Chicken Care Calendar: Year-Round Flock Health
Chicken Care Calendar: A Year-Round Guide to a Healthy Flock
Keeping chickens is incredibly rewarding, but a little seasonal care goes a long way toward keeping your flock healthy and productive. This easy-to-follow calendar outlines the key tasks for every season — from worming and red mite checks to pest control, coop maintenance, and feed tips. Follow along month by month to keep your hens happy, thriving, and laying strong.
🍂 Autumn (March–May)
As days begin to shorten, your hens may start to moult and egg production slows down. Autumn is all about preparing for the colder months ahead.
Key Tasks:
Worming: A great time to treat your flock with a poultry wormer like Aviverm, especially as moulting begins and laying slows. This helps you avoid wasting eggs during the medication withholding period.
Coop maintenance: Check for leaks, clean gutters, and refresh bedding before winter damp sets in.
Red mite monitoring: Use a torch at night to check perch ends and crevices.
Rodent watch: Rats and mice move in as the weather cools. Set snap traps or bait stations outside the coop, and store feed in rodent-proof bins.
❄️ Winter (June–August)
Winter is a quieter time for chickens as they rest, moult, and conserve energy. Your job is to keep them warm, dry, and well-fed.
Key Tasks:
Warm bedding: Use deep litter to insulate the coop and reduce moisture.
Rodents: Still very active. Check for droppings or burrows and trap regularly.
Limit moisture: Prevent waterers from freezing or overflowing.
High-quality feed: Support hens through their moult with a protein-rich diet.
🌸 Spring (September–November)
Spring marks the start of a new laying season. This is your chance to reset and get everything in order for a productive year ahead.
Key Tasks:
Worming: Treat again post-winter, especially if birds are free-ranging.
Lice checks: Inspect under wings and around vents for lice or clumps of eggs.
Rodent traps: Refresh trap locations and check for new signs of activity.
Coop overhaul: Deep clean the coop — scrub, sun-dry, and replace bedding.
Dust baths: Top up areas with wood ash, sand, and mite powder for natural parasite control.
☀️ Summer (December–February)
This is peak laying season — and unfortunately also peak parasite season. Keep a close eye on pests and hydration.
Key Tasks:
Red mite checks (weekly): Use traps and night-time torch checks. We recommend Exolt in the drinking water (no egg withholding) and Ripcord for wooden perches and nesting boxes. For a natural approach, try Poultry Defender predator mites.
Rodents: Still a threat. Keep feed off the ground and clean up scraps daily.
Fly control: Hang fly traps and place fresh mint, lavender, or rosemary in nesting areas.
Fresh water daily: Chickens drink more in heat — keep waterers clean, shaded, and topped up.
🔁 Year-Round Reminders:
Observe your flock: Watch for changes in behaviour, comb colour, or droppings.
Rotate pastures (if possible): Helps reduce parasite load.
Offer dust baths all year: They're essential for natural parasite control.