How to insulate an outdoor brooder

[kristenm1975]

I'm building a brooder with the measurements 3' wide by 3' high, by 5' long, with a frame already built of 2x2 pine. It feels a little rickety, but DBF assures me it'll get more solid when we add walls.

We picked up some 2x6's and had them cut to 5' to put on the front and back, but I'm thinking they need some sort of insulation to go with them. The ends of the brooder are going to be recycled plywood and will be doors on both ends.

Any ideas?

 

[Fay at Frizzled Feathers]

Hello,
I would go with 2" blue board , you can get it at lowes or home depot.

Hope that helps some

Fay

 

[silkiechicken]

I see your in WA too. My outdoor brooders, 4x4x5, and 2x4 with 4x8 runs, are 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch plywood, no insulation. I heat using two 60 or two 100W bulbs hanging from the top, with only one on during the day, and two on at night for the insurance if one bulb goes out. They do just fine and the shorter one is on a dirt floor. Last year they were out in the brooder at 2 weeks old during the freak april snow just running around inside. I was brooding 12-25 chicks at a time so they helped in the heating too.