Chicken Coop / Sheds For Canadian Winter

[Alaskan]

Realistically, it would usually be -20C to -30C. But I guess the numbers don't lie.

-20 C isn't bad...

-30 C for a week or more at a time is bad... and then yes... maybe some other suggestion has to be considered.


-30C for a week or more at a time... I would figure out how to heat... and how to heat if the power goes out.

 

[Ted Brown]

Brockville (OP's home city) is on the St. Lawrence seaway. I am about 150km north of that. It would be very unusual to have a week of -30C but we very occasionally have lower temperatures; weeks in the -20C to -30C area do happen; normal temperatures in the minus teens. His area is damper and subject to higher winds than I get.

The problem with heat is one of the highest costs of electricity in NA. Outages are infrequent.

My intent is no heat, cold tolerant birds and deal with losses when it happens. I have read that higher quality food is important to survival in the winter, not sure what that means in terms of survival at the occasional extremes.

 

[aart]

For the most part this is correct yes.

Realistically, it would usually be -20C to -30C. But I guess the numbers don't lie.

Well, I got that off google, who knows where the data comes from.<shrugs>

One thing I found that can help with cold stress is a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins during very cold spells.
I mix up a pint and use rolled oats to soak it all up(so no wattle dipping liquid remains).
Still had frostbite this winter but no cold stressed birds as in the past.

 

[Cryss]

Well, I got that off google, who knows where the data comes from.<shrugs>

One thing I found that can help with cold stress is a dose of Sav-a-Chick electrolytes/vitamins during very cold spells.
I mix up a pint and use rolled oats to soak it all up(so no wattle dipping liquid remains).
Still had frostbite this winter but no cold stressed birds as in the past.

Nice tip there! Thanks!

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hmmm...just tossing out some ideas that may be too crazy to work but then again....

I'd remove the inside tarps. Plastic is easy to clean. Then for cold weather I'd buy a bunch of straw bales and pile them up against the outside of the coop. This will create an insulating wind break, act as support against winds, and come spring you have garden mulch. Fresh bales each year might be needed, not sure.
The roof. Hmmm. Strap it down with ratchet type straps? Maybe attach plywood covering it and long enough to create a protective overhang? Cut holes at the very top of the walls and cover thouroughly with hardware cloth for ventilation? Replace the whole thing with a wood one that includes ventilation and protective overhang?
Good luck!

On to another point of discussion for you...did you say 50 chickens? Is this coop 200sqft or basically 10X20?
50 birds will need that for the 4sqft/bird minimum indoors area not including nesting area. Nests can be hung on the wall about 18 inches above the floor to maximize floor space.
And your run (even if you free range them you might need to use a run for emergencies) needs to be 10sqft/bird so 500sqft for your 50, basically 10X50.
These dimensions are the minimums. Crowding will cause fighting, injuries, death, and often cannibalism.
Maybe hire some boy scouts looking to earn their Eagle badge to help build. There are loads of excellent information on here about the best ways to set up a good coop. Pallets can be used for the framing and they are often free.
Good luck!

Nice idea, however putting plywood on top of roof without additional support will cause side walls to buckle. I noticed this type of buckling on my old shed and the beginning of the wall sections to separate from the weight of snow on the roof. That's why I recommend a wood roof supported by sturdy wood posts. Straw bales on the sides would work, but in the long run more costly than the original investment of wood siding since you'd have to replace every year.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Let's step back a minute @Countrymanfowl. The plastic /polystyrene sheds are nice but do have their weaknesses. For chickens, these would be easier to clean then wood only coops. Determine the existing square footage you have available in the shed. Then you need to subtract the space needed for the nest boxes. The net square footage will allow you to determine how many birds you can put in there. You are in an area that likely gets lake effect snow so your chickens need room during the winter to be comfortable and not crowded. Then coming back to the coop build: think of the existing shed as the inner coop that already has some insulating factor. You can easily build an outer frame with a sturdy sloped roof (think of a table design) that will protect the coop from the harsh winter weather. Heat lamps are never a good idea in a coop. Your winters are about the same temperature wise as they are in my area. Listen to @aart, ventilation is more important than insulation. Chickens come equipped with their own warm down/feathered clothing. Once you have the coop figured out plan your run carefully with a good list of local predators to protect your flock from. Good luck!

