Hay bales for insulation

[kelidei]

Hi--- I am just curious if anyone here has experience with using hay bales to isulate their coop through the winter? I live in northern Illinois and have been trying to decide what to do--- My coop is pine and batten I was thinking of using insulation (paper coated fiberglass comes pre-cut--- then a moisture barrier). Then someone mentioned to me that what they do is stack hay bales around the coop through the winter--- sounds like a good idea to me--- anyone try it?

 

[Katy]

I get my husband to line big round bales up on the north side of my coops in the winter. Makes a big difference I think. You could use small squares too, but we've only make the big rounds so that's what I use.

 

[Chickenmaven]

My coop is a cinderblock building - not ideal. I piled small bales, inside, for winter warmth. It also helps that the building is surrounded by trees and fencing on the north and east.
I can see where bales outside would make it warmer for Katy - good idea.

Many people on BYC do take that leap and build the chicken palaces of their dreams. The rest of us make do. The chickens are happy either way.

 

[patandchickens]

Sure, it can become a bit of a mouse farm but it does help hold heat in. Piling snow high against coop walls helps a lot too (at least, it does as long as you have enough snow to do that with!)

I'd use straw not hay, as being cheaper. Unless you can get year-old mulch hay, which might be competetive in price. Put it on the garden in the springtime

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Alleychick]

This was my girls first winter, their coop is uninsulated so i was very nervous. My husband put staw bales all the way around the hen house stacked them two high. It was very cozy in there this winter. My husband joked that once in got frigid out id forget all about those silly chickens. Ha was he wrong!!!

 

[bantamfan]

Well, I put up a box wire fence around my coop on three sides at the ranch, then filled it with old hay not suited for stock feed. The sides were about two feet thick insulation wise, and filled it to the roof, and it worked great for many a year. Was a nice snug little coop. You can't go wrong using hay bales for insulation. My next coop will be done in the same way, and am thinking of putting hay in the ceiling to help more, easy and cheap insulation.