Any way to Insulate this Coop? (PIC)

[winniegirl]

DH thought of foam board on the inside, but it's already so small. Made from half inch ply, so we covered it in plastic, and we'll caulk as soon as it warms up a bit but the whole thing is so drafty. Hinges were placed on the inside of the main doors so there's a bit gap there, drafts everywhere else.

Is there anything else you can think of to get them thru a PA winter? We weren't too keen on a light but we'll run a line out there if we have to. Sorry about the pix, only one I had handy .

many thanks!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

On another post we were talking about all those political signs. I use them and the ones they put out in regards to new housing developments. You can trim them down to fit. They are hollow and will trap warm air. Put them up with a staple gun or hot glue.

 

[patandchickens]

you're talking about the red hutch-style coop, yes, not the dog-carrier-in-a-pen?

weatherstrip the hinges and around door openings. Use the fuzzy style stuff and try to get it where the chickens can't peck at it. If necessary, add battens (scrap pieces of thin decorative-type trim) around the edges of doors and suchlike to cover over gaps, that will help a LOT against drafts when nothing else will do.

You could actually put foamboard on the OUTSIDE of the coop if you wanted to, covering over all nonessential doors. It won't last forever in the UV of sunlight but actual rigid dense foamboard (as opposed to the little-white-balls-stuck-together styrofoam board) should IME hold up long enough to get you to spring. If it were me I'd wrap it on good with an external layer of chickenwire to get it to stay on the coop, rather than gluing or trying to screw thru it or anything like that.

Another option might be to stack a buncha hay or strawbales around at least 2 sides of the coop (not, obviously, the side with your access door). Would be a lot better than nothing. Depends on your access to affordable hay or straw. You could compost it afterwards or use as garden mulch.

I expect you could get away without insulation reasonably well (although if you could add it, it'd be better); but you really do need to do something about all those drafts.

Good luck and have fun,

Pat

 

[the1much]

cardboard and straw

 

[gritsar]

Bales of straw or hay stacked around the outside would help.

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Why is the coop not attached to the run ? for the time being , maybe use large tarps and drap around the coop to semi prevent drafts ? and add bales of hay on the inside

 

[Toast n Jelly]

Maybe tuck it up against a building and follow the previous posters suggestions or set it up in the garage or other building for the winter.

 

[ears73]

My husband says Polystyrene (sp?) it is the pink firm insulation. He used it to insulate the outside of his bee hive.

 

[BeardedChick]

Glue in some of that silver bubble wrap type insulation. You could use some thin luaun or similar type of wood over the top of that if needed. That silver stuff is very warm, and it glues up nicely. The LocTite adhesive that comes in a caulking tube works really well for gluing insulation like that up.

Or like I said BEFORE, if you'd LISTEN, build yourself a bigger insulated coop and get more chickens.

(I am shameless, sometimes)

 

[BeardedChick]

ps. that run is fixed up really cute.