Coop insulation question

[bluetrain]

I live in western North Carolina...foothills section...in the Hickory area....so winters can be cool (we probably avg most of last weeks of Dec through Mid March with below 32 nights, but not all the time) and summers can be warm with highs in mid to upper 90's.....not all the time though....my question is about how much (if any) insulation would be needed for a wooden coop, off the ground about a foot with one complete side open (covered in chicken wire with same type of door).....about an 8x8x8 size......I know there needs to be ventilation and can cover the open side in winter to cut down on wind.......just wondered what the group thought.....if I have left out info that would help, let me know.

Thanks.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Well, I live in SW Ontario, Canada, so my temps are in metric, but we get down to about -20C (0 C is 32 F). My coop is not insulated. I do, however, run a heat lamp when temps get below -10C. that info might help if you can do the conversions.

 

[Zahboo]

I would cover that side in cold weather and wind. Where I live in NC hurricanes keep me from open sided coops.

 

[pkeeler]

I live in New Jersey and did not insulate my coop and the chickens were fine. However, I use the deep litter method, and it was usually much warmer in the coop than outside. I was pretty surprised at how much heat the composting litter gave off. I had half the south wall open all winter and vents open in the roof. I had 12-18 chickens in a 10x6 coop, so they also give off heat.

I doubt you will need to even cover your openings in winter in NC.

 

[patandchickens]

You don't really need insulation. OTOH you wouldn't *regret* putting it in either, and it can simplify management. So, personal choice. You will probably want some way to close off that open side sometimes though.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, lived in Durham NC for a while

 

[flopshot]

i'm in NC. i had planned to insulate but after reading hundreds of posts on the subject i decided not to. i'm paying particular attention to draft and humidity control and will include a heat lamp for those few nights it gets into the teens. i may even include an exaust fan for the hot days.

 

[bluetrain]

Cool, thanks for all the replies and info.

 

[citygirl]

I live in Ohio and it gets very cold and also very hot. Our coop is insulated underneath and all four walls. We have an electronic exhaust fan that turns on when the temp in the coop goes above 80 degrees F. We don't run heat but do have a light we will turn on when it gets super cold. Our chickens laid well all winter.

We're building a new coop right now and are insulating it the same way. We're not farmers and maybe since the chickens are not part of our livelihood, we tend to think of their comfort like pets. We've built the way we did because we live in the woods and even with dogs (who have a doggie door), we get racoons and other critters so we make sure they can't get our chickies.

 

[LynneP]

We're in a a very cold Canadian zone and have come through the harshest winter in 22 years. I'm glad we insulated, though in NC it might not be so urgent. In case you want specifics for all or part of your coop, we have a page, here-

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-Coop_Insulation

 

[bantamfan]

Heck, just find some old hay for sale somewhere, farmers have old hay bales that are no longer fit for cow consumption, then stack them around three sides of your coop. Insulation plus, and inexpensive.