 

[Ted Brown]

Let's step back a minute @Countrymanfowl. ...

.. think of the existing shed as the inner coop that already has some insulating factor. You can easily build an outer frame with a sturdy sloped roof (think of a table design) that will protect the coop from the harsh winter weather.

Heat lamps are never a good idea in a coop.

Listen to @aart, ventilation is more important than insulation.

Good luck!

Sometimes it takes a woman to cut to the chase. Bravo!

Pearls in @Wee Farmer Sarah two posts above.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

Let's step back a minute @Countrymanfowl. The plastic /polystyrene sheds are nice but do have their weaknesses. For chickens, these would be easier to clean then wood only coops. Determine the existing square footage you have available in the shed. Then you need to subtract the space needed for the nest boxes. The net square footage will allow you to determine how many birds you can put in there. You are in an area that likely gets lake effect snow so your chickens need room during the winter to be comfortable and not crowded. Then coming back to the coop build: think of the existing shed as the inner coop that already has some insulating factor. You can easily build an outer frame with a sturdy sloped roof (think of a table design) that will protect the coop from the harsh winter weather. Heat lamps are never a good idea in a coop. Your winters are about the same temperature wise as they are in my area. Listen to @aart, ventilation is more important than insulation. Chickens come equipped with their own warm down/feathered clothing. Once you have the coop figured out plan your run carefully with a good list of local predators to protect your flock from. Good luck!

1) So I believe the shed is 10' by 12'. So 120 square feet. Is 6 feet per bird enough for winter instead of 8? So 20 birds. I'm wanting to house more but can only house as much as the space I have.

2) If I built this extension myself or had someone build it (again I'm not very handy) would that add on to the amount of birds I could house?

3) Would the "inner coop" (ie the shed) still have to have to have the roof insulated?

4) In terms of runs the area with the sheds already have a chain link fence barrier all around it giving tons of space for the chickens. (We had geese who loved to wander) Would you recommend still building a run inside of that area?

5) Aren't the nest boxes raised? So they wouldn't take away from the overall space of the coop?

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

1) So I believe the shed is 10' by 12'. So 120 square feet. Is 6 feet per bird enough for winter instead of 8? So 20 birds. I'm wanting to house more but can only house as much as the space I have.

2) If I built this extension myself or had someone build it (again I'm not very handy) would that add on to the amount of birds I could house?

3) Would the "inner coop" (ie the shed) still have to have to have the roof insulated?

4) In terms of runs the area with the sheds already have a chain link fence barrier all around it giving tons of space for the chickens. (We had geese who loved to wander) Would you recommend still building a run inside of that area?

5) Aren't the nest boxes raised? So they wouldn't take away from the overall space of the coop?

Your chickens will get mighty grumpy with even less square feet and start picking and fighting with each other. Chickens get bored easily. I’m curious as to why so many birds at first. If you’re considering raising layers and meat birds together I don’t think that’s a good idea since they need different feed. My best advice is start with fewer birds and see how you get through the first year. The chain link fence for the run, how tall is it? Is it protected from raptors? Raccoons are pretty smart and can easily reach climb over, reach in and grab the chickens by the neck. Then there’s the digging predators. Now to the roof, put a sturdy steep slopes roof over the plastic roof. You don’t need to insulate but you do need to ventilate. Building a simple structure is not rocket science. I’m sure there are you tube videos that show how to build a basic shelter.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Yes the nest boxes are raised, but they need to be lower than the roosts. Also, speaking from experience, stuff happens and you might need a space for a sick, injured, newly acquired bird. Regarding the chain link fence: is it covered? How big is the area? There is a lot to consider before starting your flock. I thought I had planned well enough however after going through the first year there’s been a lot of do-overs and adjustments. One last thing: these birds deserve your respect and commitment to providing adequate shelter and the healthiest and safest environment you can provide for them to thrive.