While it's true that chickens adapt real well to both cold and hot weather, constant exposure to harsh climates can still get the best of them. That's why a coop or a hen house should be set up, while making sure that it's well ventilated and free from draft. Make sure that the perches are not too high to prevent any foot injuries. However, it doesn't mean that it's safe to neglect the environmental conditions that determine the well-being of your poultry during the cold months. Heat conduction plays a critical role in the wintering of your poultry. Placing a bed of sawdust or bundles of straw in the coop helps in keeping them warm just in case huddling together is not good enough to handle the cool temperature. Keeping Chickens What they Need to Survive and Thrive Ancestrally, chicken are jungle birds. They are survivors living in trees and are good at adapting to outdoor conditions. Taking good care of chickens then is easy provided that the chicken raiser give them what they need to survive and thrive. The needs of chickens are few and simple. As for breed selection, the "bantam" is more popular for their docile nature and gorgeous plumage. Their small size also makes them easier to handle. You also have to consider the size of a chicken's comb and wattle since these extra appendages are prone to frostbites during winter, which can cause health complications if not treated properly. For the average man working in the poultry industry, the changes, complexities, and practices in producing high quality chicken eggs and meat could be stressful if not bewildering, but what happens in the farm determines directly the quality of the products that the poultry produce. In egg production, the main focus of safety is to prevent salmonella contamination. Mix vitamins and minerals into the water to insure that the chicks grow healthy and to boost their resistance to diseases. This is especially important during the first week. For food, you can mix crumbs to the starter mash that you feed the chicks. Taking care of the chicks will require you to follow manufacturer's instructions for ratio and proportions of vitamins, minerals, and crumbs that you mix with their food.