Do I need insulation? UPDATE READ MY Q AGAIN

[Chicken0Boy]

My climate here goes from 10F (max) winter - 100F (max) summer! These are the highest we have ever had here so it depends on the season. It is very humid in the upstate of S.C.. So to the question. Do I need insulation? In the summer I will be using a fan and in the winter I will be using my brooder heat lamp with a different bulb.

 

[Tala]

OF COURSE you need ventilation!!! The ammonia will build up to toxic levels if you don't have enough ventilation!!! Somebody around here has a page on it, with recommended ratios per number of birds.
I personally think you can almost never have too much "ventilation" and I have an open air coop (fence on 3 sides) -- it's a breeze and I looooove it! It gets 100*F here in the summer too, and chickens don't tolerate the heat well, so a cool coop is a MUST!




You don't even need heat at 10*F --- the chickens would be out free ranging in the yard even if it got down to -20*F

Mine got a 75watt lamp when it was in the single digits with a negative windchill last winter, BUT remember that my coop doesn't have true walls. A building with walls will hold their body heat and keep them quite cozy

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Okay thanks so much I will be getting 5 Bantams and 2 Standards.Look at my sig for the breeds

 

[goldnchocolate]

I'm in the North East and my chickens (especially my buff orpingtons) have problems with summer heat and I even have a fan in the door to bring in the cool night air. I'm pretty sure that your chickens would die from the heat in SC if you don't have a good source of ventilation for them.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

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