, a heated drinker or heating plate can be worth it. For most gardens in the Swiss lowlands, two unheated drinkers in rotation are enough.
Feed in winter: more energy, fewer trips through the snow
Hens need more energy to stay warm, so they eat a little more in winter. Make sure good layer feed is always available, from first light until they go to roost. A handful of grain in the late afternoon gives them extra energy for the long, cold night.
- Keep feed dry. Wet feed goes mouldy quickly, and mould can make hens ill. A feeder with a lid and rain covers keeps snow and rain out.
- A large feeder means fewer trips. A 15kg feeder lasts a small flock several weeks, so you don't have to top up feed every day in the snow and dark.
- Keep mice and rats away. In winter they look for food near coops. A feeder with feeding ports that keeps feed off the ground attracts far fewer of them.
Shop the 15kg feeder (2 or 4 ports) →
Bird flu: protect feed and water from wild birds
Bird flu cases in wild birds usually rise in autumn and winter. In the winter of 2025/26, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) ordered preventive measures across Switzerland from November to March. Keepers had to keep feed and water out of reach of wild birds, for example with nets or a roof over the run. The rules were mandatory from 50 birds, and the FSVO recommended them for smaller flocks too.
Even without official measures, it makes sense to place feeders and drinkers inside the coop or under a covered part of the run in winter. Check the FSVO website for the current rules, and remember that every poultry keeper in Switzerland, including hobby keepers, must be registered with the canton.
A dry, draught-free coop
- Ventilation without draughts: openings high up under the roof let moist air out. Close gaps at perch height, where the hens sleep.
- Dry bedding: change wet bedding straight away. Damp bedding causes more cold-related problems than low temperatures do.
- Water outside the sleeping area: drinkers inside the coop should stand away from the perches and nest boxes, so splashes don't make the bedding damp.
- A sheltered run: a roof or tarpaulin over part of the run gives the hens a dry, snow-free place to scratch.
Short days, fewer eggs and boredom
Hens need around 14 hours of daylight to lay well. In December and January, it's normal for laying to slow down or stop, especially in older hens and during the moult. This natural break is healthy, and the hens start laying again as the days get longer.
When hens spend more time in the coop, they get bored, and bored hens are more likely to peck each other. Pecking blocks and hanging treats keep them busy for hours.
Browse pecking blocks and chicken treats →
Winter checklist
- Two drinkers ready for rotation
- Drinker and feeder sheltered from wind, snow and wild birds
- Weatherproof feeder with enough feed for several days
- Dry bedding and ventilation without draughts
- Petroleum jelly ready for large combs in hard frost
- Pecking blocks or treats against boredom
- Registration with the canton up to date
Frequently asked questions
Do chickens get cold in winter? Healthy, fully feathered hens cope well with frost as long as the coop is dry and free of draughts. Hens that are huddled together and fluffed up during the day may be ill, so take a closer look.
How often should I change the water when it's freezing? At least twice a day: lukewarm water in the morning and a check or swap in the afternoon. With two drinkers in rotation, your hens always have drinkable water.
Do chickens lay eggs in winter? Fewer than in summer. Short days reduce laying, and many hens take a break in December and January. That's normal and gives their bodies a rest.
Ready for winter
Starting out or replacing old equipment before winter? Our starter kits combine a 15L drinker with a 15kg weatherproof feeder, and orders from CHF 59 ship free within Switzerland.