It is so cold here today that they cancelled the school buses

[patandchickens]

This morning at 5 a.m. when DH got up to go to work I told him to put the horses out (I actually stalled them last night - only happens a couple nights per year) since it was a balmy -22 C.

Apparently *that* is when the cloud cover moved off, because by the time I got up at 7:30 it was -33 C again (-27 F)

Poor horsies. They're fine of course, tho the older TB is looking forward to a thaw. At least they got to spend the night lying on nice warm shavings.

It's supposed to be even colder tonight. If it's clear (will it be? who knows) I would not be surprised at -36 C or colder. Horses will go in again, and STAY IN til the sun is up this time, sheesh Although if it's gonna get windy in the morning like the forecast says, they may stay in longer than that. THey have a good big tall deep shed, but some breeze still curls around into it.

CHICKENS are fine. Their building (unheated, just big and heat-storing and very well insulated) is still about +22 F! Hope they realize how good they've got it. I am *hoping* to finish the new, roofed run this weekend so the sussexes can get some 'turnout' -- poor things have been stuck inside since I think late November.


Pat

 

[MorelCabin]

The temps so low! We're hovering at about -27 here right now, it was -40 early this morning.

Pat how do you keep a building well ventelated and warm like that?

 

[patandchickens]

Unfortunately it is not a magic trick that could be applied to most coops. Fact is, the building is 15x40 with only 14 chickens in it (thus, not too much *need* for ventilation, and good thermal inertia), with a concrete slab floor (thus, very high heat storage from summertime) and well-insulated 6" stud walls and excellent ceiling insulation (better than my HOUSE, darnit!).

It just doesn't lose heat fast and doesn't require much ventilation at all (thus not much cold air coming in to cool things down). I do have a sort of solar greenhouse-style run on the front of it that provides a little heating on sunny days, but that doesn't really make much of a difference to the overall heat budget I don't think -- although it does let the blonde chickens go out without any cold air coming *in*.

(Once I finish the sussex's new roofed-and-plastic-wrapped run, hopefully this weekend but maybe not quite so soon, they will be going out on sunny days and b/c that is almost totally shaded I expect more cool air *will* come into the building... but the building just has enough heat storage and insulation that it's not going to be a problem as such.)

Sorry

(I didn't build this, it used to be a dog boarding/breeding kennel before we bought the place. Just happens to lend itself well to chickens)

Pat

 

[MorelCabin]

I never would have thought concrete floors could be a good thing in Ontario...figured they got just as cold as they do hot....hmmm

 

[patandchickens]

Nah, the only thing wrong with concrete floors in this climate is that in late winter or early spring, yes, they DO stay sort a cold and thus turn the building into somewhat of a condensation chamber. (Solution: keep windows/doors shut as much as possible on warm days).

My horse barn (approx 35x50, with loft), which is not particularly insulated (and totally uninhabited, except for mice) but has a concrete slab floor, has never gotten below about -15 C even in the worst cold snaps, provided the doors are kept closed most of the time. (It is -12 C in there at the moment).

I suspect you get more benefit from a slab in a larger building than a smaller one, b/c the surface-to-volume ratio of the building is lower. But still.


Pat

 

[Henrietta23]

I just checked the temps in Fairbanks AK where one of our good friends lives. It's 36. ABOVE! It's warmer in Alaska than it is here! Brrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[MorelCabin]

That's it, I'm moving to Alaska!

 

[reinbeau]

We put a remote thermometer out in the coop today, it's 15F outside right now, but it's a cozy 26F inside the coop. I wonder if it'll get as cold as they said it would? I'll report back tomorrow.

 

[ams3651]

my sons school already has a 2 hours delay for tomorrow with temps expected around 0.

 

[PamsPride]

Local schools were all closed today and they are expected to be closed tomorrow too.