Canadian weather

[Labarrie]

Here are some pics of my coop and run we will be is insulating the coop but my dad wants to take mesh roof of and and leave it open were I live there are a lot of Pests and want a roof on it not just to keep the kritters out but to also so a don't have to shovel the snow we will have a heat lamp and thermostat in the coop but this is my first winter with chickens and I would like some with experience to tell me everything and if I should have a roof on the run and just how to prepare for winter

(Just so you know we let them roam around the yard a lot)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

That material may collapse under a heavy snow load. I don't usually advice heating chickens, they can keep themselves warm. You could use a south facing window for the days when your chickens don't want to go out, and you should have some ventilation, are you where they will have to be locked in for bad weather days, heat lamps can be knocked down and start fires, just some things to think about.

 

[Labarrie]

We would get tin roofing or something and i guess I you'll will not be using the heat lamp

 

[yellowchicks]

This is a good time to plan for winter, especially the Canadian winter. The mesh roof will definitely collapse under the snow load, it would be safer to remove it. The current design of the run will not support a solid roof, you need to build some more permanent rafters and vertical columns to support the roof structure. Also the mesh panel on the side wall is not predator-proof. It will only contain the chickens, not deter any land predators.

It you can construct a solid roof for the run (by providing a proper roof pitch say 4:1 slope), it will make your life a lot easier in the winter, and the chickens a lot happier. Otherwise, shoveling snow on top of the wet leaves trying to get to the chickens that are cooped up in the shed for months will not be fun.

 

[Labarrie]

Yes Of course dad is very skilled as building he only build It for a mesh but he would correct it so it could support a solid roof easily ! Thank you so much for the help!

 

[aart]

How much snow do you get where you are?
You're gonna need some ventilation in that shed...and may need to rake the snow of the roof of that too.