Canadians check in here....

[WindyFieldFarms]

Working farm in Ontario, cash cropping and feed sales

 

[WindyFieldFarms]

Our farm is in Grand Valley, On. We used to run a large laying operation, 22,000 hens!

 

[hennible]

Wow! That's a lot of eggs!

 

[EJChickens]

Hi, just joined! Anyone else in Etobicoke (Toronto)?

 

[hennible]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[Chickax2 Boomx2]

What type of flooring do you all use in your coops for the winter? I'm new to chickens and am a little concerned about them in my little sketchy coop in my backyard... Living in Vernon, BC. )

I've read online that sand is the warmest for the floor; I had wood shavings and was planning on following the deep litter method for warmth, but some insist that sand retains heat better and the chickens love to bathe in it. What say ye all?!

 

[hennible]

I say a lot of things work... I use hay because for me it's free. It works.... Sand or pine shaving are supposed to be the best though.
Don't worry about the cold, I'm near PG and they do fine in the cold as long as the humidity is low... Humidity will give them frost bite... Oh and perches nice and wide, 4" is good.
PS
My first coop was an in insulated outhouse
They did two winters in there with no problems.

 

[TropBeaucoup]

What type of flooring do you all use in your coops for the winter? I'm new to chickens and am a little concerned about them in my little sketchy coop in my backyard... Living in Vernon, BC. )

I've read online that sand is the warmest for the floor; I had wood shavings and was planning on following the deep litter method for warmth, but some insist that sand retains heat better and the chickens love to bathe in it. What say ye all?!

This is what was suggested to us - base of sand, layer of pine wood shavings (make sure they are dust free) and top layer of hay. Right now we are doing the shavings and hay - but are probably going to add in some sand next time we clean it out.

I find having the top layer of hay makes it for easier cleaning and not as often. The chicken poop sticks to the hay so the shavings underneath stay cleaner longer - you just rake the hay off and refresh. And then every once in awhile change the whole thing.

Our coop is also insulated.

 

[Chickax2 Boomx2]

I don't have an insulated coop... Just a dogloo for them in the winter cold, although I also have a dog house with a light bulb attachment I can give them if I need to, but I'm worried about setting them on fire so I'm saving that as an absolute emergency. There are only four of them but with no experience I'm a little worried that a) they might not be warm enough in the dogloo, and b) that there will be too much moisture in there - not sure there's enough of a vent on the top. Right now they're still sleeping in the summer shelter I made them, a pallet house with 3 1/2 walls (I made the walls solid, but there is a 6" space at the top for venting between the roof and the walls. They like the roosts there, but this week we're dropping below zero so I wondered if I should lock them into the dogloo one night so they figure out that it's warmer in there?

We're having a little wind storm right now and the wind has blown my plastic partially off the roof of the run -- guess it wasn't as secure as i thought -- and they're clucking and a little worried. I gave them some pumpkin innards to distract them... )

I'm just so worried about them... Thanks for your suggestions, I appreciate them. )

 

[Chickax2 Boomx2]

TropBeaucoup - I like the idea of putting sand down with the shavings on top; then I've got the best of both worlds.

Hennible - Your new avatar frightens me... I might have nightmares tonight, lol!