To Insulate or Not to Insulate...

Great informative common sense article!

Thank you so so much for sharing your experience and research!
Extremely helpful to newbies in harsh climates, like myself.

Thank you for such a helpful and informative article. I especially appreciated how you broke down the pros and cons so clearly at the end.

Great information! Thank you

Great article! Didn't mention chicks or pullets, which do need more warmth than the adults. We live in Texas, but have known of friends that had some little ones not make it in the winter. Lot of factors in that I'm sure besides the cold weather, for sure! We've never lost a hen due to anything like weather or predators that is in our control to manage with good planning and clean, roomy structures for our hens (and rooster) to overnight in.

How to keep poultry in harsh climates requires a bit more work, good information keeping birds, warm, dry and healthy.

Well written article. Thank you!

I have no experience in keeping chickens in hardy climate but nevertheless I loved to read this article, you’re experiments and what you experienced.

I wonder what makes the chickens lay eggs in the 3th winter/ last setting ?

Insulation is a no go in my climate/europe because blood mite infestations are a high risk here and you never get mites out of youre coop if they get into the isolation.

In winter I make wind blockers in front of the north/west/east hwc-parts of the coop-ventilation (roosting area). And it works great to provide straw on the coldest days to give my 8 tiny bantams more comfort.

Very helpful for those raising chickens in cold places

Well written and great insight.

Overall good arrival.. Simple and to the point as a great guide or "rule of thumb" to get what you need based on elements. Great job!

Loved the different options you tried. Very helpful .. thank you!

Great advice! I took the insulated road as our coop and run are faced with intense wind storms, rain and snow. Works really well for us. I enjoyed the read very much. It's taken me from March till December to finish the entire residence and has kept me away from BYC. But now I'm back enjoying the write ups.

A definite must read for anyone with bitter winters, or even somewhat mild winters that are concerned for their flock.

Great information! I especially liked the general guidelines to determine to insulate or not.

We each have our own journey in learning to keep our flocks happy and protected. Do not be afraid to change something if need be that isn't working for you and your flock, because happy chickens = more eggs even in the cold. a little research and you have eggs without providing extra light or heat source.

Great Article - thanks

More ideas for my chicken notebook. This has given me a whole new view on coop building. Well done!

in Minnesota I have our girls in their run and their coop is for sleeping and egg laying. Our run is wrapped in clear plastic on 3 sides to allow sun in and protect from wind and snow. The top is a metal top. That is the only insulation I use. The girls have thrived. Our winters can get down to -25 so if it gets -10 I will turn on the heat lamp and feed them more cracked corn (to raise their body heat) but they are doing great!

I found this article well written and full of specifics which I'm sure will help me when I finally get my flock. I was especially heartened by the opening, in which the writer notes their own time of reading and dreaming and planning [my current state] prior to "taking the leap." Some other things I have seen and read about people getting chickens, geese or other poultry who are completely clueless about the needs of that poultry, or even considering that chickens etc might have specific needs, makes me cringe for some of the poor birds out there.

I'm sure despite all the reading and you-tubing I've done, there will be a lot more to learn from the birds themselves once I actually have them, but I feel like I am building a solid base with articles like this one.