Canadians check in here....

[TazGal]

You can't see it well in the pictures but the run is entirely covered with 1" chicken wire. The plastic is over that. Just for winter. In summer the plastic will be removed. There is also hardware cloth covering the bottom of the chicken coop and wrapping up the sides under the siding. And there is 18" of chicken wire skirt all the way around coop and run, pegged to the ground to keep out unwanted visitors. We tried free ranging here but lost 3 hens in the course of only a few months. Unfortunately our property is a hub for predators (fox, coyote, eagle, hawk, owl, raccoon and though I've never seen any I hear there are weasels). So the run was built to keep them safe I hope I've succeeded! I can't bear to lose any more hens! The last one was mangled but still alive and I had to perform my first mercy killing. I was traumatized for two days after that. I'm worried that come winter when food is more scarce the predators will be even more persistent. Fingers crossed cuz I'm new at all this stuff!

 

[6littlegirls]

It looks like the girls will be well looked after in their greenhouse. Here is a picture of our run and green house.

 

[TazGal]

Looks awesome!

 

[Katiecluck]

Nelson, BC, Canada! We have seven hens and one rooster. Looking to replenish the old ladies with a new flock.

 

[harmesonfarm]

I just did the same thing today. I finished a new outdoor run last week. Today wrapped it in plastic to give the chooks a protected place to play.

Looks great! we'll be needing to do something like that pretty soon for our girls, it's been raining up a storm here on the island!

@Katiecluck hi there!

we have 7 girls and one roo right now too, though we have about 12 chicks that were hoping to get more girls out of.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Hi!

Nice runs!

 

[MamaRedStar0119]

Hi everyone! I'm from Otttawa and new to owning chickens. We (my boyfriend and I) have two happy, chatty ladies and adding another two soon, hopefully before snow starts falling. Almost done tarping-up their outdoor space and already noticed a difference in temperature. We use regular blue tarps in the back of the coop and thick, clear vinyl in the front and sides so they can still look outside. Next spring, we plan on extending their run to give them more space to explore when they can't be out free ranging. The lights are more or less for decoration, as they're only LED lights and produce zero heat.



Our girls free range when someone is home to supervise and I'm sure they find grit while foraging. My question is, when the ground is covered in snow and they can't be out free ranging as often, what can I use as grit? I've searched everywhere, but is seems the product is only available in the US and they won't ship to Canada.

 

[harmesonfarm]

Hi everyone! I'm from Otttawa and new to owning chickens. We (my boyfriend and I) have two happy, chatty ladies and adding another two soon, hopefully before snow starts falling. Almost done tarping-up their outdoor space and already noticed a difference in temperature. We use regular blue tarps in the back of the coop and thick, clear vinyl in the front and sides so they can still look outside. Next spring, we plan on extending their run to give them more space to explore when they can't be out free ranging. The lights are more or less for decoration, as they're only LED lights and produce zero heat.



Our girls free range when someone is home to supervise and I'm sure they find grit while foraging. My question is, when the ground is covered in snow and they can't be out free ranging as often, what can I use as grit? I've searched everywhere, but is seems the product is only available in the US and they won't ship to Canada.

Very nice looking run.

I purchase grit from our local feed store, either sharkare or buckerfields over here on Vancouver Island. To be honest though once i went through one bag i've never bought one again as I let them free range in their run and around the yard when supervised. I find they get enough from the soil surrounding, etc.

But, you can always try very small gravel or get a varying sized gravel/sand. You just want some that is big enough to be able to slowly degrade down and crush up the food stored in their crop.
Good luck, and welcome to chicken keeping!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Masterfeeds carries grit in various sizes and they also have a grit/oyster shell combo. Masterfeeds cover a lot of places here...I imagine they would in Ontario too.
I haven't purchased any from them but I've seen it in the feed shed when waiting for my feed to be loaded...lol.

I don't have a run, my chickens are indoors all winter.

 

[MamaRedStar0119]

Thanks for the suggestions! Looks like I have more options to look into