Canadians check in here....

[Bound to Sea]

That's an interesting heater. I'm going to check it out. I take it that it is fire proof? The picture shows the heater sitting on straw. Last year we wrapped the inside of the coop with thick plastic and used the big red heat lamp only when it got very cold and never left it on overnight (afraid of fire). We may try some hard insulation panels plus heat when needed. Does the heat radiate well from the flat panel as the heat lamp is very narrow but does take off the edge.

It has a thermostat, chickens can sit right against it if they like. My Silkie does alot in winter. I usually turn it on at -10 for day time temps. Door is open. When it hits -20 as daytime high, they are locked up. I don't like frozen combs. As temp drops below -20, the coop will stay 10 degrees warmer. We don't get may -30 but the little flat panels do keep the cold edge off and keep wind out with door shut. Sometimes, they are shut in for a couple weeks at a time in the winter.

 

[Bound to Sea]

That's an interesting heater. I'm going to check it out. I take it that it is fire proof? The picture shows the heater sitting on straw. Last year we wrapped the inside of the coop with thick plastic and used the big red heat lamp only when it got very cold and never left it on overnight (afraid of fire). We may try some hard insulation panels plus heat when needed. Does the heat radiate well from the flat panel as the heat lamp is very narrow but does take off the edge.

I don't have a walk in coop. I have a small raised one. If I had a large coop, definitely do the deep litter method for warmth. I keep alot more hemp bedding on floor than summer but not to make deep litter. I even wrap my external nest box with something to keep eggs from freezing.

 

[Ruby Rogue]

I don't have a walk in coop. I have a small raised one. If I had a large coop, definitely do the deep litter method for warmth. I keep alot more hemp bedding on floor than summer but not to make deep litter. I even wrap my external nest box with something to keep eggs from freezing.

Where do you get hemp bedding?

 

[Bound to Sea]

Peavey Mart, Farmstead Life farm from Tees Alberta delivers across the province once a month. Also store in Red Deer. North Forty farm supply in Cochrane too.

 

[Bound to Sea]

It is made locally in Calgary. They supply the places I mentioned across the province. It's called HempAlta Pets.

 

[IQL]

We used batt insulation in the walls and ceiling and rigid foam insulation in the floor. The lowest temperature I saw last winter was -42C which was cold enough!

Thank you Lexicon. Our winters are usually not too cold, relatively speaking, but we can get the odd day at -30C, even -40C with the wind, but typically not colder than -20C - which is cold enough for all creatures - big and small.

 

[IQL]

It has a thermostat, chickens can sit right against it if they like. My Silkie does alot in winter. I usually turn it on at -10 for day time temps. Door is open. When it hits -20 as daytime high, they are locked up. I don't like frozen combs. As temp drops below -20, the coop will stay 10 degrees warmer. We don't get may -30 but the little flat panels do keep the cold edge off and keep wind out with door shut. Sometimes, they are shut in for a couple weeks at a time in the winter.

Thanks Albertan. As I mentioned to Lexicon, the temps are usually not too bad but we do have the odd day of really cold weather. Up to -10C the door is left open a bit to let the chickens run around outside if they choose (they hate the snow so may or may not venture out). Anything colder the door stays closed to keep the coop warmer and the lamp gets turned on during the day to take off the edge. I will definitely check out the flat panel heater

 

[IQL]

I don't have a walk in coop. I have a small raised one. If I had a large coop, definitely do the deep litter method for warmth. I keep alot more hemp bedding on floor than summer but not to make deep litter. I even wrap my external nest box with something to keep eggs from freezing.

Love your coop. Mine is a walk in and in the winter I make sure that the wood shavings on the floor, and in the nesting boxes, are much deeper than in the summer for added insulation and to keep the little feet warmer. I don't do the deep litter method because I clean the coop every day to keep the air fresh and the hygiene level up but the shavings are generously deep. The weather is turning now so this week I will be cleaning out the summer shavings and putting a new thick layer of shavings and will continue to add as winter progresses. Winter is always too long for this Canadian

 

[Chickstarrs]

May I ask what type of insulation you used? Our coop has 2 vents at the very top of opposite walls, just beneath the roof plus 2 screened windows and 2 doors.

I insulated with this stuff in the walls and ceiling. I did not do the floor.

The nest boxes stick out the side and are only insulated on the bottom. I check the boxes often when it is very cold.

My coop is a walk-in. I do not use a heater or a lamp and my chickens are fine through the winter. I only had 8 last year, this year I have 26 (need to remove some before the snow hits as it will be too crowded in there ). They will keep each other warm and they have very good personal insulation with their wonderful downy feathers.

 

[DukesDucks]

My daughter and I have ducks, peacocks, and chickens. Gets pretty cold here but none of the coops are insulated. All the groups are able to be out of drafts, but usually choose to be out in their runs if the sun is shining. I was amazed the first year by the peacocks and how well they did. They would wade through the fresh snow, then roost in the sunshine.