Keeping the morning quiet with a sound-proofed coop?

[precipice]

I have some pretty noisy morning hens who like to wake up our neighbors (this is *backyard*chickens.com, after all

). I'm working on a new coop for them. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to keep things quiet in the coop -- that is, to let them bawk their lovely hearts out, but keep things fairly soundproofed, so I can leave them in the coop until after the sun is up, then let them into the run.

I'm not looking for perfect silence, and I know that I have to balance this goal with the important need for good ventilation. But, I thought it would be worth asking this knowledgeable crew whether there were any good tricks to promote neighbor happiness through sound dampening. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Momo]

I recently insulated my coop with fibreglass (it's a raised coop so the floor is insulated as well as the walls and roof) and although there are windows (covered with plexi for the winter) and tons of ventilation at the gable ends, I've noticed that Dylan isn't nearly as loud in the mornings as he was before I insulated it. I can still hear him crowing but it's definitely muffled a lot (and he is a LOUD boy).

 

[digitS']

I did the same thing - insulated 2 by 4 stud walls, floor and ceiling with fiberglass. Even the door is built the same way and insulated. Plywood (1/4 inch) is inside and out, with cedar board siding.

Summer time . . . it probably doesn't help with noise nearly as much since I will replace one side of the double doors with a screen. It's narrow but it's open.

Also, the birds exit the coop with its nest boxes, thru a chicken door into a "sun porch." This is more-or-less open on 2 sides with a floor and roof. The coop is sited near a property line but this porch faces away from that neighbor. So, hopefully, their cackling after laying is either confined to the insulated part or the sound is carried away from the nearest neighbor.

Steve

 

[precipice]

Okay, cool. That's great to hear. I was worried that the openings for ventilation would effectively eliminate any benefit from insulation, but it sounds like that's not true. Cool!

Thanks - any other suggestions still welcome.

 

[LynneP]

We insulated with fibreglass too, and the sound is muffled. Instructions in the link below. Be sure you know how to use vapor seal and tuck tape if you use this method, the birds give off a lot of moisture.