Edmonton, Alberta Canada (and area)

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Dutch780 said:
Hello! I live Edmonton! No hens yet but I am anxiously awaiting a decision by the City (to allow or not to allow backyard hens after two year pilot project.

In the meantime, I am gleaning as much info as I can re cold weather coop design and breeds. I am looking at building a non-heated, but insulated coop and run for four hens. Any tips on coop design for our climate, as well as sourcing chicks locally (city guidelines state that "...pullets shall not be younger than 16 weeks old") would be appreciated.
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I'm hoping to get some square straw bales to stack up around the outside of the coop to act as extra insulation and a windbreaker. I have no idea if the city would allow that though.
From everything I've learned on this site an insulated coop with goid ventilation is really all that you need. If you can run electricity to the coop a heated dog bowl is great to keep their water from freezing. The best idea for roots is to use 2x4s laid flat. That way they're able to perch on their feet fully to help prevent frostbite. Petroleum jelly on their combs and battles also helps prevent frostbite. From what I've read as long as there's good ventilation to help keep the moisture level down inside the coop, frostbite really isn't an issue.
Boredom is another thing to think about. They don't like snow so they'll most likely stay indoors. I bought some large suet cages at dollarama that I'm going to put greens in for them to peck at. Evidently a cabbage hung on a bungee cord keeps them entertained for hours.
Anyhow, that's what I've gleaned so far.
Oh yeah... I've decided that the deep litter method is the way to go for me. The only place I've been able to find diatomaceous earth food grade is at a health food store. Peavey mart (spruce grove) hasn't had it in stock for several months now.
 
Hello,
we are in Peace River Alberta which I realize is not in the Edmonton area since I make the long 5 hour drive a few times a year but close enough. I hope you are all having a good fall and getting your straw you need.
 
ChristineMac said:
Hello,
we are in Peace River Alberta which I realize is not in the Edmonton area since I make the long 5 hour drive a few times a year but close enough. I hope you are all having a good fall and getting your straw you need.
Click to expand...
Haven't found any straw yet, but I'm sure there's plenty around.
What do you do for cold weather in Peace River Christine?
 
Well, my husband built me the Palais de Poulet of coops so it is pretty warm generally and has windows on the east, and west sides and then one big strip of windows on the south. The hens were moved into the winter house this morning actually. When I need heat which is of course most of the winter, I have a small parlor room heater that you can buy at places like Peavy Mart hung from the ceiling that is plugged into a thermocube that I bought in the States. Thermocubes are the best investment but I'm not sure that they are CSA approved at this point. You just plug them into a regular plug in and then plug your item into that. It turns on when the temp gets to a certain point and then shuts off at around 7C. This way, it only heats the coop to that point and keeps water and eggs from freezing. If I didn't have the Thermocube, it would be about 16C in the coop all the time and they don't really need that. I'm sure they like it but they don't need it. There is a place in Ontario that sells those Thermocubes but they are around $30 there and in the States they are about $10 so it is worth ordering from there.

As far as straw is concerned for the floor in a small coop, it is really quite hard to clean out in the spring. I have found that pine shavings are easier to clean out. If I had a dirt floor, I might invest in sand for the floor. It dries out easy, keeps heat if there is a heat lamp on it and you can scoop out the poop on a regular basis. I did use the deep litter method for a few years and this is the first year that I'm not going to do that. Make sure that your floor in painted before you do this as moisture under the straw from spills will rot your floor. We just actually put scrap lino down on our floor as we had to replace the flooring.

If you are planning on surrounding your coop with straw for insulation, you should cover the straw with a tarp so that it doesn't get wet and start to decompose and get hot. You'll have to make sure that there is ventilation. Chickens need more ventilation than you think. I think if your coop looks neat and tidy, the town won't say anything about having straw around your coop. It is an excellent way to insulate.

Hanging cabbage and such is a good way to keep your birds entertained. having lots of perching space is really good too. Every year, I throw seeds in a plastic water bottle with the lid on into the coop and they play for a long time with that, trying to get those seeds. My chickens love snowballs as well. If we get some sticky snow, I throw in a couple of snowballs and they like those to eat cause it tastes so much better than water you know.

Check on ropin the web for straw bales. There is usually someone on there selling bales. Or they might have a listing at that feed store you were talking about before on Hwy 43. Most feed stores do.

Take care
Christine
 
Just resurrecting this thread to see if there are still any Edmonton, AB chicken peeps out there! I have a bunch of chickens (30+) and am chasing those rainbow eggs - just threw a bunch of eggs in the incubator to test for fertility in my flock so I may be doubling my chicken population in a few weeks!
 

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