We get many nights in single digits (F) and a few below zero. Walls, floors and ceiling are insulated, but nest boxes are just 3/4 in. plywood. They are on the east side of the coop. I'm concerned the hens won't like the cold boxes and the eggs might freeze before I get to them. I don't think the nest boxes are large enough to insulate from the inside (other than the straw filling). How might I insulate the outside? If I were to glue on styrofoam type insulation, would it deteriorate quickly in the elements?
The easiest thing, although you may not wish to do it, would be to move the nestboxes indoors (you could still have an access hatch from the outside if you wanted, as long as it is insulated and well weatherstripped). They wouldn't be taking up any floorspace, so not taking away any space from the chickens, and it *looks* to me (?) like your coop is big enough that there'd still be room for the roost etc etc. You can put a droppings board underneath the roost that will double as the roof of the nestboxes -- this is the setup I mostly have, and it works quite well as long as the droppings board overhangs the front of the nestbox by an inch or two. If for some reason you must, or just want to, keep the exterior boxes, would *think* (?) there'd be room in there for an inch of rigid foamboard plus some 1/4" plywood (or vinyl flooring scraps!) to cover it against pecking. This would only smallen-down your boxes by 1" width and 1" depth on the end ones, and only the 1" depth loss on the middle one(s). So unless they are kind of minimal sized to begin with it should be ok. If they *are* kind of minimal sized, I would suggest rebuilding the dividers so that there is one fewer nestbox and each is a little bit wider than it is now. And similarly insulate the access hatch, paying close attention to weatherstripping. Good luck, have fun, Pat
