Do You Insulate?

[Chieftain]

I insulated my coop not because it gets cold here in the winter (it stays fairly mild) but for sound suppression. I live in a residential neighborhood with neighbors close all around, and the less noise they hear from my coop, the happier we all will be...

 

[LynneP]

I think it's a great investment, provided you do not have rodents. This is how we insulated, and we get very cold winters with high winds...

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

 

[toletiquesbysam]

I have an 8x16 "shed" for my coop, it is not insulated. This is my 1st winter with the chickens and we've had a crazy winter already, but I don't regret not having it insulated, it's just fine for the chickens. I do use a heat lamp over the water to keep from freezing but no other heat source in the coop and they are doing great! It's usually roughly 10degrees or more warmer in the coop than outside and it's draft free and I have hardy chicken breed so all is well!

 

[SurprisingWoman]

My tractor isn't insulated. I might do it at some point in the future though.

Right now I have a modified DLM, it is very draft free and small enough for our five girls that they keep it fairly warm. It hasn't been a problem. I did staple plastic on three of the outside walls to make a barrier of sorts so that would be a modified insulation. I wrapped the bottom of the tractor/run in heavy plastic and it keeps drafts and wind from whipping underneath.

It has been a good arrangement this year. My girls are happy and healthy, I can't complain.

 

[B'villechicken]

My 8'X8' coop has 3.5" of insulation in the walls and the same in the ceiling. I probably don't get as cold as patandchickens but here in Upstate NY we've been -11F and -13F this year. My coop has remained above zero even with ventilation.

 

[B'villechicken]

My 8'X8' coop has 3.5" of insulation in the walls and the same in the ceiling. I probably don't get as cold as patandchickens but here in Upstate NY we've been -11F and -13F this year. My coop has remained above zero even with ventilation. I would recommend it.

 

[happyhensny]

This is our second winter with chickens, we do insulate. Our smaller coop (4x8) has pink fiberglass behind paneling and a 2 1/2" foam insulation panel for the ceiling (7 birds in there) , the other coop (8x8) has a gambrel roof so it's only insulatated about half-way up, there are 24 birds in that coop and they are all great every morning. I do have a 60W bulb that turns on at 4am that may take some of the chill out. We have had weather here down in the -10 to -15* at night without the winf chill. Brrrr!

 

[CityChook]

I insulated the walls and ceiling and am really glad that I did. I heat the coop with a ceramic heat emitter and the insulation keeps the heat INSIDE where it belongs. It also helps keep the eggs from breaking if I am unable to gather them immediately. I only have 4 chickens and even with heat/insulation, my coop averages about 15F.

The way I see it, even if you live in an area with mild winters, Mother Nature can always throw you a curveball. Heck, they got cold in Florida this year! Whether you're cold (MN) or hot (AZ), you can always benefit from insulation.

 

[hangin'witthepeeps]

I can understand that it is better to insulate a coop in Northern climates, but what about southern? Here in my neck of the wood around Athens, GA we do have a winter, usually low 20's occasional teens, but only a few days at a time and only for about 2 or 3 months. So, how does insulation keep a coop cooler? I just can't wrap my mind around that one. Summer's here can be brutal, but not as bad as Texas or California, which I have lived before.

 

[Duke of Orpington]

Here in east Tennessee (around Knoxville) our average low temp is 30 and average high is 87. Now of course those are averages so we see several winter nights in the teens and several summer days in the mid to upper 90's.

I'm debating whether to insulate my new (under construction) 8' x 10' coop. Just now have the floor built and will be framing the walls as time permits. I will have LOTS of ventilation. One 40"x40" window, one or two 36"x36" windows and one 6'x8" ventilation flap above the roost; along with a continuous ridge vent and probably a turbine vent.

Of course if I insulate the walls with fiberglass rolls, then I have to cover that with some type of paneling or drywall, which is an additional cost and more work. If I really need it and it will make a huge difference I don't mind making the investment but I don't have money to burn either.

Still Undecided on Insulation in Knoxville!