Insulating coop in metal pole barn?

[derbychick]

Hello all, you were a great help to us when we established our "flock" of 4 city chickens a few years ago. Now we're in the country and preparing a coop for the 11 chicks we're currently brooding. My husband and I are enclosing an 8x8 corner of a large metal pole barn and we're wondering whether we should insulate the walls and ceiling.... the outer walls are metal, of course, and we are planning to put plywood on the 2 interior walls. The roof is plywood (it is the existing loft). There is one window, and directly across from that will be a screen man door (to the interior of the barn). We are kind of fuzzy on the "ventilation" issue.

BTW, we are in southern Indiana, which can get pretty hot and muggy in summer and down to single digits in winter for brief periods. Our breeds are Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, Barred Rock, Araucana, Golden Comet, and Silver Laced Wyandotte, all of which I understand should be able to withstand cold (?)

Thanks for any insight you can offer!

Andrea

 

[Judy]

If the metal will be covered so that you don't get condensation on the inside, you probably won't need insulation. They tolerate cold a lot better than heat, if there is ventilation at the high point to let their humidity out.