Cold snaps expose every weak link in a poultry house. To provide a clear plan to protect flock health and margins when temperatures drop, Feedstuffs Poultry Nation co-hosts Sarah Muirhead and Alltech's Curtis Novak sat down with Brian Fairchild to unpack the practical moves that make the biggest difference. From tightening a barn so air enters only through designed inlets to using circulation fans that gently move warm air across the floor, this conversation turns winter prep into a step-by-step system.
 
 We start with the core principle: moisture control beats ammonia chasing. Brian explains why conditioning outside air through inlets lowers relative humidity, even on rainy days, and how a slight increase in minimum ventilation can dry litter faster without wrecking fuel budgets. You’ll hear exactly how to measure leakage with a simple house tightness test and where to find hidden infiltration with thermal cameras, dust trails, and fogging. We also dig into practical fixes like fan bonnets or socks for leaky tunnel shutters, foam for gaps, and door seal checks that pay back quickly.
 
Then we connect airflow to bird comfort. Larger-volume circulation fans help break stratification and deliver 100 to 150 feet per minute at the floor, improving chick distribution and litter drying. Attic inlets can capture solar-warmed air for extra efficiency, and newer 40-foot radiant tubes spread heat evenly along sidewalls where slick spots start. We talk litter depth as a moisture buffer, acidifier amendments for the first 7 to 14 days to curb early ammonia, and how modern controllers with multiple sensors allow smarter zone heating without fighting the fans. The takeaway is simple and powerful: line up the dominoes—tightness, inlet conditioning, circulation, heat placement, and litter—and winter becomes manageable.
 
 If this helped you think differently about cold weather house management, follow the show, share it with a fellow grower, and leave a quick review so more producers can find it. Got a winter ventilation tip that changed your flock performance? Tell us—we might feature it next time.