Does EVERYTHING need insulated?

[sreihart]

My coop is 6x8 and 6' high with exterior nest boxes. I've insulated the walls of the coop, the nest boxes are insulated top to bottom (i.e. floor, walls and lid). I'm not insulating the pop door because I don't see how it would slide up and down and would have to be too thick, and it's so small I can't see where that much heat would be lost from it. Would I need to insulate the clean-out door under the roosts? It's about 12" high and 30" long. My problem is that if I make them out of 2x4 and insulate like a wall with fiberlas insulation, then they won't swing open and close because they'd be too thick? Same with the door. I'm running out of time and just can't make up my mind on how to proceed at this point. I was thinking of making thinner clean-out and human door and maybe insulating with that foam sheet stuff. Any opinions are appreciated!

 

[mgw]

Yes foam board would work. Don't forget weather stripping icy wind is worse than icy air.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah...even a thin layer of the foam board insulation would help...doors and such are a pain. So if you go that route, inset the insulation maybe an inch to avoid dragging... But don't stress too much. As you said, you can't insulate EVERYTHING. The main walls and the ceiling are really the biggies...

 

[elmo]

You did insulate the roof of the coop, right? That's where most of your heat loss is going to occur, anyway.

I agree with the other commenter. Take a look at the walls and consider whether you have the possibility of drafts. That's much worse than the odd bit of radiant heat loss from the walls.

 

[midget_farms]

I don't insulate anything at all & we have the same cold winters here in Illinois as you have in Penn.

chickens are covered with insulation - just make sure they don't have drafts! the cold wind will take away their ability to hold warm air in their feathers.

If the air inside the coop is free from drafts they manage the cold the same as blue jays or other wild birds.

If it is drafty though - they get in trouble.

Insulate if you like - I'm not saying don't do it - but worry more about stopping a cold winter wind than stopping cold all together.

 

[sreihart]

Quote:
It doesn't have the roof on yet. We had a lot of rain this spring so I built it inside a large shed so that I could have more time to work on it. Originally it was meant to be movable, but it got a little larger & heavier than anticipated.

Here's another questions: I'm putting a ridge vent the entire length of the roof, about 8'. How would any of you suggest that I do this in order to allow the moist air to be able to travel up and through the vent? I want to insulate the ceiling, or should I skip putting a ceiling in and just insulate under the roofing, if that makes sense. I was originally planning on putting plywood on the ceiling and insulation on top of that. But I don't know how to allow the moist air up if the ceiling is going to hold everything down around the chickens. This is getting so close to completion and it's driving me crazy coming up with how to do everything "right" for them. As you can tell, I'm a first time chicken owner and I really have become attached to the darn fluffy butts.

Thanks again for all of your help!

 

[mgw]

Ridge vents work great most of the time we use them on our metal roof. But the winter wind will blow right in them so we are goingto plug the side facing the prevailing wind with those black foam pipe insulaters. Also you could put vents on the gable ends that can be open and closed. Hope this helps

 

[LynneP]

Some pics in our links- we get winters like yours!